2021 M2 Interior

The M2's interior doesn't thrill as much as its drivetrain, but the fuss-free approach to layout and design allows one to focus on the task of driving. There are more physical dials and buttons than are typical of some newer premium-badged cars, and we appreciate the round dials in the instrument cluster more than the reverse-swinging tachometer used in other BMWs. The steering wheel is sportily designed, although the especially thick rim won't be to all tastes. While build quality is generally solid, materials aren't as rich as in some competitors. Along with leather-upholstered seats, the standard specification includes the likes of ambient interior lighting, 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, an 8.8-inch central touchscreen display, and automatic climate control. Safety items include frontal collision warning, blind-spot detection, and lane departure warning.

2021 M2 Interior Photos

Seating and Interior Space

The four-seater M2 offers generous space and good comfort for those in front, but things are a lot tighter in the back seats, which require more effort to climb into. In front, the widely adjustable and heated front seats provide adequate support and enough bolstering, while headroom and legroom will only be a problem for especially tall occupants. At the back, headroom remains fine, but legroom drops by a whole 8.5 inches from front to back. As the M2 sits quite low to the ground, ingress and egress are a bit more challenging than in a 3 Series, but it's not unexpected in a sports coupe of this kind. Visibility is good even though the front pillars are fairly broad.

2021 BMW M2 Interior Dimensions:

Interior Colors and Materials

As standard, the M2 gets Dakota leather seats in black with contrast stitching in either blue or orange, along with carbon fiber trim and an anthracite headliner. M-specific design elements like the door-sill finishers and the footrest are reminders that this is no regular 2 Series. High-gloss black Pearl Chrome accent trim can replace the carbon fiber, although we'd stick with the latter. It's all quite dark inside the M2's cabin, and there are no alternative primary interior colors to choose from, but the contrast stitching and the use of brushed aluminum trim pieces do just enough to keep the environment from feeling too gloomy. As expected, the steering wheel is wrapped in leather.

2021 M2 Trunk and Cargo Space

Despite its short rump, the M2's trunk space measures 13.8 cubic feet, which isn't bad at all considering the coupe's compact size. As with last year's BMW M2 review, we noted that the opening isn't the widest, but two suitcases and some smaller soft bags should be able to fit quite easily. In the cabin, storage space is not quite as generous as the center console and door pockets aren't especially large. There are well-sized cupholders in front and a shallow rear center storage compartment in the middle of the rear seats, but otherwise, the M2 is ideally suited to a couple rather than a small family with extra luggage.

2021 BMW M2 Trunk and Cargo Space Photos

2021 BMW M2 Cargo Dimensions:

2021 M2 Infotainment and Features

Features

BMW has equipped the M2 to a reasonable standard straight out of the box. Both front seats offer three-stage heating and are 14-way power-adjustable, including four-way power lumbar support and power side bolsters. For the driver, there is a memory system for the seat and the outside mirrors. Additional comfort and convenience items include automatic dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, push-button start, power-folding side mirrors, keyless entry with hands-free trunk lid opening, a backup camera, and a universal garage door opener. On the safety front, BMW has equipped the M2 with a tire pressure monitoring system, frontal collision warning, active blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, and programmable LED daytime running lights. Front and rear parking sensors are standard as well. A power glass moonroof is available as one of the M2's few options.

Infotainment

BMW's familiar iDrive system pairs a touchpad controller with an 8.8-inch touchscreen display. Other BMWs have a more modern iDrive system with a larger screen, but few will find an issue with the M2's system, which is fast and user-friendly to operate. Although Android Auto has begun making its way into new BMWs, the M2 makes do with just Apple CarPlay compatibility for now. The infotainment system also comprises Bluetooth connectivity, a USB audio connection, BMW Connected App compatibility, navigation, voice commands with natural language processing, and BMW ConnectedDrive services. The sound system is a 12-speaker Harman Kardon unit that generates decent sound quality, thanks to a 360-watt amplifier. A nod to the M2's slightly old-school feel is the standard CD/MP3 player, but more modern SiriusXM satellite radio (with a one-year all-access subscription) and HD Radio are included as well.