Compare the2024 Toyota GR CorollaVS 2024 BMW 2 Series

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota GR Corolla 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.

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 GR Corolla are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GR Corolla has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening 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 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Both the GR Corolla and the 2 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the GR Corolla 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 almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GR Corolla’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. BMW is ranked 9th.

The GR Corolla’s 1.6 turbo 3-cylinder produces 45 more horsepower (300 vs. 255) than the 230i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota GR Corolla higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW 2 Series (3 to 5). This means the GR Corolla produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the 2 Series every 15,000 miles.

The GR Corolla offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

For better stopping power the GR Corolla’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the 2 Series:

For better traction, the GR Corolla has larger tires than the 2 Series (235/40R18 vs. 225/45R18).

The GR Corolla’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 230i’s standard 45 series tires.

The GR Corolla Circuit Edition handles at .97 G’s, while the 230i Coupe pulls only .92 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the GR Corolla’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the 2 Series’ (36.1 feet vs. 36.4 feet). The GR Corolla’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the 2 Series xDrive’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The GR Corolla is 5.4 inches shorter than the 230i, making the GR Corolla easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The GR Corolla is 5.8 inches shorter than the M240i.

The GR Corolla has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 2 Series can only carry 4.

The GR Corolla has .2 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more rear headroom and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the 2 Series.

The GR Corolla’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 GR Corolla’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the 2 Series’ standard power windows.

The GR Corolla has two rear doors to provide better access for cargo and rear passengers. The 2 Series doesn’t offer rear doors.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GR Corolla 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 GR Corolla has standard extendable sun visors. The 2 Series doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The GR Corolla was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023. The M235i/M240i hasn’t been picked since 2017.