BMW M240i Review & Prices

This is the BMW M240i, and it’s a bit like one of those ‘lite’ diet desserts. You know, the ones that promise most of the taste but without all the calories.

Only for once, this ‘lite’ option really delivers. For three-quarters of the price of the utterly bonkers BMW M2, you get 90% of the car. In fact it’s so good, it makes us wonder if anyone really needs the M2.

The M240i is not just a more affordable alternative to its big brother. It's a performance-oriented coupe that rivals the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and Audi S3 Saloon. You could also see it as an alternative to an Audi TT or entry-level Porsche Cayman, and it picked up a 2023 carwow Buy It Award.

To look at, the M240i doesn’t have the drama of some of these cars. The design doesn’t deviate hugely from M Sport versions of the regular BMW 2 Series Coupe, but there are some touches to add aggression to the M240i.

Though the design doesn’t deviate hugely from M Sport versions of the regular BMW 2 Series Coupe, there are some touches to add aggression to the M240i.

These changes are most obvious at the rear, with the inclusion of a new lip spoiler and a rear diffuser, plus larger exhaust surrounds. You’ll get larger intakes at the front of the car too, along with new door mirrors and 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.

Similarly inside, rather than going overboard with changes to the interior, there’s a handful of tweaks to nod to the performance credentials of the M240i. The main one is a really comfy set of leather sports seats, plus some M-branded stitching in various places.

Retained from the base car is BMW’s sleek iDrive infotainment system. Though it’s not the latest version as seen in the BMW iX or 7 Series, it’s still slick to use and looks fantastic. Plus, if you’d rather mirror your phone, there’s support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Though there are rear seats in the BMW M240i, they’re not exactly spacious – though that’s the natural territory of a small coupe. Headroom is pretty tight because of the sloped roofline, and legroom is at a premium. An Audi S3 or Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 would serve you better if you need to carry passengers.

Boot space is unchanged from the base car, coming in at 390 litres. That’s some way down on the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35’s 460 litres, and the Audi S3 Saloon’s 425 litres.

The thing you’re likely most interested in is the engine powering the BMW M240i. It’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder, producing 374hp and 500Nm. That’s sent to an all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, resulting in a 0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds. There’s no manual option here, sorry.

Along with that beefy engine, the M240i also comes with upgraded brakes, a limited-slip differential on the rear axle and wider tyres for more grip. You can also get an excellent adaptive damper system, but it’s pricey as it’s not a standard inclusion.

If you’re buying a BMW M240i, you’ve likely done so to have some fun on twisty roads. It’s a delight to report it’s rather good at that.

Steering feels really precise and there’s plenty of grip, leaving you with a lot of confidence to push. You can feel the car move around a bit underneath you, but there’s never a lack of composure. Certainly an improvement over the old M240i.

That capability doesn’t come at a cost when it comes to daily driving. It’s comfy and quiet when you’re at a cruise, and it’s effortless to manoeuvre around.

The only real sticking point of the BMW M240i is its price. It starts around £4,000 more than a CLA 35, and £6,000 more than an Audi S3 Saloon. Plus, it’s in entry-level Porsche Cayman territory - which is hard to look beyond if you’re looking for an all-out sports car.

If you’re willing to stomach the cost though, the BMW M240i is a car you should go right ahead and buy. It’s absolutely brilliant.

Plus, if you want to save a bit of money on an M240i, you can check the latest deals available through carwow, and look through the deals on all BMW models. Alternatively, have a browse of the latest used BMW stock, and when you've found your next set of wheels, use carwow to sell your car.

The M240i really is a very pricey coupe, so if you are willing to trade a little performance you might want to think about an M135i instead. That’s a hot hatch rather than a coupe and the four-cylinder engine doesn’t sound as good as the M240i’s six, but it’s a lot more practical than the M240i as well as cheaper.

Then again, the M240i is better value than the M2. Yes, the M2 is a proper M car and yes, it’s even faster than the M240i. But unless you risk your licence every time you get behind the wheel the M240i delivers all the performance you really need and more, plus four-wheel drive makes the power easier to use in wet weather – the M2 is rear-wheel drive.

Quick and easy to live with, but we can’t be the only ones who miss a manual gearbox

In town

One of the things we really like about the M240i is how it can play different roles, depending on what the driver needs. It’s not one of those performance cars that’s so narrowly focused that it’s a pain to live with every day.

You can drive the daily commute or school run without being frustrated by an aggressive throttle or a rock-hard ride. The standard setup is fine, but it’s worth paying the extra for the clever adaptive dampers and putting them in ‘comfort’ mode.

The view over your shoulder isn’t brilliant, but fortunately front and rear parking sensors are standard. The Technology Plus Pack includes a 360-degree camera system to make life easier still. It’s not a very big coupe, so it will fit in smaller spaces than a BMW 4 Series.

There’s only one engine option, and frankly it’s overkill for city driving. The six-cylinder petrol deserves better than to be stuck in town. But it pulls strongly from low revs and the eight-speed auto changes smoothly, so making comfortable progress in stop-start traffic is straightforward.

On the motorway 

Give the M240i a chance to stretch its legs on the motorway, and you’ll be struck by the breadth of the BMW’s talents. It’s not harsh or loud, in fact this junior M-car is almost as quiet at 70mph as a regular 2 Series Coupe.

You won’t be stuck behind a queue of lorries for long, thanks to epic acceleration. And the M240i is super-stable at speed – it’s only beginning to flex its muscles at the UK motorway limit.

Cruise control is standard, and you can upgrade to adaptive cruise control that will accelerate and brake to hold a set distance from the car in front.

On a twisty road

Now we’re talking. This is what the M240i is all about.

The engine is the star turn. Six-cylinder petrols like this one are a dying breed in the quest for greater efficiency and lower emissions, so enjoy this wonderful engine while you still can. The performance and the sound (even though it’s partly played through the speakers) never fail to make you want to take the long way home. We’d love to try it with a manual gearbox, but the M240i is only offered with an auto.

The M240i handles better than the 4 Series Coupe, and the ride on adaptive dampers does a superb job of dealing with bumps. It handles like a BMW should without rattling the spare change from your pocket on a bumpy road.

The four-wheel-drive system delivers a rear-wheel-drive handling balance in the dry, but without any unwanted tail-happy moments if the road is wet.

The M2 is amazing, but most drivers most of the time will be just as happy with the M240i.

Great if you’re in the front, but very cramped in the back

You sit low in the M240i, leaving you in no doubt that this is a sporty car. The sports seats – an upgrade over those in slower versions of the 2 Series Coupe – are very comfortable and supportive.

Short and tall alike should be able to get comfortable behind the wheel, despite the pedals being ever so slightly offset. The seat adjusts electrically, and lumbar adjustment is standard for the driver, to the relief of any back-pain sufferer.

An electric glass sunroof is an option. It will steal a little headroom, so think carefully before ticking this box if you are tall.

There’s a reasonable amount of storage in the front of the cabin. The glovebox is big enough to be useful for more than, well, gloves, and the door bins are a healthy size. There’s more storage under the armrest. As you’d expect, you get two cupholders.

All told, the M240i is much like the larger 4 Series Coupe if you are travelling in the front. The space and the practicality on offer are all broadly the same. Which is more than you can say for the back…

Space in the back seats 

It’s a tight squeeze in the rear of the M240i. Being a coupe, you have to clamber past a folded front seat, and once you reach the back of the cabin your reward is a pretty dark and cramped environment, although it’s good to see air vents between the front seats.

The larger 4 Series offers much more space if you are going to make regular use of the back seats. On the other hand, the 2 Series is less claustrophobic than the rear of an Audi TT Coupe.

You only have two seatbelts in the back, so the M240i is a four-seater.

Boot space

You should be able to squeeze a set of golf clubs in the back of the M240i. The capacity is 390 litres, which is more than respectable for a small coupe. There are just 305 litres in an Audi TT for example.

Being a saloon, the M240i’s boot opening is quite small, so you won’t fit something really bulky through the aperture. If you need the greater flexibility of a hatchback from your rapid BMW, take a look at the M135i hatchback instead. Despite having a slightly smaller total size than the 2 Series, it’s a much more practical car than the M240i, although it can’t match the coupe for driving thrills.

A bit too similar to the standard 2 Series Coupe, but stylish even so

The inside of the M240i is different to the cabin of a common or garden 2 Series, but not that different. Maybe BMW could have done more to make the M240i feel more special and distinct from the rest of the range.

The most important change is that the regular front seats have been replaced with much sportier chairs. They’re upholstered in leather and heavily bolstered so you won’t go sliding around while having fun on a twisty B-road. Other touches include blue stitching on the seats, and BMW’s M colours of blue, red and violet stitched into the seatbelts.

Although not massively different from a more affordable 2 Series, there are worse places to spend your time than the cabin of the M240i. The design is attractive, although not as modern as the inside of the BMW i4 with its larger twin-screen display. But it is very sporty looking, and build quality is excellent. Some alternatives to the M240i have more dramatic looking interiors, such as the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, but none are more solidly screwed together or made from nicer materials.

You don’t get the latest generation of iDrive infotainment in the 2 Series, but although that sounds like a bad thing, ease of use took a step backwards with the latest version. In the M240i, for example, you still get separate physical controls for the air conditioning. It’s much easier to reach for a physical dial than to hit the right part of a touchscreen without taking your eyes from the road.

The infotainment screen measures 10.3 inches, and you can either press icons on the screen or use the iDrive rotary controller and shortcut buttons to navigate through the various menus. We’d use the controller – it’s one reason why BMW’s infotainment is so easy to use.

There’s a digital display straight ahead of you in place of conventional dials. The graphics are a bit dark but it tells you what you need to know.

There’s only one engine and gearbox combination, so we won’t need to keep you too long to run through its fuel economy and emissions.

The car returned 32.1-34.4mpg in official tests and has a figure of 185-200g/km of carbon dioxide. So, while it’s no eco champion, it’s relatively efficient for a car with such vivid performance. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t match those figures whenever you enjoy all 374hp to the full.

The first year’s Vehicle Excise Duty is included in the on-the-road charges, but from the car’s first birthday you’ll need to find the higher rate of VED for five years. That’s because the M240i costs well over £40,000, and all cars costing more than this figure attract a surcharge per year on top of the standard fee.

If you can persuade your fleet manager to let you run an M240i as a company car then, well, we’re very jealous. But just keep in mind that you’ll be paying benefit-in-kind tax at the top rate of 37%. An electric car or a plug-in hybrid will keep more money in your pay packet, although you won’t have nearly as much fun.

BMW routinely scores five stars out of five in Euro NCAP safety tests, but the 2 Series Coupe is an exception: it only earned four stars.

That’s disappointing rather than disastrous. The BMW still scored 82% for adult occupant protection, 81% for child occupants, 67% for protecting vulnerable road users and 64% for its safety assistance systems.

The Technology Plus Pack adds a camera that will record the location and speed of any collision, which could come in handy if you need to prove you were not at fault. The M Technology Pack adds uprated brakes, while the Driving Assistant pack includes extra clever tech to help the driver avoid any mishap.

BMW’s standing in reliability and owner satisfaction surveys can be a bit up and down. However, it does vary quite a bit from model to model.

It’s a bit early to be sure how the current 2 Series is going to fare, but the previous generation was one of BMW’s more reliable models.

If you do run into problems with your M240i, BMW offers a three-year unlimited mileage warranty. That’s slightly more generous than the three-year, 60,000-mile package Audi supplies with the S3.