Compare the2022 Kia K5VS 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia K5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the K5 and 2 Series Gran Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the K5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 2 Series Gran Coupe only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the K5 and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the K5 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 62 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 2 Series Gran Coupe last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” in 2017.

The K5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the K5 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the 2 Series Gran Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the K5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 18th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 10th.

The K5 GT 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 62 more horsepower (290 vs. 228) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 258) than the 228i xDrive Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the K5 1.6T AWD gets better fuel mileage than the 228i xDrive Gran Coupe (25 city/33 hwy vs. 23 city/33 hwy).

The K5 LX’s standard fuel tank has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (14.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The K5 LXS/GT Line/EX/GT’s standard fuel tank has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (15.8 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The K5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The K5 stops shorter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

For better traction, the K5 GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (245/40R19 vs. 235/35R19).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the K5’s wheelbase is 7.1 inches longer than on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (112.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the K5 is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

For better maneuverability, the K5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia K5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

The design of the Kia K5 amounts to more than styling. The K5 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (.27 to .3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the K5 get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the K5 EX is quieter than the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe:

The K5 has .4 inches more front headroom, 4.7 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

The K5 has a larger trunk than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (16 vs. 15.1 cubic feet).

The K5 EX/GT’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The K5 EX Premium/GT-1’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The K5’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the K5 has standard extendable sun visors. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the K5 (except LX/LXS/GT-Line) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The K5 is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia K5 and the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, based on reliability, safety and performance.