Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2023 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Elantra N 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.

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 Elantra N 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.

Both the Elantra N and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra N its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

The Elantra N 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.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 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 Hyundai dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Elantra N’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 6 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 48 more horsepower (276 vs. 228) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 258) than the 228i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The Elantra N offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Elantra N offers an optional 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.

For better stopping power the Elantra N’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

The Elantra N stops shorter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

For better traction, the Elantra N has larger tires than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (245/35R19 vs. 225/45R17). The Elantra N’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (245/35R19 vs. 235/35R19).

The Elantra N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Elantra N has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Elantra N’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (107.1 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Elantra N handles at .99 G’s, while the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe pulls only .91 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hyundai Elantra N may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The 2 Series Gran Coupe uses conventional rubber.

The Elantra N has .8 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

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 Elantra N’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra N will be $9875 to $10023 less than for the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the BMW 2 Series by over 8 to one during the 2022 model year.