New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé gains fresh look and revised engines

On sale: March 2025 | Price from: £34,915

The ‘less is more’ approach is often used to express minimalism, but with the aim of having a big impact. This, then, could be the strategy behind the facelifted BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, which has been given a more minimalist design inside and out, as well as a simplified engine line-up.

Mind you, the strategy seen here isn't exclusive to the 2 Series Gran Coupé, because we’ve recently seen a similar refresh applied to the BMW 1 Series, upon which the car is based.

Indeed, the engine line-up of the two cars now mirror each other, with the old entry-level 134bhp engine being dropped in favour of a new mild hybrid petrol engine, badged 220. It produces 168bhp and delivers a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds, while the official average fuel economy is rated at 53.3mpg.

If you want more performance (and an average fuel economy figure of 37.7mpg), there’s also the M235. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that's been revised with a beefed-up turbocharger and improved cooling. This means it now develops 296bhp (a slight decrease from before), but with no change to the 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds. For reference, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 can cover the same sprint in an identical time. 

No matter which you choose, both the 220 and M325 are paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox; the former is front-wheel drive and the latter is four-wheel drive.

The design changes of the 2 Series include the addition of a new grille, headlight and taillight design, as seen on the new 1 Series. The body is also 20mm longer and 25mm taller than before, with the idea being to improve interior space.

Inside, the 2 Series Gran Coupé gets a new curved display that comprises a 10.7in digital driver's display and a 10.25in central touchscreen, the latter of which houses BMW’s latest infotainment system. Unfortunately, the physical climate controls and rotary controller are now gone; instead, you have to rely on the touchscreen. This is a shame, because the set-up in the previous car was very intuitive to use while driving.

Prices for the new 2 Series Gran Coupé will start from £34,915 for the 220 and £44,435 for the M235, which is slightly more than the CLA 180 but less than the AMG-powered CLA 35.

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