BMW M240i 2022 Review

If you’re familiar with the pricing of the previous-generation BMW M240i you might be in for a slight shock here, as the new car lists at $89,900 plus on-road costs – an increase of almost $15,000.

Its price tag is identical to that worn by the BMW M2 Pure when it arrived in 2016, but there’s a couple of good reasons why the new second-generation 2022 BMW M240i can wear it with a clear conscience.

The first is that in terms of performance it matches the old M2 with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 4.3sec, while actually producing more power and torque – 285kW/500Nm versus 272kW/450Nm (500Nm overboost).

One suspects that with standard all-wheel drive, the M240i’s 4.3sec claim might be slightly on the conservative side, too, so as not to overshadow BMW’s more expensive performance products.

The second reason is that unlike the pared-back M2 Pure, the new M240i is loaded with equipment.

All BMW 2 Series Coupe models include the M Sport package with sports seats and steering wheel, LED lights front and rear, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display and ambient interior lighting.

Infotainment is handled by a 10.25-inch screen running iDrive7, including wireless charging and smartphone mirroring and DAB+ digital radio.

Safety kit includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, advanced parking and reversing assist and front and rear parking sensors.

The M240i adds plenty more, including larger brakes, adaptive suspension, 19-inch wheels, keyless entry, leather upholstery, heated and electrically-adjustable front seats, adaptive headlights, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, sunroof, 3D view camera and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go traffic assist.

Seven exterior paint colours are available, though anything other than basic white adds $1700.

There are five leather upholstery colours to choose from at no cost and three interior trims: gloss black, the aluminium tetragon fitted to our test car and ‘mesheffect’ aluminium ($400).

Unlike its premium competitors Audi and Mercedes-Benz, BMW is sticking with a three-year warranty offering for now.

The M240i is covered under the same servicing plan as the standard 2 Series, with five-year/80,000km coverage costing $1700 for Basic and $4460 for Plus.

Servicing is condition-based, which means the car will let you know when it needs a tune-up!

It seems reasonable to assume that not everybody is going to be on board with the styling of the second-generation BMW 2 Series Coupe. I personally quite like it, especially in our test car’s hero Thundernight purple, but it’s certainly no svelte beauty.

Part of the reason for this is that the coupe frame has been stretched over the car-maker’s CLAR platform that underpins everything from the BMW 3 Series to the monstrous BMW X7 SUV.

It makes for quite awkward proportions, the 51mm wheelbase stretch resulting in a long bonnet that’s out of whack with the compact, pumped-out rear.

On the plus side, the larger dimensions – 83mm longer and 64mm wider than its predecessor – give it a much larger footprint, which should result in improved handling but also improves interior accommodation.

While the 2022 BMW M240i isn’t exactly Tardis-like on the inside, it does offer more space than you might expect. Access to the rear is made easier by front seats that slide forward electrically, and while it’s a little tight for my 180cm frame, shorter adults and older children should fit with little complaint.

It’s quite well equipped, too, with separate temperature controls, a pair of air vents and USB-C ports and cup holders in the fold-down centre arm rest.

There is a pair of ISOFIX fittings on each outer seat, though installing/extracting children could be more trouble than it’s worth.

Boot space is a handy 390 litres with the option of dropping the rear seats – by remote levers on the boot ceiling, no less – to further increase space.

The cargo area features a 12V outlet, four tie-down points, a pair of luggage hooks, lighting and a first aid and tool kit, but no spare tyre of any sort.

At the other end, the M240i’s cabin is a direct copy of that in the 3 Series, bar a neat M-coloured graphic on the door trims. The likes of the BMW iX electric SUV are attempting to send the German brand’s interiors into the 23rd century, but there’s very little to complain about inside the M240i.

Material quality, ergonomics, ease of use… it ticks a lot of boxes, especially with the M240i’s standard equipment list.

Personally, I found iDrive6 a little more intuitive to use than its replacement, but iDrive7 includes a staggering amount of technology and configurability, with multiple settings for everything from the lights to the seats to the displays, apps to turn your smartphone into a key, real-time traffic updates, news, email and much more.

Initially, the 2022 BMW M240i doesn’t make a particularly strong impression. It feels a bit, well, dull.

The steering is heavy and lifeless, the engine is smooth but muted in its response. It all feels a bit sensible for a sports coupe.

There are certainly positives; it’s obviously quick and the ride is generally comfortable, so I assumed at first that with its extra space and equipment BMW has made the M240i more of a grand tourer than an ultimate driving machine.

But that assumption was wrong. With a bit of digging the M240 reveals itself to be an awesomely entertaining car, albeit one with a very different personality to its smaller, rear-wheel drive predecessor.

It’s important to adjust the drive modes. Three Sport selections are available: Sport, Sport Plus and Sport Individual, the latter allowing settings for the suspension, steering and powertrain to be adjusted, as the name suggests, individually.

Sport Plus is the pick for the engine, improving response and liberating plenty of pops and burbles from the exhausts, Sport works well for the suspension and transmission, Sport Plus introducing unnecessary thumps on upshifts, but Comfort is best for the steering as it’s weighty enough as it is.

To be honest, the steering never really improves and – like its M Performance siblings the M340i and M550i – remains the car’s weakest point.

It muddies the driver’s connection to the front wheels and never feels particularly natural whether driving slowly or quickly, especially as the super-sensitive lane keep assist is often trying to make its inputs as well.

It’s a prime example of why Toyota developed its own steering calibration for the otherwise BMW-based Toyota GR Supra.

The brakes are also a little short on feel, which isn’t ideal as stopping is usually when the M240i feels its near-1700kg the most, but what’s of most importance is that these quibbles don’t significantly detract from the overall experience.

The 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine is fantastic, with power everywhere in the rev range, and the auto shifts quickly up and down the ’box – though second gear is a little short.

But it’s the chassis that shines brightest.

Perfect 50:50 weight distribution helps, as does plenty of grip, but the highlight is the M240i’s fluid, controllable nature, which is actually enhanced rather than diminished by the all-wheel drive system.

The prospect of a rear-drive-only M240i is enticing – one is on its way, but it’s currently not slated for Australia – but BMW’s rear-biased xDrive system provides many of the same sensations with the security of all-wheel drive should you really need it.

It’s an easy car to drive quickly but rewarding in equal measure.

First impressions count, but they aren’t the be-all and end-all. The new 2022 BMW M240i has a different character to its much-loved predecessor – larger, softer and more ‘sensible’ – but it remains an immensely enjoyable car to drive, surely a key quality of any BMW coupe.

It bats away questions about its increased price with a loaded standard specification and performance that’s more than a match for the old M2.

And it’s a compelling two-door alternative to the likes of the Audi RS 3 and Mercedes-AMG A 45 S.

How much does the 2022 BMW M240i xDrive Coupe cost?
Price: $89,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 285kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 185g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested