BMW 220d M Sport (2023) review - a dying breed on life support

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• BMW 220d M Sport (2023) review – a dying breed on life support

There's something pure about a compact coupe that stirs the emotions of any motoring enthusiast. It represents a purity that is fast disappearing from our roads. The latest BMW 2 Series hopes to continue the tradition as consumers flock to other body styles.

Interior & Space

Over time, certain trends and approaches fade into obscurity, relegated to the annals of history. The rotary telephone, cassette tapes, and roller rinks, still exist today but their popularity and availability are somewhat limited. It’s only a select few diehards that persist. The coupe is one of these solutions to a problem that is starting to fade into obscurity, despite being one of the oldest body styles in the history of the automobile.

I can applaud those firms that continue to produce coupes, true coupes not the ridiculous coupe-like 4-door offerings, in this day and age. An age where mass spend and resource is dedicated to crossovers and SUVs. The BMW 2 Series is one of the stalwarts of this segment even if it’s one of the more recent model range introductions in BMW’s timeline. The latest iteration attempts to continue in the successful footsteps of the F22 predecessor with a selection of sensible engines and avant-garde styling cues but looks set to be against the ropes, in this humble motoring scribe’s opinion.

Styling 

It starts with the styling, as it usually does. Aesthetics play such a major role in desirability and when you’re presenting a model range to the world that is already under threat, you need to pander to the masses as best you can. BMW has not done the 2 Series range any favours in the styling department and what you see before you is the handiwork of José Casas, senior exterior designer for BMW I and M. Despite his previous experience at Pininfarina, Casas has given us a shape that vaguely resembles the 2 Series but ends up looking like someone shoved a pillow in an onion sack. At least he didn’t give it the unGodly large kidney grilles.

The G42 2 Series is a wash of hard lines and bulging surfaces, squared off in the nose with a table flat ‘power bulge’ on the bonnet. Casas’ love for sneakers and footwear comes through with the prominent rocker panel element that ties in well with the front and rear arch geometry but I can’t help but see the R35 Nissan GT-R leaking through. The front gets a no from me and at the rear, well, I’m still undecided. It’s my job to look past the badge and see what is presented in front of me and in a time where the 2 Series needs to welcoming, the G42 is not that. We’re not off to a good start it seems.

Space & Interior 

One place that is familiar is the interior. Now while it may sound like I’m contradicting myself, this isn’t a good thing either. In the case of the G42, the interior design doesn’t complement the efforts on the exterior. It’s largely the same design language that we’ve been seeing for the last 10-years or so. When you have an exterior this bold and experimental, one should have an interior, or at least some elements of it, that play the game. A widescreen cockpit would have been ideal for this new 2 Series but unfortunately, you’re left with something that feels dated, despite being new.

This is a small criticism of the style choices made and doesn’t detract from the fact that the interior is well-built and trimmed in quality materials. The M Sport touch is displayed on the door cards, where there three colours of the M logo are backlit at night, complemented by a diamond motif further outward on the door card. Space is generous enough and the G42 certainly feels larger than its predecessor. The boot is generous too, offering a competitive 390 litres of cargo space.

Comfort & Convenience 

While you would be able to specify electric sport seats, our test model 220d was fitted with sensible manual sport seats with electric bolster adjustment. If you don’t chop and change drivers regularly, there’s no need to electric seats and they only add complications and weight. The ergonomics are a bit of a miss as well and I struggled to find a driving position that worked for both long drives and the commute. The steering wheel is a thick item, albeit a familiar one once again with steering wheel controls for audio and cruise control functions.

Anything that wears the M Sport badge is never going to win competitions for outright comfort; the emphasis is rather placed on style and functionality. The 19-inch alloy wheels that the 220d M Sport rides on inherently compromises the overall ride with the secondary ride paying the most. Initial compression from the suspension on large obstacles like speed bumps and driveways transmits a hefty ‘thunk’ through the chassis.

The 220d comes standard with BMW Operating System 7, plumbed into a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with multiple input methods. It’s complemented by the BMW Live Cockpit which sees a 10.25-inch control display ahead of the driver. The infotainment system houses a native navigation system but also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless charging is situated in the centre console for a truly wireless experience.

Performance 

The 220d makes a compelling argument for the retention of diesel engines in new vehicles. This 48v mild hybrid 2.0-litre turbodiesel produces 140 kW and a healthy 400 Nm torque. The combination of diesel and electrification allows the 220d to pull respectably from virtually any RPM and eradicate the need for a downshift. While this malleability is a boon in town, the outright acceleration performance is less than staggering. BMW claims 7.0 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h with a top speed of 237 km/h.

Power is sent, in this case, to the rear wheels through an 8-speed Steptronic Sport gearbox. Thanks to the wide torque swell, gear changes are infrequent and hardly noticeable – the mark of a good gearbox. Even though I was afforded the luxury of paddles behind the steering wheel and three drive modes to choose from, including a Sport mode, I never felt the need to override what the gearbox was doing on its own.

Fuel Economy 

As stated, the drive modes allow for one of three preset modes to be selected and should you wish to save on fuel, you can select the Eco mode. In this mode, BMW claims that you can achieve fuel consumption figures of as low as 4.7 l/100km. Leaving it in Normal and driving, well, normally I was only able to get the 220d down to 6.9 l/100km in a mix of urban and extra-urban cycles. Expect to get roughly 700km from a full tank in real-world conditions.

Safety 

No need to worry about safety in the latest 2 Series. Even in 220d trim you will get a healthy complement of airbags, restraints, semi-autonomous driving aids and collision avoidance systems. I was a little irked with the automatic emergency braking function that wouldn’t allow me to back past a pillar on my way into a parking bay, but a few settings adjustments and all was well again. You don’t get adaptive cruise control straight off the bat but standard cruise control and speed limiter function serve the purpose just fine.

The G42 BMW 2 Series scored 4 out of 5 stars in the Euro NCAP tests, scoring 82% and 81% for adult and child occupants respectively and suffering a little with scores of 67% and 64% for vulnerable road users and safety assists.

Price 

Here’s the kicker. If the BMW 2 Series was cheaper, we may have been able to overlook some of its shortcomings. Sadly, the 2 Series is rather dear (as are most cars these days) and the BMW 220d M Sport will cost you R889 706 before you even think of adding an option to it. That’s a lot of money and not very far from an M Sport 320d or 420d (if you have to have a coupe). If you select a non-M Sport version, the 320d is nearly R10 000 cheaper.

Competitors 

At this rather robust price point, the 2 Series starts to play in the realm of the Audi A5, Audi TT, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Is it more car? I’m not so sure. It still feels like a division down from these competitors. There are no other natural rivals for the 2 Series in that case and this speaks volumes about the future of this segment.

Verdict 

I don’t hate the BMW 2 Series, I’m just disappointed that one of the last bastions of compact sport coupe existence lies in something that feels so compromised, so expensive and that will only appeal to the most ardent BMW enthusiast. I don’t know if it is the car that we will see on bedroom walls or used as screensavers. It does what it says on the tin, even if the tin looks like it’s been damaged in transit.

 Chad LückhoffWith over 18 years of motorsport commentary and a passion for 90s Japanese Sports Cars, Chad Lückhoff is happiest when surrounded by drift cars and smoking tyres. His experience as the Technical Editor of the country’s top tuning magazine means that it’s the nuts and bolts of motoring that tickles his fancy. As comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, he’ll take you behind the wheel with his video reviews, written recounts, and invoking photography. One of the first to join the AutoTrader fray, Chad has been living his passion at AutoTrader for over 7-years.View News & Reviews

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