Compare the2023 Honda Civic Type RVS 2023 BMW 2 Series

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Civic Type R 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 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic Type R deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic Type R’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The 2 Series’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Civic Type R and the 2 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Civic Type R 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the 2 Series. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 2 Series ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Civic Type R’s warranty.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 7 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The Civic Type R’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 60 more horsepower (315 vs. 255) and 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 294) than the 230i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Civic Type R uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 2 Series requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Civic Type R has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Civic Type R offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Civic Type R’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the 2 Series:

For better traction, the Civic Type R has larger tires than the 2 Series (265/30R19 vs. 225/45R18). The Civic Type R’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 2 Series (265/30R19 vs. 245/35R19).

The Civic Type R’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 230i’s standard 45 series tires. The Civic Type R’s tires are lower profile than the M240i Coupe’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Civic Type R has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the 230i.

The Civic Type R offers an available space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 2 Series; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the 2 Series don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Civic Type R is 1.7 inches wider in the front and .7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the 2 Series.

The Honda Civic Type R may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 700 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Civic Type R has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The 2 Series uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Civic Type R has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear headroom, 5.2 inches more rear legroom and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series.

The Civic Type R’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The 2 Series does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Civic Type R’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the 2 Series’ standard power windows.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Civic Type R has a standard rear wiper. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Civic Type R has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Wireless charging costs extra on the 2 Series.

The Civic Type R was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2 of the last 5 years. The M235i/M240i hasn’t been picked since 2017.

The Civic Type R was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2018. The 2 Series hasn’t been picked since 2015.

The Honda Civic outsold the BMW 2 Series by almost 12 to one during the 2022 model year.