BMW M2 review

Sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke foresaw everything from communications satellites to remote working – but also said we’d have bio-engineered monkey servants. Yes, predicting the future is hard, but if we were to have a crack, we’d suggest that this BMW M2 is likely to be a safe place to put your money.

Why? Well, for starters, the M2 slots in as the most compact model in BMW’s current M performance car range, and if you look at the division’s back catalogue, you see that the smaller models tend to be among the most revered. The original M3, the Z3 M Coupé and the 1M Coupé are all bonafide classics.

In addition, the M2 features a 473bhp twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine, rear-wheel drive and the option of a manual gearbox, which should help it appeal to enthusiasts (BMW gives you an eight-speed automatic as standard).

So does all that make the BMW M2 a match for rivals such as the Alpine A110 and Porsche Cayman? And is it a better choice than the bigger BMW M4? Let's find out...

The BMW M2 is down on power compared with the BMW M4 and not much quicker than a BMW M240i but with a 0-62mph time of 4.0 seconds – or 4.2 with a manual gearbox – it's unlikely to leave you craving more performance.

Besides, the fact that you can change gear the old-fashioned way means it offers a layer of interaction that you don’t get with those other BMW models – or indeed the Alpine A110.

True, the shift action can be slightly obstructive if you’re trying to change gear really quickly, and it doesn't quite have the proper mechanical feel of the manual gearbox in the Porsche Cayman but it’s slick enough to be a joy to use. The clutch pedal is precise and reasonably light too.

As a result, we’d choose the manual over the automatic, even though it's slightly more expensive (yes, really) and the auto is smooth and sharp with better-positioned pedals.

Whichever gearbox you go for, the M2 entertains in other ways. Lighter two-seaters such as the A110 and Cayman feel even more agile, but the M2’s comparatively small size makes it more eager to turn in to bends than the M4.

It also resists body lean better than the A110, and you quickly become confident enough to play with the balance of the car in corners using the accelerator pedal. Making sure the rear tyres get exactly the right amount of power is easy because the engine responds after only the briefest of pauses when you put your foot down.

Is it as rewarding as the two-seat rivals? Not quite. While the steering responds quickly without being too sensitive, the Cayman provides a greater sense of grip and is more confidence-inspiring.

The M2’s six-cylinder engine is much more pleasing than the clattery four-cylinder unit in the similarly priced Cayman S, if not quite as rich and soulful as the GTS 4.0's engine.

The drive modes are far more customisable than on direct rivals. You can decide how much help you want from the traction control, and mix and match engine, steering and suspension settings. For example, the sweeter Sport steering mode can be matched with the fierce accelerator response of Sport Plus and the most relaxed suspension setting, Comfort.

It’s worth noting that even in Comfort mode the car jostles you around a bit over patched-up and uneven surfaces, although it deals well with big bumps, quickly recovering its composure. The A110 and the Cayman are better at isolating occupants from rougher roads.

More positively, the M2 is more refined than most performance cars on a motorway. You hear a bit of wind noise from around the door mirrors at speed and the wide tyres generate some roar over concrete surfaces, but neither is loud enough to become wearing. The engine settles down into the background, with a lot less resonance than in the Cayman.

"While the M2's optional manual gearbox adds lots to the experience, I find it a shame that most of the noise is piped into the interior. Especially when you consider the noise that the Cayman 4.0 GTS makes." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

In typical M-car fashion, the interior of the BMW M2 isn’t dramatically different to that of the regular BMW 2 Series – but that's no bad thing.

This latest-generation car is essentially a more compact version of the 4 Series (the previous version had more in common with the BMW 1 Series), so it has a fabulous interior, with tactile materials and first-rate build quality.

There are enough detail tweaks to make you feel like you’re behind the wheel of something special. For example, the steering wheel has contrast stitching and two red driving mode buttons, and there are numerous pieces of carbon-fibre trim dotted around. You get heavily bolstered sports seats, which can be upgraded to even grippier carbon buckets.

Just bear in mind that the driving position isn’t ideal in the manual car because the pedals are heavily offset to the right and the rest for your left foot is higher up than it ideally would be.

Plus, with the optional bucket seats, the bolster designed to hold you in place when cornering quickly can make it awkward to move your left leg to press the clutch pedal. For that reason, it makes more sense to stick with the standard seats if you choose to have a manual gearbox.

The M2's brilliant iDrive infotainment system has a good, easy-to-use operating system, and you can also use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. Everything is displayed on a 14.9in touchscreen, but you also get a rotary controller between the front seats, which is far less distracting to use when you’re driving than prodding the screen.

The touchscreen sits within the same curved fascia as the 12.3in digital driver’s display, which is clear and easy to read, and can be customised in all manner of configurations, allowing you to choose the information in front of you. Likewise, the standard-fit head-up display can be customised easily using the steering wheel buttons.

The M2 offers good all-round visibility by coupé and sports car standards, thanks to comparatively narrow window pillars. Plus, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera come as standard.

"I found the M2's carbon-fibre bucket seats really comfortable and supportive. They don’t work well with the manual gearbox though, and choosing between the two might be difficult." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Despite being the smallest M car currently on sale, the BMW M2 gives its driver and front passenger lots of head room, along with seats that slide back a long way on their runners.

What’s more, there are plenty of handy cubbies in the front of the car, including wide door bins, large cupholders ahead of the gear-selector and a good-sized storage bin beneath the central arm rest.

In the back, though, you have to put up with some compromises. A six-footer will have to hunch slightly due to the sloping roof, while leg room is adequate when sitting behind an equal sized occupant. Six-footers will be much more comfortable in the back of the bigger (and more expensive) BMW M4.

That said, at least the M2 has rear seats – the Alpine A110 and Porsche Cayman can't take anyone in the back.

You can fit a set of golf clubs in the M2's 390-litre boot space – something that's not possible in the A110 or Cayman. Alternatively, there’s room for seven carry-on suitcases (the Cayman managed four).

"I love the fact that you can share the BMW M2 with more than just one other person. I used it for a couple of days out with friends and it was more than big enough." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

While it’s certainly not a budget buy, the BMW M2 is priced in line with the Alpine A110 S and Porsche Cayman S yet has more power and is slightly quicker from 0-62mph.

It’s also predicted to hold its value slightly better than the A110 and offers similar fuel economy to the Cayman. Indeed, the M2 manages up to 29.1mpg (with the automatic gearbox), whereas the Cayman automatic manages up to 29.4mpg. The A110 is even more efficient, thanks to its much lower weight.

Every M2 comes with plenty of kit, including 19in alloys on the front wheels and 20in ones on the rears, front heated seats, a heated steering wheel, two-zone automatic air-conditioning, adaptive LED headlights, wireless phone-charging and a Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo.

Even with all that standard equipment, BMW still tries to tempt you with lots of optional extras, including the very expensive M Race Track package. Aimed at giving you the sportiest M2 possible, it adds carbon-fibre interior trim, the M Carbon Bucket Seats, a carbon-fibre roof, a raised top speed from 155mph to 180mph and a voucher for M intensive driver training.

The M2 hasn’t specifically been appraised for safety by the independent experts at Euro NCAP but the BMW 2 Series Coupé it’s based on had to settle for a slightly disappointing four-star rating. Sensors in a crash-test dummy showed weak protection of a 10-year-old sitting in the back during a side impact.

You get a good amount of standard safety equipment with every M2, including lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and rear-cross traffic alert. (Some of those were optional extras on early versions.)

BMW came eighth out of 31 car makers listed in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. That's well above Porsche but we don't have data on Alpine.

"While the Alpine A110 and Porsche Cayman will both be going all-electric at some point, there are no plans for the BMW M2 to go the same way. I think that’ll be welcome by enthusiasts but means the rivals will become cheaper to run as company cars." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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