The 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Gets a Major Glowup

• The 2 Series Gran Coupe is all-new for 2025.
• It gets brand-new looks we dig, a very modern interior, and more power too.
• Look for the baby Bimmer on dealer lots in March of next year.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has been BMW's smallest car in the United States for a few years now, but the last one was a bit of a miss. It rode poorly and lacked the dynamism we expect from BMWs due to its front-wheel-drive architecture. The 2 Series GC you see in front of you is looking to right all of those wrongs, and it's starting from the ground up as an all-new car. 

Despite having a 2 in the name, the 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe you see here in front of you has nothing to do with the 2 Series coupe that came out a few years ago. That car is based on a rear-wheel-drive architecture, only has two doors, and gets a full-on M variant called the M2. None of those things are true for this new baby Bimmer. Instead, it's still based on a front-drive platform (similar to the platforms found in more recent Mini products) and is a true compact. 

Major sheetmetal glowup, more power underhood

The new car is just 0.7 inch longer overall than before but retains its ​​105.1-inch wheelbase (the Honda Civic's wheelbase is more than 2.5 inches longer). It's also 1 inch lower than before, giving it a slightly sleeker look. The last 2 Series Gran Coupe was not what you'd call a looker, and while the new one isn't exactly pretty, it's a big improvement in our eyes. The lines are more cohesive, the grille hasn't swelled to an ungainly proportion, and even the funky rear taillights work better here than on the current X2. 

Every 2 Series Gran Coupe will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, just in varying states of tune. The 228 xDrive (remember, BMW has dropped the "i" from its model names on its gas-powered cars) makes 241 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque — big improvements from the previous car's 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft — and sends that power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. A front-wheel-drive-only model will also be coming later on next year. There's also an amped-up M235 xDrive (which will be AWD only) that kicks out 312 horsepower and the same amount of torque. 

But BMW didn't just give the new 2 Series GC more power; it also put a lot of effort into making it better to drive. The previous generation was a bit of a dud — imprecise steering and poor body control meant it didn't live up to the standards set by the BMW badge. To help remedy that, BMW has made the chassis stiffer and changed the dampers to give a greater breadth between comfort and sportiness — all models get adaptive dampers that can be changed based on the driver's preference as standard.

BMW also says it's gone to the effort of sharpening up the front end by making the components more rigid to give better response on turn-in while making the back half of the car stiffer so the rear more faithfully follows the front end. 

A modern interior that screams BMW

Inside the new 2 Series Gran Coupe is all BMW. Fans of the brand will be extremely familiar with this layout. The large piece of glass that houses two screens underneath it (10.25 inches for the instruments and 10.7 inches for the infotainment) has essentially been plucked straight out of larger models and shoved into the new Gran Coupe's smaller confines. The infotainment software runs iDrive 9.5 with BMW's QuickSelect (a system that makes the apps you use the most easier to find) and a persistent row of climate controls at the bottom of the screen. 

There are a lot of neat details inside the new 2 Series Gran Coupe, too. The steering wheel has physical controls and looks like it's been cribbed from some of BMW's sportiest models, and the doors and dashboard have fun inlays with multiple available colors. The mostly leather-free interior also includes a new seat design, and the seats are heated as standard but can be had with a massage function for the first time.

There are also plenty of standard and optional tech goodies in the new 2 Series GC. BMW's Live Cockpit (the brand's name for its customizable instrument cluster), a wireless charging pad, and the 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system are also standard. 

Plenty of safety tech, prices start at just over $40,000

While forward collision warning, blind-spot detection, speed limit recognition, and lane keeping assistance are standard, the long list of optional goodies includes a number of safety systems. Adaptive cruise control with adjustable distance, Traffic Jam Assist, steering assistance, and side collision protection are all on the options menu. 

Prices for the 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe start at $40,775 (including destination) for the front-drive-only model that won't be on sale until the middle of 2025. The models you'll be able to get your hands on first, the 228 xDrive and M235 xDrive, start at $42,775 and $50,675, respectively. Expect to see the two all-wheel-drive models on dealer lots in March of next year.