The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is available in India with two engine options. Both engines get two variants – Sport Line and M Sport. What we have here is the 220d – the diesel in its more affordable variant. Let us take a closer look at it and talk about whether or not you should consider buying the 2 Series Gran Coupe

Appearance-wise, the 2 Series Gran Coupe in this 220d Sport Line version gets a different bumper design both fore and aft compared to the M Sport variant. On the inside, in a typical BMW fashion, it is familiar, ergonomic and high in quality.

Dominating the dash is a floating touchscreen which has now gotten old. But it has got a proper iDrive physical controller on the dashboard. In terms of equipment, the 220d Sport Line doesn’t miss out on any features expected at this price point.

At 430 litres, the boot space of the 2 GC is bigger than the 395 litres you get in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine with 40-20-40 split-folding seats. Compared to M-Sport, this one gets 17-inch wheels with a subtle design.

BMW has been using the 2.0-litre turbodiesel with cars wearing the 20d badge for quite some time now, and the 220d we have here is powered by the same 188bhp/400Nm unit, which is the exact output you get in the larger and heavier 20d BMWs.

This transversely-placed four-cylinder is paired to an eight-speed torque converter which sends power to the front wheels – yes, this 2 Series is based on the same platform as the X1 and new-gen Mini(s), so it has a front-wheel drive layout.

In our VBox test, 0-100kmph came up in 8.32 seconds. The 0-60kmph run took just 4.4 seconds which isn’t vanilla by any standards. Also, it did a 20-80kmph run in 4.99 seconds, and 40-100kmph took just 6.26 seconds.

Under our mileage test, the 220d returned 17.46kmpl in the city run and 23.87kmpl on the highway. With a combined figure of just over 19kmpl and a calculated range of above 900kms, the fuel efficiency could be the sole reason to buy it.

The 220d GC can be a good everyday car, and it is capable of putting a large smile on your face when you decide to take an enthusiastic drive over, say, a twisty mountain pass, unending expressways or intercity jaunts.

It might be a snug fit on the inside, but the 2 GC makes up for it with its looks, features, and tons of driving fun. If you can spend around Rs 40-50 lakh and the 3 Series is a bit of a stretch, the 2 Series 220d makes for a good choice.