Compare the2023 BMW 2 Series Gran CoupeVS 2023 Volkswagen Arteon

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Arteon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

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 available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 2 Series Gran Coupe the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Arteon has not been fully tested, yet.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Arteon’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 2 Series Gran Coupe for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Arteon (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 2 Series Gran Coupe first among small premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Arteon isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 12 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (301 vs. 300) and 36 lbs.-ft. more torque (331 vs. 295) than the Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the 2 Series Gran Coupe gets better mileage than the Arteon:

Regenerative brakes improve the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Arteon doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Arteon.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Arteon doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Arteon:

The 2 Series Gran Coupe stops much shorter than the Arteon:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 2 Series Gran Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Arteon doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Arteon’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe handles at .91 G’s, while the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion (25.8 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Arteon’s (37.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Volkswagen Arteon.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe is 1 foot, 1 inches shorter than the Arteon, making the 2 Series Gran Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has 2.1 inches more front headroom and .2 inches more front legroom than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 33% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Arteon doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s optional Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Arteon SEL Premium’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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

The BMW 2 Series outsold the Volkswagen Arteon by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.