BMW is one of the most popular luxury brands in the world, but BMWs are more than just bragging rights. Many BMWs are also great cars that owners can drive around every day. That said, not all BMWs are the same, and the 2020 BMW 228i Gran Coupe isn’t that great for road trips.

The 2020 BMW 228i Gran Coupe is powerful for its size

Since it’s a BMW, the 228i Gran Coupe naturally has a really good performance. According to MotorTrend, it comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that gets 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. MotorTrend’s test driver went on a 280-mile road trip in the 228i Gran Coupe, and its performance was one of the highlights of that trip. 

Not only was its engine powerful and quiet, but it also didn’t encounter any significant issues. Furthermore, in terms of handling, the 228i Gran Coupe once again lived up to its expectations as a BMW. During that road trip, MotorTrend said that the BMW handled well too. 

This powerful engine isn’t necessarily a gas guzzler, either. MotorTrend said that it gets about 23 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on highways, leading to 28 MPG combined. This means that the 228i Gran Coupe is not only a fun and powerful car for its size, but it’s also fuel-efficient enough to not be a significant burden on road trips.

It has poor ride quality, though

The main reason why MotorTrend doesn’t like the BMW 228i Gran Coupe as a road trip car is because it doesn’t have a great ride quality. The M Sport package on the 228i Gran Coupe “improves handling slightly but sacrifices comfort significantly.” Due to that, MotorTrend said that while in the 228i Gran Coupe, “You feel every bump, rut, and pothole. Impacts get transmitted into your back like sharp kidney shots.”

Not only that, but the test driver also complained about the seat quality of the 228i Gran Coupe. Not only did the test driver complain about how stiff the seats felt, but he also complained about having trouble finding a comfortable seating position. If a driver or a passenger can’t be comfortable in their seats, then they’re going to have a rough time on a road trip. 

These two reasons were the primary reasons why MotorTrend doesn’t recommend using the 228i Gran Coupe as a road trip car. They simply wrote, “If you have another vehicle, don’t take the 2 Series Gran Coupe.”

An overview of the 2020 BMW 228i Gran Coupe

Furthermore, due to its size, the BMW 228i Gran Coupe is also not very useful on road trips for families or for people who have a lot of luggage. MotorTrend said that the 228i Gran Coupe has “tight rear seats,” and in addition to that, it also has a small amount of cargo space. 

The 228i Gran Coupe has about 13.8 cu. ft. of cargo room, and that expands to 15.1 cu. ft. of cargo room when its seats are folded down. However, since there are convertible versions of the car available, anyone who buys a convertible trim will get even less cargo room. 

There are a lot of other bright spots for this BMW, though. For example, the 228i Gran Coupe comes with an 8.8-inch touchscreen display as well as an 8.8-inch gauge cluster display. Additionally, even though it’s a luxury sedan, the 228i Gran Coupe doesn’t cost too much compared to other BMWs. It starts at about $37,000, which is a decent price to pay for a brand-new BMW.