• Polished and premium-feeling cabin
• Well thought-out ergonomics
• Lots of adjustment on offer in driver’s seat

Slot yourself behind the wheel of the 2 Series Coupe and you’ll be presented with a driver-focused cockpit-style interior with plenty of quality materials and switches, plus – crucially – a decent amount of space. Should they wish, the driver can adjust the seat to sit low down in the car – far lower than most of the 2 Series Coupe’s rivals. It adds to the intimacy of the driving experience.

The dials are clear and concise, with an optional part-digital instrument display available on post-May-2017 models. All cars come standard-fit with a 6.5-inch colour central display screen while those fitted with the optional BMW Professional Navigation system benefit from an 8.8-inch touchscreen as well as the traditional iDrive multimedia control wheel.

Happily, the infotainment system is one of – if not the best – on the market and benefits from a clear, easy-to-use display and logical controls. Newer 2 Series models will also be capable of running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, albeit at extra cost.

Enthusiasts may well delight at its presence, but the now old-fashioned manual handbrake lever feels a bit of an anachronism in this high-end modern car, but still works perfectly well.

M2 Competition and M2 CS get even sportier interiors

The M2 Competition gets the same basic interior layout as a regular 2 Series, yet there are a number of tweaks to make it stand out from its non-M car siblings. For starters, the M leather steering wheel has M1 and M2 driving mode shortcut buttons, while there’s also a Black Panel instrument cluster as standard.

Interior trim materials include carbon fibre across the dashboard, centre console and door cards, while the red starter button, unique M2 Competition door sills and M seat belts also stand out. Finally, Dakota leather M Sport seats with an illuminated M2 badge and integrated headrest are standard.

The M2 CS’s interior is much the same, albeit with a few additions to let you know that you’re in the most serious of M2s. Alcantara features heavily on the steering wheel, dashboard and M Competition sports seats, while the lightweight carbon-fibre centre console looks great but annoyingly does away with the centre armrest.

Comfortable despite sporting prowess

• Decent ride quality over most road surfaces
• Lots of adjustment in the driver’s seat
• Hushed levels of wind and road noise

The 2 Series may be a sporty model, but that doesn’t mean BMW has dropped the ball on comfort – far from it in fact.

If you’re plumbing for an M Sport model, as most people do, we would strongly recommend the optional adaptive suspension package. In this guise the 2 Series traverses your average uneven road surface with impressive composure. Sure, the suspension isn’t immune to large potholes or heavily pockmarked country lanes, but it’s perfectly comfortable for everyday use.

Wind noise and refinement at speed are the usual accomplished BMW fare, particularly impressive given the frameless doors (the windows close against rubber seals on the bodywork rather than the doors themselves), while the petrol engines are pleasantly hushed motors. Opt for one of the diesels and noise levels are stepped up a notch, although not intrusively so.

On the inside the standard seats are comfy and supportive, yet still manage to hold the driver in securely when rounding tight bends. There’s an excellent range of adjustment in the driver’s seat (and steering wheel), too, meaning just about everyone should be able to find a seating position which suits them.