THE MOST AFFORDABLE AWD GERMAN SPORTS CAR IN 2024

Cheap sports cars are becoming rarer by the day. The cheapest rear-wheel-drive sports car money can buy in 2024 is the Mazda X-5 Miata, for just a few hundred dollars more, you can have Toyota GR86. When it comes down to all-wheel-drive sports cars, the cheapest contender is the BMW 2 Series.

At its core, the 2 Series is a more compact, two-door version of the remarkable BMW 3 Series. In North America, the BMW 2 Series comes either as a coupe, or an odd-looking four-door sedan, called the 2 Series Gran Coupe. The 2 Series Coupe comes in two different trim levels, either a 230i or an M240i. And while the M240i is the most sought-after 2 Series, just behind the mighty 2024 BMW M2 Competition, the 230i remains a respectable performance vehicle, regardless of whether it's specced as a rear-wheel-drive sports car or an all-whee-drive sports car.

This article dissects what the 2024 BMW 230i xDrive is, and why it's an underrated sports car.

The Overlooked BMW Sports Car

BMW makes some of the best modern sports cars at the moment, such as the G80 BMW G80 M3 and the newly refreshed BMW M4. But because of those smash hits, other non-M cars often get unjustly pushed aside. Such is the case with the base model 2 Series, the 230i. The new G42 BMW 2 Series replaces the previous F22 2 Series, and is a somewhat affordable luxury sports car with two different engine options, and can be had either as rear-wheel-drive, or all-wheel-drive.

All-Wheel-Drive & 255 Horsepower

Powering the BMW 230i is BMW's unsung B48, the little brother to the world-famous B58 turbocharged inline-six. The B48 is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger that generates 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. As standard, all 230i models come fitted with the B48, but for a smidgen extra, you can opt-out for the all-wheel-drive 230i xDrive - the star of today's article.

Performance Table

Starting MSRP Of $40,800

At face value, paying more than $40,000 for a base model, all-wheel-drive sports car seems insane, but when looking at the bigger picture, the BMW 230i xDrive is actually a bargain luxury sports car. The rear-wheel-drive BMW 230i starts at $38,800, but for $2,000, you can upgrade to the all-wheel-drive 230i xDrive.

A Package You'd Expect From A BMW

The 2024 BMW 2 Series is a true luxury car at heart. With a leather-draped interior, a touch-sensitive infotainment display, and a wide range of pricey optional extras to choose from, the 2 Series Coupe follows suit of other luxury carmakers. One thing BMW does differently from other luxury carmakers - apart from questionable design choices of course - is their ability to improve over time.

Due to BMW improving overall reliability, Consumer Reports crowned BMW as the best car brand for 2024. On top of having exquisite interiors, and mighty performance figures, BMWs, including the 230i xDrive, are more reliable than ever before.

Standard Features

Fortunately, the 2024 BMW 2 Series, even the 230i xDrive model, comes with quite the list of standard equipment. All 230i xDrive models come from the factory with a Sport Line package which includes a Shadowline exterior trim, meaning all exterior trim pieces are blacked out instead of chrome, have 18-inch wheels, and sport seats.

When it comes down to the interior, BMW fit the latest 2 Series with their latest iDrive 8 software, meaning there's one massive screen that connects the central display and the driver's display. The cockpit is filled with even more tech features too.

• Curved 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Live Cockpit Plus with Navigation
• Steering wheel controls
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Launch control
• Active Driving Assistant
• Active Blind Spot Detection
• Lane Departure Warning

Optional Extras Worth Splurging On

In typical German luxury car fashion, BMW offers a large assortment of options that give owners an even greater driving machine. Hands-down, the most tempting option is the M Sport package, which costs $3,350. In turn, the M Sport pack adds 18-inch M Sport wheels, an M steering wheel, M Sport suspension, and a unique body kit with larger, more aggressive front and rear bumpers, among other visual goodies.

BMW also

The Best BMW Sports Car For Less Than $50,000

As of January 2024, the average new sold cost is $47,401, as per Kelley Blue Book. With that in mind, a $40,800 BMW sports car is an absolute bargain. And if you're not willing to surpass the $50,000 mark, the BMW 230i xDrive is the cheapest, and arguably one of the best value-for-money sports cars you can buy new.

The Tempting M240i & Other Beemers

As previously stated, BMW makes some brilliant driving machines. But some of these sports cars are so good, that they punch above their weight class. Three other BMW sports cars you should also consider are the 2 Series M-lite car, the M240i xDrive, the 430i xDrive, and the base model Z4.

The Z4 and 430i xDrive utilize the same engine as the 230i xDrive, just in vastly different packages. The Z4 is the most expensive of the bunch, lacks practicality, and isn't all-wheel-drive, but sports the most exotic look. The 430i, on the other hand, is a beefed up, slightly more luxurious, and slightly less quick version of the 230i.

The M240i is in a league of its own though. With performance figures very near the M2, the M240i is an often slept-on sports car, especially in xDrive form. On top of that, the M240i has a wide range of standard features that cheaper 2 Series models lack, such as an M Sport differential, adaptive dampers, M Sport brakes, a 14.9-inch infotainment screen, as well as a moonroof, to name a few., However, its downfall is its $51,700 MSRP, making it more than $10,000 more expensive than the 230i xDrive.

Formidable Rivals To The BMW 230i xDrive

The BMW 2 Series competes in a very niche market, especially considering there are little to no luxury sports cars that compete with it due to its surprisingly cheap MSRP. The only two real all-wheel-drive luxury sports car coupes on the market still are the Audi A5 Coupe and the Lexus RC.

Both the Audi and Lexus have more power than the BMW, but cost about $8,000 more than 230i xDrive on the minimum. When looking at the bigger picture, the Audi A5 and Lexus LC are excellent in their own right, but it's difficult when the price gap between these cars is so large. Therefore, the 2024 BMW 230i xDrive is the most affordable all-wheel-drive German sports car in 2024.

2024-04-20T09:14:06Z dg43tfdfdgfd