BMW 2 Series Coupe review - MPG, CO2 and running costs

The 2 Series Coupe isn’t offered with fuel-saving hybrid technology, or as an EV, but the beauty of sporty coupe is that, along with being great fun to drive, they’re relatively lightweight and aerodynamic which helps to keep fuel economy pretty reasonable. 

The most efficient option originally was the 220d 2.0-litre diesel engine, which BMW said could return up to 60.1mpg, and CO2 emissions of 122g/km meant it was pretty appealing to company car drivers who like to take the scenic route to work.

Unfortunately for them, the 2 Series Coupe is now available exclusively with petrol power. According to BMW, the entry-level 220i and its 2.0-litre four-pot engine will return up to 44.1mpg, while emitting between 144-149g/km of CO2. 

The more powerful 230i is slightly less economical on paper, and will achieve 42.8mpg at best – presumably if you break out the heavy foot on rare occasions. However, during our group test between the 230i and the Toyota GR86, we managed to see 32.5mpg from the BMW compared to the Toyota’s 31.3mpg. Driven with proper enthusiasm, both cars would easily dip into 20mpg territory.

With its 3.0-litre, twin-turbo six-cylinder engine adding a whole lot more power, and the xDrive all-wheel-drive system adding a little extra weight too, the M240i performance model emits 185-200g/km of CO2 and returns a claimed maximum of 34.4mpg. Although when we pitched it up against the Audi TT RS and the Porsche Cayman in our own three-way test, the M240i averaged 27.4mpg, the TT RS managed 28.1mpg, while the less potent Cayman (with 296bhp) achieved 33.2mpg – all decent figures when you consider the near-supercar pace on offer.

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Finally there’s the full-fat BMW M2, also powered by a twin-turbo six-cylinder, which BMW says can return between 28-29mpg depending on your choice of manual or automatic transmission. We covered plenty of miles when we tested the M2, including a stretch of motorway driving, yet it impressed us by returning 30.2mpg.

Insurance

As you might expect, the 454bhp M2 is the most expensive model to insure in the 2 Series Coupe lineup, sitting in insurance group 42 (out of 50). The 369bhp M230i is a close second in group 37, while the 230i version lands in group 33. The entry-level 220i petrol and now-discontinued 220d diesel are in groups 28 and 29, respectively.

In comparison, an entry-level Porsche Cayman sits in group 42, while the cheapest Audi TT model is in insurance group 36.

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Depreciation

The BMW 2 Series Coupe should be a strong performer on the used market. Our expert data suggests that it should hold onto an average of 55 per cent of its original value after three years and 36,000 miles of motoring, with the M2 expected to perform the best.

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our valuation tool...