428i Gran Coupe Review by M235i Owner (w/pictures)

Private First Class

Rep

153

Posts

121

Join Date: Apr 2016

Location: Virginia Beach, VA

0)

iTrader: (

Drives: M235i

428i Gran Coupe Review by M235i Owner (w/pictures)

Background
The main differences in equipment levels between the loaner and my car is the 428i came equipped with a four cylinder engine, 8 speed transmission, leather interior, heated steering wheel, sunroof, Goodyear run-flat tires and obviously, more doors. Other than that, they are equipped almost the same. Clearly this will not be an apples-to-apples comparison, but it does provide some perspective between the two vehicles.

My M235i stickered for $46,890 while the 428i stickered for $52,520.

Driving Impressions
The M235i is not the smoothest riding car I have driven, but it is more than acceptable considering it is a performance oriented vehicle. The 428i does drive somewhat smoother, but not significantly different. You feel every bump and it does move around at higher speeds. I wonder if the run flat tires on the 428i are creating that situation. Overall comfort does go to the 428i.

A handling comparison between the two is a bit unfair. The M235i is tuned for high performance while the 428i is more “sport-tuned”. I would not hesitate to take the M235i out to a track day. However, the 428i is no slouch. I was very impressed with how well it handles and it is definitely a fun car to drive. I drove the 428i on the same roads as I would the M235i and I had just as much confidence in it.

Engine power obviously goes the M235i. However, the 2.0L in the 428i is potent, especially in Sport mode. It may not have the overall torque of the six cylinder, but it has plenty of punch. The four cylinder sounds like a diesel when cold, but once you are underway, the engine sounds good, even if it is somewhat artificial (ASD). The M235i has a more aggressive sound from the exhaust and under acceleration (it also has ASD). I had considered a 228i, but I just like the power and sound from the inline six.

Naked view of the 2.0L

2.0L Turbo

The 8-speed transmission is as good as everyone has mentioned. I enjoyed using the paddle shifters and was impressed with the lightning fast shifts they produced. In more relaxed driving the transmission was smooth and never was caught in the wrong gear. The shifter did take a couple of days to get used to (up for reverse??) but now it is second nature. I know this transmission shifts quicker than a manual, and produces better fuel economy. However, I am a “purist”, so I like my three pedals and shifting for myself.

Fuel economy clearly goes to the 428i. I am averaging 28mpg while the M235i hovers around 23.8mpg. Also, the 428i has a larger fuel tank (15.8 gallons) which increases the range. The M235i has a 13 gallon tank. I am lucky if I can get 300 miles out of it (I’m sure I could if a drove like a hypermiler).

Interior Comfort
This is a tough call. The 428i is bigger and has more front leg room and width (maybe?). The seat bolsters pinch in on my legs, but it did take me some time to find a suitable seating position in the M235i. The seats seem to be very similar. The sunroof brightens up the cabin considerably, especially with the Venetian Beige leather. I don’t miss it in the M235i as I specifically ordered it that way. However, I like the sunroof in a car like the 428i.

The rear seats are much bigger than the M235i and it is easier to access due to the rear doors. That said, the rear doors are small, and it is much harder to get in and out of compared to a more formal sedan like a 330i. Also, rear head room is even tighter than the M235i due to the roofline.

The rear cargo area in the 428i is HUGE . I like hatchbacks for their versatility and the 428i does not disappoint. Add in the fold down rear seats and you may wonder why anyone would want a crossover/SUV. I also like the hands-free operation of the rear hatch. I know Ford has had this feature for a while, but it is still cool to see it on this car.

The M235i has good trunk room for the size of the car. It also has folding rear seats, but it is not even close to the 428i.

Final Thoughts
As stated at the beginning, these two cars have different missions and different personalities. However, as they are based on the same platform they are more similar than expected. The features and available options are almost the same and the dashboards are nearly identical.

I am biased towards the M235i. The size of the car and its performance is why I bought it. I had considered a 428i 2-door coupe when car shopping, but the price difference, size, and lesser performance turned me towards the 2-series. We have other 4-door vehicles at home if I need more room.

With that said, I was impressed with the 428i Gran Coupe. It has more performance capability than I was expecting and it has more utility and comfort (slightly) than the M235i. It is a very nice looking car, especially with the M-Sport package. I can understand why people would purchase this car.

I have two other reviews for the M235i if you are interested.

M235i One Year Review

European Delivery & Journal

While my ’16 M235i is at the dealer, I thought I would take some time to write a review of a 2016 428i Gran Coupe they gave me as a loaner car. I chose this car over a 2017 X5 as I wanted to compare this car to mine. I had considered a 428i coupe when researching vehicles. I have had this car for the past five days and have used it as my daily driver.The main differences in equipment levels between the loaner and my car is the 428i came equipped with a four cylinder engine, 8 speed transmission, leather interior, heated steering wheel, sunroof, Goodyear run-flat tires and obviously, more doors. Other than that, they are equipped almost the same. Clearly this will not be an apples-to-apples comparison, but it does provide some perspective between the two vehicles.My M235i stickered for $46,890 while the 428i stickered for $52,520.The M235i is not the smoothest riding car I have driven, but it is more than acceptable considering it is a performance oriented vehicle. The 428i does drive somewhat smoother, but not significantly different. You feel every bump and it does move around at higher speeds. I wonder if the run flat tires on the 428i are creating that situation. Overall comfort does go to the 428i.A handling comparison between the two is a bit unfair. The M235i is tuned for high performance while the 428i is more “sport-tuned”. I would not hesitate to take the M235i out to a track day. However, the 428i is no slouch. I was very impressed with how well it handles and it is definitely a fun car to drive. I drove the 428i on the same roads as I would the M235i and I had just as much confidence in it.Engine power obviously goes the M235i. However, the 2.0L in the 428i is potent, especially in Sport mode. It may not have the overall torque of the six cylinder, but it has plenty of punch. The four cylinder sounds like a diesel when cold, but once you are underway, the engine sounds good, even if it is somewhat artificial (ASD). The M235i has a more aggressive sound from the exhaust and under acceleration (it also has ASD). I had considered a 228i, but I just like the power and sound from the inline six.Naked view of the 2.0L2.0L TurboThe 8-speed transmission is as good as everyone has mentioned. I enjoyed using the paddle shifters and was impressed with the lightning fast shifts they produced. In more relaxed driving the transmission was smooth and never was caught in the wrong gear. The shifter did take a couple of days to get used to (up for reverse??) but now it is second nature. I know this transmission shifts quicker than a manual, and produces better fuel economy. However, I am a “purist”, so I like my three pedals and shifting for myself.Fuel economy clearly goes to the 428i. I am averaging 28mpg while the M235i hovers around 23.8mpg. Also, the 428i has a larger fuel tank (15.8 gallons) which increases the range. The M235i has a 13 gallon tank. I am lucky if I can get 300 miles out of it (I’m sure I could if a drove like a hypermiler).This is a tough call. The 428i is bigger and has more front leg room and width (maybe?). The seat bolsters pinch in on my legs, but it did take me some time to find a suitable seating position in the M235i. The seats seem to be very similar. The sunroof brightens up the cabin considerably, especially with the Venetian Beige leather. I don’t miss it in the M235i as I specifically ordered it that way. However, I like the sunroof in a car like the 428i.The rear seats are much bigger than the M235i and it is easier to access due to the rear doors. That said, the rear doors are small, and it is much harder to get in and out of compared to a more formal sedan like a 330i. Also, rear head room is even tighter than the M235i due to the roofline.The rear cargo area in the 428i is HUGE. I like hatchbacks for their versatility and the 428i does not disappoint. Add in the fold down rear seats and you may wonder why anyone would want a crossover/SUV. I also like the hands-free operation of the rear hatch. I know Ford has had this feature for a while, but it is still cool to see it on this car.The M235i has good trunk room for the size of the car. It also has folding rear seats, but it is not even close to the 428i.As stated at the beginning, these two cars have different missions and different personalities. However, as they are based on the same platform they are more similar than expected. The features and available options are almost the same and the dashboards are nearly identical.I am biased towards the M235i. The size of the car and its performance is why I bought it. I had considered a 428i 2-door coupe when car shopping, but the price difference, size, and lesser performance turned me towards the 2-series. We have other 4-door vehicles at home if I need more room.With that said, I was impressed with the 428i Gran Coupe. It has more performance capability than I was expecting and it has more utility and comfort (slightly) than the M235i. It is a very nice looking car, especially with the M-Sport package. I can understand why people would purchase this car.I have two other reviews for the M235i if you are interested.

2016 M235i BSM, M/T, Sunroof Delete

__________________