2023 BMW 2 Series Coupe Performance

The 2 is currently available in two flavors in the USA: mild and spicy. The base 2 Series Coupe is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, good for 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The 230i sends all of its power to the rear axle, and it can do the 0-60 mph sprint in 5.5 seconds. The top speed is rated at 130 mph due to the standard tire selection but can be increased to 155 mph as an option. Opting for the 230i xDrive adds BMW's AWD system and brings down the benchmark sprint to 5.3 seconds. BMW's M240i xDrive is the current beast in the range, equipped with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Until last year, you could have this model only with BMW's rear-biased xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Thanks to the additional grip and power, the M240i xDrive will get to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Now a RWD trim is offered as well and it's a bit slower to 60 mph, completing the run in 4.5 seconds. The top speed is also limited to 130 mph, but, like the 230i, it can be increased to 155 mph.

The base car is unique in this segment, with competitors from Audi and Mercedes-Benz only available with FWD or AWD. Even the M240i is unique since its xDrive model's AWD system is rear-biased. The rivals also offer AWD, but aside from Cadillac, they do it the other way around, with the front wheels being the default and the rear wheels engaging when things go sideways. Audi and Mercedes also only offer their base offerings in four-door guise, while BMW still offers an entry-level coupe.

Two powertrain configurations seem familiar to BMW lovers, with a 2.0-liter turbo four-pot in the 230i and a turbocharged inline-six displacing 3.0 liters in the M240i. Both engines are mated to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode. This particular gearbox is so good that BMW even ditched the dual-clutch you used to find in the full-fat M cars in favor of the eight-speed. It's an epic gearbox that can be completely docile when you want it to be, fading into the background and swapping cogs swiftly and quietly. Or, if you hold the left paddle, the transmission enters a "Sprint Mode" that immediately shifts to the lowest possible gear. You get a fair amount of driving modes, including Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus. Launch control is standard. BMW doesn't provide a cold-weather-related mode, but Comfort with winter tires should provide ample grip. Both engines come with RWD as standard, but xDrive AWD can be added for $2,000.

The turbocharged four-pot produces 255 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 295 lb-ft from 1,550 rpm. That's a lot of low-down torque for such a small car. The M240i offers even more from its boosted six. It produces 382 hp at 5,800 rpm and 369 lb-ft from 1,800 rpm. That's more than the original M2, showcasing how BMW's sub-M product already produces more power than the fully-fledged M2 from 2016.

According to the EPA, the RWD 230i is capable of 26/35/29 mpg city/highway/combined and the 230i xDrive corresponding figures are 24/34/28 mpg. The RWD M240i is also surprisingly frugal, with claimed figures of 22/32/26 mpg. Oddly, the M240i xDrive is no worse with 23/32/26 mpg, actually scoring 1 mpg over the RWD model in city driving.

Both models have a 13.7-gallon tank, which means the RWD 230i can do 397 miles between tanks, while both the six-cylinders should be able to go 356 miles before needing a refill.