BMW 220d Coupé: The Classic BMW Recipe
Engine in the front, power goes to the back, that's how BMW has been providing sheer driving pleasure for nearly 100 years. But ever since the first BMW rolled off the production line, a lot has changed. So does the 220d Coupé still capture the magic of what made BMW so popular?
Next to this BMW 220d Coupé, the new 2 Series comes in a lot of different flavours. There’s the 2 Series Gran Coupé, the Coupé, and the 2 Series Active Tourer but the all-new 2 Series Coupé is the only one of the bunch where power goes to the back. The line-up is a bit confusing but the only thing you need to remember is that this 2 Series is the 3rd generation of BMW’s smallest which started life as the 1 Series Coupé back in 2007.
New style mixed with classic cues
The new 2 Series gets a full overhaul. The first thing that strikes the eye is the front end, where the kidneys haven’t grown exponentially! They look very well balanced between this new headlamp design which doesn’t prolong the tradition of angel eyes. These lights do look smoothly integrated into the overall design. And it may be a little out of place on a regular 2 series but the powerdome does look good too.
Then there’s the arches. It really ups the look of the entire car. Something the previous 1 and 2 series missed: width. And above the hips we find the infamous Hofmeister kink. It had disappeared in a few BMW’s the last few years but it seems like it is here to stay for now.
Moving towards the rear, it gets a little difficult here. The rear taillights protrude from the rear which is a little weird. The taillights also sit way out to the sides of the car. This was done to increase the opening of the trunk. Something which was an issue on the previous generations.
Trusty inside
Open the door and you’ll find yourself in a familiar space. At first, the seats seem a bit hard when you get into them but they’re far from uncomfortable, even on longer journeys they are really comfortable and keep you nicely into place. The small M Performance stripes inside the doors, which illuminate, are a great added detail but throughout the rest of the interior, ambient lighting does lack a bit.
The infotainment is still iDrive7 which is one of the best iterations of the iDrive. It’s very extensive whilst staying one of the most intuitive systems out there. The settings are nicely grouped and there’s no digging for that one setting you’re trying to find. The screen is within arm’s reach and if you don’t like navigating with the touchscreen, then you can still use the rotating dial in the center console. Even after 21 years, that knob is still such a nice way to navigate through the infotainment screen. In terms of the instrument cluster, it looks and works very nice but there’s not as much customisation as in the competition.
Diesel is dead?
It’s a common topic and it feels a bit like beating a dead horse but here it goes. Ever since a certain thing happened with diesel cars, they’ve gotten this bad reputation. At this point, it’s even hard to find a diesel in any showroom now. But, there’s a case to be made for diesels and this 220d is one of the finer ones on the market. With an average consumption of less than 5,0 L/100 km, it’s a great choice as a daily.
And now it runs even better with the 48V mild-hybrid upgrade. The engine is able to turn on and off on a dime and the extra torque from the small electric motor gives the extra push to merge in quite fast. It’s one of my favourite small Diesel engines on the market.
So with plenty of power to move you through day to day traffic, how does it actually drive?
First let’s get the rough stuff out of the way. The M Pack comes with the M Sports suspension which is a bit too hard for my liking on a daily driver. Removing the M sports suspension or opting for the adaptive M sport suspension is the way to go. With that out of the way, the new 2 Series Coupé feels great, it’s a very composed chassis. Power to the rear always means you have a more direct front axle and it shows here, the 2 Series provides sheer driving pleasure just as BMW intended. Steering is nicely weighted and communicative.
Has the classic BMW recipe expired?
Well to put it short, no, not at all. The 2 Series Coupé is a great car. It looks great and drives better than anything in class. Considering it’s a coupé, the trunk is really impressive. Pricewise the 2 Series doesn’t really come with entry level engines so starting at 39.000 €, it’s starting on the higher side compared to its segment rivals. You’ll have to sacrifice a bit of practicality when comparing with similarly powered competitors in the same budget. This 220d with options comes in around 55.000 € (BE).
If you’re looking for a great driving, good looking and an economical coupé all in one car to use on a daily basis? Then 220d will fulfil every need you have.
