After trying it, this beautiful 245 HP coupe blows my mind: it's the perfect toy and, moreover, it consumes like a diesel

Some say that the era of truly fun cars has come to an end. That from now on, electrification will be the only way of mobility and that it does not offer the levels of sensations of a car with traditional mechanics. However, I am here today to say just the opposite: there is still life beyond electrification, as there are still authentic cars considered as "toys for adults".

BMW knows well what I am talking about. Just a few weeks ago, I was also able to get behind the wheel of the BMW M2, one of its wild beasts. This showed me that the electrification aspect can still be set aside, being in this case a high-performance sports model with a dynamic rage like few others. But today I am not here to tell you what I felt with the M2, but rather with its little brother, the BMW 230i Coupe.

The most accessible BMW Coupe is a true classic recipe toy

BMW pulled out of its hat a few years ago a model that brought with it all the most mythical heritage of the brand: that of the more traditionally conceived coupes. Specifically, this translated into the 2 Series Coupe, a car that I was able to test a few years ago with the 220i engine. However, now we have stepped up a level and it's time to taste the 230i, although I’ll spoil it: it’s just as good but with better figures.

So far, BMW has not changed anything about the 2 Series Coupe since that model I was able to test in 2022. In fact, curiously, the unit I have now enjoyed even has the same exterior decoration in Thundernight Metallic. Quite a coincidence. But, is there anything else to differentiate one mechanic from another? The truth is no.

BMW advocates for the customization of its models to the point where the customer can achieve a really sporty look, but with more "logical" mechanics. This means that the models are not only differentiated by their mechanics but also by the personal taste of their customers; something that is always positive and, even more so, in the case of a premium brand like BMW.

What we can say is that the BMW 2 Series Coupe, despite its two-door model condition and apparent small size, is actually not small at all. Specifically, its dimensions are: 4,537 mm in length, 1,838 mm in width, and 1,390 mm in height. As I said, it is not small at all.

Inside, the same thing happens as on the outside. Customization plays an important role and, therefore, it can be differentiated between mechanical levels only by the color or material choices of its owner. Another positive point. Regarding this space, we can say that it features the so-called BMW Curved Display on the dashboard. This is a panoramic panel where the two screens are integrated: instrumentation and central multimedia (12.3 and 14.9 inches, respectively).

We can also talk about its rear seats, which are practical but not useful for every height of person. In fact, they could accommodate passengers no taller than 1.70 meters, as the coupe design results in a height and interior space that is rather limited.

However, this is not the case with its trunk, which is really practical and quite spacious. It has 390 liters, but is truly capable in terms of width and depth of the space; the height is not so generous, nor is its loading mouth. Therefore, after all, it can be said that the BMW 2 Series Coupe can be a more or less practical car for everyday use.

This is the mechanics of the BMW 230i Coupe and how it behaves on the road

Under everything we have already mentioned, the strongest point and the one that stands out about the 230i Coupe is none other than its mechanics. The model does not advance to the six-cylinder block that the M240i or the mighty M2 has. The 230i settles for a four-cylinder and 2.0-liter displacement, but it is really well utilized.

And if there is something I really like about this mechanical system, it is its logical power. The 230i does not lean towards crazy figures that ultimately make it very difficult to take full advantage. This, specifically, offers a total of 245 HP and 400 Nm of maximum torque. This is something that is particularly noticeable when wanting to squeeze the car's performance. It is true that it will not provide extreme sportiness sensations, but it does offer the perfect ones to have fun without needing the DGT to keep an eye on you.

The BMW 230i Coupe also exclusively emits all that potential to the rear axle, which makes its rear end become more "playful" than expected at certain moments, being able to recover its direction quickly, effectively, and without fear at almost any moment.

As I said, this car is a true toy to have fun with but without needing to go beyond its own physical limits. The fun is simple and reminds (with all due respect) of models like the Mazda MX-5. With great differences, the sensations are frankly close in terms of pure fun.

The power figure has little to do with the sensations, the tuning, or the agility that the car demonstrates, and the truth is that the 230i Coupe is more than sufficient in each of these aspects. On a winding road, the car is a true delight. The steering perfectly transmits everything. It has a rather stiff setup, but excellent for a car of these characteristics. It is also quite direct, which, when combined, makes the 230i Coupe agile and more than fun in all kinds of situations, no matter how mundane they may be.

Its eight-speed automatic transmission performs its job masterfully. It is quite quick in its actions and, if needed, we can always execute the shifts through the paddles located behind the steering wheel, which will give us an extra feeling of control in our driving.

In fact, there is an extra point that few would imagine coming from a car with a four-cylinder engine, and that is nothing other than its sound. I imagine BMW has done its magic to achieve the noise emitted by the exhaust, which is truly addictive. As soon as you start it cold, you can hear some small gurgles. It starts off well.

The situation gets better (or worse, depending on how you look at it) when we select the Sport driving mode. With this, the sound that the 230i Coupe emits from its exhausts is quite striking. When accelerating, you can even hear some subtle little pops. This becomes especially addictive when driving it on a winding road and being able to fully squeeze the revs of its tachometer. It is truly delightful.

And as we said before, driving in a predominantly sporty manner is not as risky as it is with the M2, a car that, with just a little push, you will already be flirting with some traffic fines from the DGT. Here exists a perfect balance between having fun and avoiding traffic tickets. This does not mean that the 230i Coupe is not fast. This toy accelerates in a truly striking way, although more discreetly than other sports cars that surely come to mind and that, to be fair, will also have much more power.

But if there is something that has particularly caught my attention about this car, it is not its sportiness, agility in cornering, or the sound of its exhausts. Not at all. It has really been its fuel consumption. Despite all the attributes I have described earlier, the 230i Coupe is a car that can be really economical in this regard.

On a trip I was able to take with it, during the first half of the journey (about 600 kilometers), the fuel consumption was barely 5.5 liters per 100 km. It is true that it was a completely calm drive, although with the necessary (and unavoidable) air conditioning on. However, this does not take away from how truly good and surprising its figures are.

Upon returning after a few days of travel with it, the result was barely 6.2 liters per 100 km. Throughout this journey (about 1,400 kilometers), I was able to travel many highways, but also many urban sections, as well as give myself some joy by raising the revs. The consumption after this could be classified directly as "excellent".