• Rear seats not good for adults
• Good boot space considering it’s a coupe
• Average storage space up front

How much space is there?

This is not a practical family hauler, and no one’s pretending otherwise. But, considering its compact proportions and stocky stance, it’s really not too bad, with reasonable 2+2 accommodation. Out of our selected rivals, the 2 Series Coupe is roomier than the Audi TT and Toyota GR86, but most hot hatchbacks leave it far behind.

Up front, there’s enough storage for a one-litre bottles in the door pockets. Plus there are cupholders in the area beneath the heating controls with a wireless charging pad for your phone.

Room in the rear is far less impressive, but you’ll squeeze a couple of children in the back, which opens up the 2 Series as a family car assuming the kids aren’t too big and they don’t want to take too much with them. There are two Isofix mounts in the rear, although wrestling a bulky seat/child back there is tricky. Adults will be pretty cramped. It’s also worth noting that the 2 Series is a four-seater, and not a five-seater. The middle space in the rear row is used as a storage area.

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Boot space and storage

The boot is more useful, with a good-sized opening and a wide, flat floor. Overall luggage capacity is 390 litres, which can be expanded by the 40:20:40 split-fold seats.

It’s worth remembering that it isn’t a hatchback so the bootlid hinges underneath the rear window. Tall items will be a struggle, although we did manage to fit a sizeable folding pushchair in.

Is it easy to park?

The view out of the rear is very narrow and the tinted rear windows don’t help. However, all models come with a reversing camera and an automatic parking system, which means it can parallel and perpendicular park all by itself.

You can also spec a 360-degree camera with a bird’s eye view of your surroundings.

Safety

• Four star rating from Euro NCAP
• Lots of safety tech on offer
• No front seat Isofix

Broadly, the 2 Series Coupe is a safe car. It has a suite of software and Euro NCAP, the European authority that tests the safety performance of cars, gave it four stars out of five. It scores well for both adult and child occupant safety, but less so for general safety assist features.

Euro NCAP noted that it does not have AEB Pedestrian reverse. This is essentially a system that can brake the car for you should a pedestrian walk in the way of your reversing car. However, the 2 Series Coupe does come with forward-facing AEB, lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

There’s no front Isofix point, but both rear seats are capable of holding child seats.

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