Compare the2023 Subaru WRX VS 2023 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX 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 WRX 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 WRX has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the WRX. But it costs extra on the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Both the WRX and the 2 Series Gran Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the WRX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the WRX 1 year and 10,000 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 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 2 Series Gran Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 80 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the WRX’s warranty.

The WRX’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 43 more horsepower (271 vs. 228) than the 228i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the WRX lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The WRX has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The WRX offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer a CVT.

The WRX stops shorter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe:

	WRX	2 Series Gran Coupe
70 to 0 MPH	153 feet	156 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	132 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the WRX has larger standard tires than the 2 Series Gran Coupe (235/45R17 vs. 225/45R17). The WRX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 2 Series Gran Coupe (245/40R18 vs. 235/35R19).

The WRX Limited handles at .96 G’s, while the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe pulls only .91 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The WRX Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe (24.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 25.8 seconds @ .71 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s (36.74 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the WRX Limited is quieter than the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe (79 vs. 83 dB).

The WRX has 1.7 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

The engine in the WRX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the 2 Series Gran Coupe. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s exterior PIN entry system. The 2 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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

The Subaru WRX outsold the BMW 2 Series by 62% during 2022.