Best coupés 2024 – the sleekest models reviewed and rated
Tempted by the idea of a stylish coupé? Then check out our comprehensive rundown of the top 10 best models on the market – and find out which one we'd avoid...
When you picture a coupé, you probably think of something sleek and quick that doesn't have much room for shopping. But while style is an important factor, the best modern coupés offer a lot more besides.
They blend strong performance and sharp handling with good ride comfort, and offer enough practicality to make them easy enough to live with every day. And while some models are expensive (especially if they're from premium car brands), that doesn't necessarily mean they’re not good value.
But if you’re looking for a coupé that does it all, our team of experienced road testers reckon the BMW 4 Series is the best coupé money can buy right now. After driving thousands of miles in every coupé on the market, we can confidently say that it's the best car in the class. To find out more about why it’s so good, and which version we recommend, you can read on below.
Of course, you might be looking for something a little bigger, smaller or have particular needs, so we’ve rounded up the ten coupés that ought to be on your shortlist – and named the coupé you should avoid. You can read the full reviews, or search for the best coupé deals to potentially save thousands on a new car, by clicking the relevant linsk
Our pick: 420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
Strengths
- More fun to drive than direct rivals
- Range-topping M440i is seriously rapid
- Back seats are more usable than you might imagine
Weaknesses
- Divisive looks
- Rivals have more versatile folding rear seats
- Some wind and tyre noise
No one buys a coupé solely for its practicality; the way it drives and how plush it feels inside are usually much more important. But with the BMW 4 Series, you can be assured it will have you covered in all of those areas.
You see, the 4 Series is one of few coupés that can carry rear passengers in reasonable comfort. Two six-footers will be comfy enough in the back seats for short journeys, and there’s even enough room in the boot for their luggage.
Then there’s the way it drives. It’s more agile and capable through the corners than both the Audi A5 Coupé and Mercedes CLE. And, if you add the optional adaptive suspension (which allows you to adjust the set-up to suit the road surface you’re on), it's more comfortable than those cars, too.
The entry-level 420i variant gets a 181bhp petrol engine; it's got plenty of low-end shove, making it great for everyday driving, and has an eagerness to rev which suits the car’s sporty character. It's our pick of the engine line-up.
Interior build quality is top-notch, bar a few bits of hard plastic you wouldn't find in an A5, while the 4 Series' iDrive rotary controller means its infotainment system is easier to use on the move than the Audi's touchscreen-only arrangement.
The 4 Series truly is a brilliant all-rounder – and that’s rarely said about a coupé.
“The 4 Series’ seats are more heavily bolstered than those of the rival Audi A5, so they hold you in place better through corners.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor
Read our in-depth BMW 4 Series review
Strengths
- A quiet and relaxing cruiser
- CLE 300 is a punchy performer
- More room in the back than you might imagine
Weaknesses
- More expensive than its closest rivals
- Not as sharp to drive as a BMW 4 Series
- Rival coupés have bigger boots
The Mercedes CLE replaced both the Mercedes C-Class Coupé and Mercedes E-Class Coupé in the brand’s two-door line-up. That’s landed it in a coupé sweet spot which has in turn helped it rise all the way to second place on this list.
Whereas the 4 Series’ main attraction is its sharp handling, it’s best to think of the CLE as a long-distance cruiser; it’s impressively quiet inside, and non-performance variants are a cut above rivals in terms of ride comfort while still feeling stable and precise on a twisty road.
Compared with the 4 Series, the CLE is actually slightly roomier in the rear, although tall passengers still won’t thank you for leaving them back there for long periods.
“The double-spoked sports steering wheel in the CLE has touch-sensitive controls, which can be fiddly to use. What happened to proper buttons in modern cars?” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor
Read our in-depth Mercedes CLE review
Our pick: 4.0 V8 2dr Auto [City Spec]
Strengths
- Luxurious interior
- Huge performance
- Enjoyable to drive
Weaknesses
- Range-topping W12 sounds flat
- Not as involving as an Aston Martin DB12 or Ferrari Roma
- Missing some safety kit
The Bentley Continental GT conjures up rose-tinted images of what driving used to be like, when the super-rich would blast across Europe to get to their second home on the Riviera. And yet, it's a thoroughly modern car that gets the balance between sports car and luxury car just about spot on.
Our favourite version is the ‘entry-level’ V8, and it’s a joy to drive with its revvy nature and bassy exhaust note. It almost matches the range-topping W12-engined Speed version for performance, and feels slightly more nimble because there’s less weight over the front end.
Inside the GT, you get polished woods, soft leather and some very high quality fixtures and fittings. It's expensive, but feels worth every penny of its list price.
“The Continental GT’s interior looks like it should come with a butler, with slabs of polished wood and soft leather.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor
Read our in-depth Bentley Continental GT review
Strengths
- Higher resale values than rivals
- Strong on safety
- Lots of kit for your money
Weaknesses
- Tight rear head room
- Small boot aperture
- Not as fun as the best coupés
One of the most attractive features of the Mercedes CLA is its interior: it looks lavish, with great tech and lots of visual pizzazz.
That style is backed up by real substance, too – the 215bhp plug-in hybrid setup in the 250e version delivers impressive performance, and the keen pricing and rock-solid resale values ensure it appeals to your head as well as your heart.
It's a four-door coupé so it's fairly practical, but like most of the cars on this list, those sleek looks do come at the cost of rear head room. To counter that, the boot is a good size – the CLA actually offers more luggage space than the regular Mercedes A-Class hatchback.
“I found the extra handles in the CLA's boot for releasing the rear seatbacks particularly convenient when loading some flat-pack furniture.” – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor
Read our in-depth Mercedes CLA review
Strengths
- Plush interior
- Strong and smooth engines
- Practical by coupe standards
Weaknesses
- Steering could be more feelsome
- You’ll want to add a few options
- Very expensive Vorsprung trim
The Audi A5 is to the Audi A4 what the BMW 4 Series is to the BMW 3 Series – a coupé that has the same underpinnings as its saloon stablemate.
As with the A4, the A5's standout qualities include a plush interior and a strong line-up of engines. It's not as much fun to drive as the 4 Series though, and if rapid performance is your thing, we’d point you towards the BMW M4 over an Audi S5 or Audi RS5. The 201bhp 40 TFSI petrol engine is our recommended chice, because it offers good perfomance while still keeping running costs sensible.
The A5 is at least surprisingly practical for a two-door coupé, with good rear space and a usefully large boot. If you want more space in the rear, then there's the Audi A5 Sportback.
“Everything in the A5 looks smart and feels incredibly solid; I particularly like the chunky gear selector.” – George Hill, Staff Writer
Read our in-depth Audi A5 review
Strengths
- Entertaining handling
- Brilliant build quality inside
- Class-leading infotainment system
Weaknesses
- Limited rear head room
- Mediocre boot
- Automatic gearbox can be a bit hesitant
The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé delivers a similarly fantastic blend of driver appeal and ride comfort to the BMW 1 Series family car, along with a great interior and a brilliant infotainment system.
It's even sharper to drive than the rival Mercedes CLA, with precise steering and tight body control, although the petrol engine in the entry-level 218i feels sluggish compared with the equivalent unit in the CLA 180.
What's more, the 2 Series Gran Coupé doesn’t cost much more than the 1 Series, so if you love its swoopy coupé looks you won’t be throwing your money away. However, as you might expect, they do come at the cost of rear head room. Plus, the CLA's boot is that bit bigger.
“The iDrive rotary controller in the 2 Series Gran Coupé is much less distracting to use on the move than the touchscreen in the Audi A3 Saloon.” Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor
Read our in-depth BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé review
Strengths
- Massive performance
- Beautifully crafted interior
- More fun to drive than most of its GT rivals
Weaknesses
- Limited rear-seat space
- Boot could be bigger
- As a cruiser, there are softer-riding alternatives
Under the skin, the Aston Martin DB12 is closely related to its predecessor (the Aston Martin DB11), but it’s been updated in several key areas to keep it looking fresh next to the latest high-end, high-performance coupés.
The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine is more powerful than before – meaning a 0-62mph sprint takes just 3.6 seconds – and feels as capable in ordinary driving as it does rewarding when you push it to its limits.
The DB12 has also ditched the Mercedes-sourced infotainment system of its forebear in favour of an in-house system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which looks sharp and has a range of shortcut keys for key functions. The Bentley Continental GT does feel more solid inside, though. Plus, there's no ignoring the fact that the DB12 is an expensive choice.
“While much of the tech is new, a few Mercedes bits can still be found inside the DB12.” – Chris Haining, Sub-Editor
Read our in-depth Aston Martin DB12 review
Strengths
- Top-notch infotainment
- Fine balance between ride and handling
- Excellent driving position
Weaknesses
- More expensive than some rivals
- Panamera is more fun to drive
- A7 is more practical
If you can't decide whether to buy something sporty or something comfy, the 8 Series Gran Coupé can end your dilemma because it strikes a good balance between the two.
Inside, it has a beautifully built interior that features BMW's intuitive iDrive infotainment system, which is controlled using a slick rotary controller, rather than through touch alone. Everything you touch feels solid, but the Bentley Continental GT makes a better choice if you want a coupé that’s truly luxurious.
As for engines, the 8 Series Gran Coupé has a choice of two: a silky-smooth 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine or a throaty 4.4-litre V8. They both offer strong performance, but it's the cheaper 840i option we recommend.
“The Gran Coupé’s extra length has been put towards increasing rear space; a welcome decision considering how cramped the regular BMW 8 Series is in the back.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer
Read our in-depth BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé review
Strengths
- Strong engines
- High-quality interior
- Generous standard equipment
Weaknesses
- Sluggish automatic gearboxes
- Fiddly infotainment system
- Dependable handling but hardly exciting
The five-door Audi A7 coupé is a beautifully made and comfortable cruiser with a surprising amount of space inside for front and rear occupants.
That space continues when it comes to the A7 Sportback's boot. With a 535-litre capacity, it's bigger than that of the rival Mercedes CLS; the A7 also has a wide hatchback tailgate, making it easier to load in larger items.
Behind the wheel, the A7 is competent rather than great fun to drive – not helped by the fact that every engine is paired with a frustratingly slow automatic gearbox – and its infotainment system can be distracting to use while driving.
“It’s annoying that you have to use a touchscreen to control the air-con in the Audi A7, but at least it gets its own dedicated display.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor
Read our in-depth Audi A7 review
Strengths
- Strong resale values
- Punchy six-cylinder diesel engine
- Generous equipment list
- Enjoyable handling
Weaknesses
- Cramped rear head room
- Firm ride on standard suspension
- Fewer engine options that some rivals
When it comes to engines, the Mercedes CLS doesn't have the same breadth of choice as its rivals from Audi and BMW. However, if a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is what you’re looking for, it deserves a place on your shortlist. You can choose either a smooth and punchy diesel or a seriously quick (if acoustically underwhelming) petrol. Of the two, we reckon the former is the best fit for most drivers.
Compared with its closest rivals – including the Audi A7 Sportback and the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé – the CLS has the most cocooning, low and sporty driving position.
Its sporty nature does come at the cost of ride comfort, though; the suspension is on the firm side, whether you have the standard set-up or optional air suspension. And although the CLS has four doors, it can't match the best coupés for practicality.
“Next to the A7, fit and finish inside the CLS are good rather than outstanding.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor
Read our in-depth Mercedes CLS review
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And the coupé to avoid...
It’s one of few coupés still available with a manual gearbox, and its retro charm helps it stand out from the crowd, but the Mustang is thirsty, cheap inside and far from the sharpest coupé to drive. Read our review
FAQs
A coupé is defined by its bodystyle, because most have only two doors and a sleek roofline. The BMW 4 Series, for example, is a coupé version of the BMW 3 Series saloon. Other notable definitions include a sporty driving experience to go with the sleek looks, with some offering sharp steering and suspension set-ups, as well as powerful engines. In short, a coupé is a car you buy for style and fun rather than practicality.
If you've got big money, you could put a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ on your driveway. This will top out at 304.7mph. If you're content to limit yourself to the 10 great cars we've got here (and we think you should) then the Bentley Continental GT V8 will get you up to 198mph, plus it will go from 0-62mph in just 4.0sec.
On many occasions they are, yes, because buyers are prepared to spend more on the extra style of a two-door coupé. However, don't forget you can now buy four-door coupés, such as the Audi A7 Sportback and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé, which have all the style of a two-door car but the added practicality of two rear doors.
While plenty of the four-door coupés have four or five seats, and some have the comfort of a five-door saloon with the added practicality of a hatchback’s wide-opening tailgate, they are not what you'd immediately think of recommending to a family with young children. However, older children will be able to climb in and out of most of them with ease, and in combination with often sizeable boots, some coupés make very good family transport.
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