BMW 218 Gran Coupe 2025 Review

The 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe can’t quite lay claim to being the cheapest BMW – that honour goes to the 118 on which the four-door sedan is based.

Scraping in at slightly less than $60k, the base model starts the 2 Series Gran Coupe range with a $59,900 sticker (all prices exclude on-road costs). That’s $2300 more than the hatch equivalent. From there, the 220 Gran Coupe is $62,900, and the performance-orientated M235 xDrive rounds out proceedings at $86,600.

Continuing the wannabe-coupe theme, the Mercedes-Benz CLA is a viable option, but it’s more expensive with a starting price of $76,900. If you’re after a more conventional sedan body style, then the Audi A3 Sedan is altogether more ‘normal’ – and affordable at $57,800.

Accounting for some of the difference in price from the Audi is the fact that even the 218 comes standard with BMW’s M Sport package, adding additional value to the equation. Considering the previous 218i M Sport launched Down Under at $50,990 in 2020, it’s a good thing the new Gran Coupe comes with significantly more standard kit – which we’ll get to.

All 2 Series Gran Coupes are covered by BMW’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with three years of roadside assistance. There are no set servicing intervals; the car will instead tell you when it requires attention.

You can opt to prepay said services (whenever they may occur) with a basic $2369 pack that covers five years. Go a step further for the ‘plus’ package to add brake discs/pads as well as wiper wear, but that commands $3782 to cover the same period.

Sedans based off a hatchback platform are notoriously hard to style. There are some doozies. However, the famed German brand’s second attempt with the 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe is cohesive. And it has a sportier look thanks to the inclusion of the M Sport touches.

Gone is the rather awkward 5 Series GT-esque posterior, making way for a far more resolved booty treatment. The Adaptive matrix LED headlights have moved to BMW’s modern design, and the grille gains an ‘Iconic Glow’ LED surround, while the model-designating ‘2’ is embossed within the trademark Hofmeister kink.

The 218 also runs 18-inch alloys, keyless entry and push-button start, Adaptive M suspension, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, head-up display, seat heating, and Veganza (faux leather) upholstery.

Our tester wasn’t standard and came with the $5154 Enhancement package as well as $1385 metallic paint – that hue being M Portimao Blue.

The expensive pack includes high-value options like 19-inch alloy wheels, heated steering wheel, ‘Active’ front seats with lumbar support and massage functionality, panoramic sunroof, Driving Assistant Professional, and 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio.

While the current F74 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe doesn’t have a current rating, the first-generation F44 did gain a five-star ANCAP score – based off the 1 Series hatch.

Still, it comes with six airbags, dual ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchorages.

Active safety tech includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, active cruise control with stop/go functionality, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, exit warning, traffic sign detection, and speed limit alerts.

For parking, it also comes with sensors, a 360-degree surround view camera, auto parking, as well as a reversing assistant that can retrace the last 50m travelled.

At this price point, it is a little disappointing that you must upgrade to the Enhancement pack to gain the full safety suite. The extra spend adds front cross traffic alert, collision mitigation (emergency steering assist) and active lane keeping.

The 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe is a ‘small’ car packing big tech. No longer do you need to slide behind the wheel of a 5 or 7 Series to be wowed by the latest gizmos and gadgets.

Imitating one curved screen, ahead of the driver are two displays comprising a 10.7-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen. The former is customisable and can be tied to the in-built themes – as can the latter, while also offering intuitive and fast inputs thanks to the latest series 9 operating system (OS9).

The infotainment also extends to native sat-nav with cloud-based assistance, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, ‘hey BMW’ voice assistant, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, USB-C ports, and the optional Harman Kardon audio fitted to our test car.

BMW Connected Drive with auto emergency call is also standard, as is a smartphone app that provides remote access to certain functions. The iDrive controller has disappeared, but the package now accepts over-the-air updates.

Despite rivalling an E90 3 Series for overall dimensions, the entry-level 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe scores a three-cylinder engine. And no, don’t be fooled by the badging, it’s a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol unit.

If you avert your eyes from the M Sport designation, you won’t be too disheartened by the output of 115kW and 230Nm (up 12kW/10Nm). The 1420kg kerb weight results in a 0-100km/h time of 8.6 seconds – which is more than adequate for the 218, in fairness.

The power is sent to the front wheels alone via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The auto gearbox is quick on the run but can lack the seamless delivery of a conventional torque-converter unit at slow speeds. There are steering wheel-mounted paddles if you so desire.

How enamoured of the ‘three-pot’ engine you will be is contextual. In the city, it’s perky and chirpy enough with purposeful mid-range torque. The B38 unit even has a charming off-beat thrum to its soundtrack. Yet, it can run out of puff for single-lane, country-road overtakes.

The benefits are surely seen at the bouser…

Given Australia misses out on the mild hybrids offered in other markets, you’d be forgiven for thinking fuel efficiency isn’t a priority. However, with a claimed average consumption of 6.3L/100km, the 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe is hardly a thirsty drinker.

Yet, it isn’t a fuel miser, either. After a week with the diminutive three-cylinder turbo-petrol Gran Coupe, we achieved an average of 7.1L/100km. While this is higher than the claim, it’s still a commendable result given the winding country roads that made up the bulk of the testing.

The theoretical average distance from the 49-litre tank is 778km, while it requires at least 95 RON.

This is more about being a premium small car and not the ‘ultimate driving machine’. Yet, the 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe is still pleasing behind the wheel, as it sits on the same UKL2 platform that underpins the 1 Series and various MINI products.

While the spec sheet might read Adaptive M suspension, it’s code for the company’s frequency-selective dampers that adjust to the road surface but aren’t tied to different driving modes. Matched with the bigger 19-inch alloys and low-profile Goodyear tyres, the ride quality is comfortable, without being overly cosseting. There’s a firm edge to its responses over poor surfaces.

Not that you’d ever need to, but you can also adjust the dynamic stability control with a Sport mode – or even turn it off. Nonetheless, purchase from the front-wheel drive layout is never an issue, and the 218 tracks well through and out of corners.

There is no genuine need to play with the driving modes, as Efficient is all you really need. It calms the gearbox and keeps the steering weight light, but more natural than when flicked into Sport. The brake pedal is rather immediate and ultra-sharp, which takes some getting used to. However, you’re never in doubt of the efficacy.

Ultimately, the 218 goes about its business in a polished way, and more than stacks up against its rivals. It is an experience befitting the premium genre.

Just about every exterior body panel is new, yet the silhouette remains evolutionary. The revolution has occurred inside the 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe. It certainly lives up to the overused ‘all-new’ marketing term.

Look past the curved display and there are some neat finer touches like the BMW M tricolour (blue, violet and red) stitched into the dash, hidden central air vents with remodelled controls, ambient lighting, and the stubby gear selector. The doors are frameless, too, further leaning into the sedan-cum-coupe aesthetic.

It’s a nice space to be in, with a general upmarket feel to the finish. Storage areas are adequate rather than plentiful, with the redesigned gear selector freeing up room for cup holders and the wireless charge pad. In the back, there are air vents, USB-C ports, a central armrest, and bottle holders in the doors.

The thick-rimmed, multi-function steering wheel isn’t to everyone’s taste, but removing controls from it and placing them within infotainment-screen menus is annoying. Adjusting the distance control of the active cruise control now requires screen taps – as does accessing more detailed trip-computer information. Dedicated climate controls outside the central screen would also be appreciated.

Navigating the infotainment can be daunting at first, with myriad menus and apps, but it becomes more intuitive the longer you work with it. Plus, the latest OS9 responds quickly to touch inputs, and the general graphics are vibrant and classy – there’s always the naff BMW themes to choose from, too.

Outward vision is good despite the tapering roofline, yet noise, vibration and harshness levels could be better suppressed. At highway speeds, there is some tyre roar, while suspension thumps are audible in the cabin. It isn’t at a deal-breaker level, but it’s noticeable. What could be a deal-breaker is the lack of back-seat space.

That roofline (which is 14mm lower than the 1459mm tall 118) cuts into headroom, meaning taller occupants can struggle for clearance. The 2670mm wheelbase (shared with 1 Series) also doesn’t liberate abundant legroom either, and the tight rear-door aperture makes getting in and out a planned manoeuvre.

Cargo capacity gains a big booty tick, though. At 430 litres, the storage capacity is commodious, while the rear seats are handy 40/20/40-split folding items, adding further practicality. And while not having a hybrid offering Down Under hampers fuel efficiency, it means Aussies gain a space-saver spare wheel – lose some, win some.

There’s an elephant in the showroom – and it comes from within BMW’s own ranks.

At ‘just’ $3000 more, the 220 Gran Coupe appears to be the better option. While it shares the same equipment list as the 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe, for a relatively meagre monetary bump, it gains an extra 35kW and 70Nm from its bigger 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.

However, that $3k can be put towards the Enhancement Package. Which, if you don’t desire the additional power, makes the 218 look and feel like a product befitting $60,000.

Ultimately, if a luxury-focussed small sedan is your jam, then the 218 Gran Coupe offers just enough sugar to be a sweet deal.

2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe at a glance:
Price: $59,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 115kW/230Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km combined (ADR)
CO2: 143g/km combined (ADR)
Safety rating: Not tested

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