BMW 230i xDrive Coupe channels brand’s sporty past

BMW 230i xDrive Coupe

Type: Two-door, four-passenger compact sedan, front-engine, all-wheel drive

Engine: Two-litre, turbocharged inline-four; 255 horsepower at 4,500 revolutions per minute; torque of 295 lbs.-ft. at between 1,600 rpm and 4,000 rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Cargo: 390 litres, or 13.77 cubic feet

Fule economy: 9.6 litres/100 km in the city; 6.9 l/100 km on the highway; 8.4 l/100 km combined (Premium-grade gasoline)

Price: $ 47,950 (base); $58,395 (as-tested)

The BMW 230i might be the least powerful of the 2 Series coupes, but it’s an excellent introduction into the world of sporty BMWs. And it feels nothing like its base model designation might suggest. It’s also the second most affordable BMW on sale right now; only the X1 crossover is cheaper.

With the recent discontinuation of the 2 Series Gran Coupe, the “real” coupe is now the entry point into BMW’s non-crossover lineup. I can’t say I’m sorry to see the Gran Coupe go because a front-wheel drive BMW never sat well with me.

This new 2 Series Coupe is a window into BMW’s past, when its lineup was much smaller and made up of sedans and coupes, exclusively. It was all function over form, with a focus on athletic handling and unfiltered driving pleasure.

Now, the very idea of a small coupe such as the 2 Series is quickly fading. Only a handful of relatively affordable coupes are left. You’ve got the soon-to-be-discontinued Dodge Challenger, the Toyota GR 86, and the Mini Cooper. You can stretch it to say that the BMW 4 Series and C-Class Coupe fit the bill, but really none of these are direct comparisons.

The 2 Series Coupe needs to be judged on its own merits.

Out of all the new polarizing BMW designs, which have broken away from tradition, the 2 Series stands out. Its got a blunt nose with boxy fenders and that classic long-hood-short-rear-deck synonymous with rear-wheel-drive sports cars.

We reviewed the M240i last year and its performance is not far off the previous M2. It felt like a personal German muscle car in the best of ways. In some respects, the 230i is even better. For one, the starting price ($47,950) is much more palatable and the Melbourne Red Metallic paint, an $895 option, is exactly the type of colour a small BMW Coupe needs. Even better, the Cognac Sensatec (read leatherette) interior will have you living Ferrari fantasies at a large discount.

All new 2023 2 Series come with the new curved display seen in many new BMWs. This large curved panel is actually two screens under a sheet of glass. The 14.9-inch main screen and 12.3-inch driver display have some of the sharpest and most appealing visuals in the car world today. The screens are augmented by an optional heads-up display that’s large and colourful and really good at keeping your attention on the road when you’re changing radio stations or looking for navigation instructions. The latest version of iDrive is fast, and super easy to use, and I applaud BMW’s decision to stick with the rotary control knob as it’s still the least distracting way to interact with a large screen while you’re driving.

The biggest difference between the 230i and M240i is the engine. The 230i gets a turbocharged two-litre, four-cylinder that produces 255 horsepower (hp) and 295 lbs.-ft. of torque from just 1,600 revolutions per minute (rpm). It’s not the silky-smooth, straight-six, but the four-cylinder has plenty of power and character of its own. It’s enough that you’ll probably never even notice the missing horses.

The smaller engine is lighter, and when you reduce weight over the front axle, the effect on driving dynamics is very positive. Indeed, the steering feels even better in the 230i. There’s a light, chuck-able feel that will immediately bring a smile to your face. This car gives you the confidence to push harder in the corners and explore the higher regions of the rev. counter more often.

And that makes it more fun, more of the time. The M240i can sometimes feel almost too powerful and too restricted on public roads.

As the M240i is, the 230i is only available in xDrive, all-wheel drive format, but it still feels rear-driven as power only gets sent to the front wheels when necessary.

Both cars share that same delicate handling balance, and near 50-50 weight distribution. The BMW 230i rides really well for what it is. It’s a small car, with a relatively short wheel base and a stiff suspension, but it shrugs off the worst roads, translating impacts into muffled thunks that never seem to intrude into the cabin. It doesn’t have a luxury car ride, but it’s also not so stiff you’ll regret taking it on a road trip.

In fact, a road trip is where this 230i will shine brightest. It 390-litre trunk is larger than you think it is and its back seat can be used to transport actual humans. It’s also efficient, returning less than eight litres/100 km on the highway, and its small footprint means that you can park it just about anywhere.

It’s quiet, and, unlike the M240i, it doesn’t have a shouty exhaust.

The seats are very comfortable and supportive and they don’t break down on a long drive, and this greatly reduces the driver’s fatigue behind the wheel. As road trips are supposed to be about the journey, not the destination, the 230i will enhance every journey, guaranteed.

My biggest gripe is that this is the perfect example of a car that’s just begging for a manual transmission.

I understand why it’s not offered on the M240i, but the base model BMWs were where you’d historically find the three-pedal cars. Not here. If you want a manual 2 Series, you’ll have to wait for the M2, which won’t be cheap.

The 2 Series coupe gives us hope that cars for enthusiasts are alive in Munich, but we just don’t know how much longer this is going to last. If the new i4 is any indication, however, we should actually be pretty stoked for the future.

For those of us that crave a bit of BMW nostalgia right now, the 230i is here.

And it’s great.

Editor’s note: Please be aware that availability of vehicles depends on supply. Manufacturers have been experiencing a shortage of microchips, which has affected their inventory.