A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance,
fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé vs BAIC B40 Plus: the short answer
2 Series Gran Coupé has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.
B40 Plus starts ZAR 26,000 cheaper2 Series Gran Coupé from ZAR 725,500 · B40 Plus from ZAR 699,500
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives
Swipe sideways to compare every column
Specification
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Maximum Power
2 Series Gran Coupé233 kW
B40 Plus165 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque
2 Series Gran Coupé400 Nm @ 2000-4500 rpm
B40 Plus380 Nm @ 1750-4500 rpm
Engine Size
2 Series Gran Coupé1998 cc
B40 Plus1998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy
2 Series Gran Coupé12.5 km/l
B40 Plus9.0 km/l
Ground Clearance
2 Series Gran Coupé140 mm
B40 Plus210 mm
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Independent editorial assessment
Hagalu editorial ratings
When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.
BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé
M235 xDrive Gran Coupé
Hagalu editorial rating
4.0/5★★★★★★★★★★
Desk research · Exact variant
Hagalu Editorial Team ·
Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.
Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Specification evidence leader
2 Series Gran Coupé
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Better fuel efficiency
Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:Published PerformancePublished Efficiency
B40 Plus
Strengths
Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Lower fuel efficiency
Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:Published Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
2 Series Gran Coupé
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
B40 Plus
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Model Introduced Year
2025
2021
Generation
Second-generation F74 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé with four doors, frameless side windows and a coupé-influenced roofline.
Current B40 Plus Honor Edition within the locally served first B40 Plus generation, using body-on-frame construction and an electronic part-time 4WD system.
Facelift History
F74 is the current second-generation South African launch version; no local facelift has been announced.
The B40 Plus launched in South Africa in October 2021. The current Honor Edition debuted locally in May 2025, adding electric seat adjustment and a sunroof to the City Hunter-based specification; BAIC now presents it as the sole current B40 Plus derivative.
Facelift Launched Since
Original current-generation version
2025
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
Sedan
Five-door body-on-frame off-road SUV
Model Year
2026
2021
Production Status
active
active
Segment
Premium Sedan
Off-road SUV
Vehicle Type
Car
SUV
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Length
4546 mm
4630 mm
Width
1800 mm
1925 mm
Height
1445 mm
1871 mm
Wheelbase
2670 mm
2745 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
140 mm
210 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
125 mm
190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity
49 l
75 l
Boot/Cargo Space
430 l
532 l
Kerb Weight
1650 kg
2110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2130 kg
2535 kg
Payload Capacity
555 kg
425 kg
Towing Capacity
750 kg
1500 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
5 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
2 rows
Doors
4 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
5.6 m
Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom
998 mm
1010 mm
Rear Headroom
950 mm
1000 mm
Front Legroom
1030 mm
1045 mm
Rear Legroom
899 mm
900 mm
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Engine
BMW turbocharged engine
2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine
Engine Code
B48
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Type
Petrol
Petrol
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
1998 cc
1998 cc
Cylinders
4
4
Cylinder Layout
Inline
Inline
Valves
16
Not Officially Disclosed
Valves per Cylinder
4
Not Officially Disclosed
Aspiration
Turbocharged
Turbocharged
Fuel System
Direct injection
Not Officially Disclosed
Compression Ratio
10.5:1
Not Officially Disclosed
Bore
82.0 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Stroke
94.6 mm
Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power
233 kW
165 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque
400 Nm @ 2000-4500 rpm
380 Nm @ 1750-4500 rpm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Drive Type
AWD
4WD
Transmission
7-Speed Automatic
8-Speed Automatic
Top Speed
250 km/h
180 km/h
0-100 km/h
4.9 sec
9.9 sec
Quarter Mile
12.2 sec
17.2 sec
Drive Modes
Eco, Comfort, Sport
Comfort, Eco, Sport, Snow
Launch Control
No
No
Rev Limiter
7000 rpm
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
100 kW/tonne
78.2 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
220 Nm/tonne
180.1 Nm/tonne
Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Gearbox
7-Speed Automatic
8AT
Drivetrain Layout
All-wheel drive
4WD
LSD Available
Not Applicable
No
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Electronic 4WD transfer case
Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Rear electronic differential lock; Front optional electronic differential lock
18"M light alloy wheels Y spoke style 975 M Bicolour with runflat tyres
17-inch
Handbrake Type
Electronic
Electric parking brake
Tyre Type
-
All-Terrain
Auto Brake Hold
-
Yes
Towing Unbraked Kg
-
750 kg
Wheel Material
-
Lightweight dual-tone alloy
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Front Suspension
Adaptive M Suspension
Double wishbone independent front suspension
Rear Suspension
Adaptive M Suspension
Five-link non-independent rear suspension
Chassis Type
-
Body-on-frame
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
CO2 Emissions
1 g/km
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Octane Requirement
-
92 RON or higher petrol
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Service Plan
5 years / 100000 km BMW Motorplan
4 years / 60000 km
Service Interval
-
15000 km
Service Plan Duration
5 years / 100000 km BMW Motorplan
4 years / 60000 km
Service Plan Distance
5 years / 100000 km BMW Motorplan
4 years / 60000 km
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Ownership Role
Private, business and fleet
Private buyer ownership with BAIC South Africa warranty and service support
Price Zar
1035500 ZAR
699500 ZAR
Pricing Role
Current recommended retail price
Current ex-showroom price
Starting Price
1035500
699500
Starting Price Zar
1035500
699500
Spec
2 Series Gran Coupé
B40 Plus
Warranty
Yes
5 years / 120000 km
Warranty Years
Yes
5 years / 120000 km
Warranty Kilometers
Yes
5 years / 120000 km
In depth: how these cars differ
This 2 Series Gran Coupé and B40 Plus comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: 2 Series Gran Coupé 91 vs B40 Plus 71.
Efficiency index: 2 Series Gran Coupé 57 vs B40 Plus 41.
Safety-equipment index: 2 Series Gran Coupé 92 vs B40 Plus 57.
Practicality index: 2 Series Gran Coupé 55 vs B40 Plus 67.
Ownership-cover index: 2 Series Gran Coupé not separately scored vs B40 Plus 62.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
2 Series Gran Coupé and B40 Plus image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout
2 Series Gran Coupé leads by 14 points
2 Series Gran Coupé has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.
Performance
2 Series Gran Coupé +20
Efficiency
2 Series Gran Coupé +16
Safety
2 Series Gran Coupé +35
Practicality
B40 Plus +12
Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
2 Series Gran Coupé
Performance
91/100
Efficiency
57/100
Safety
92/100
Practicality
55/100
B40 Plus
Performance
71/100
Efficiency
41/100
Safety
57/100
Practicality
67/100
Ownership
62/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexBMW 2 Series Gran Coupé
leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts
vs 61 pts for B40 Plus
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, 2 Series Gran Coupé leads. However, B40 Plus may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.
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