2021 BMW 2 Series
The 2021 BMW 2 Series is sold in the U.S. as a gas coupe with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 228i Gran Coupe, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 9 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228i Gran Coupe | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 24 | 33 | 28 | $2,950 |
| 230i Coupe | Gas | RWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,950 |
| 228i xDrive Gran Coupe | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 23 | 33 | 27 | $3,050 |
| 230i Convertible | Gas | RWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 23 | 33 | 27 | $3,050 |
| 230i Coupe | Gas | RWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 32 | 25 | $3,300 |
| 230i xDrive Convertible | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 30 | 24 | $3,400 |
| 230i xDrive Coupe | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 30 | 24 | $3,400 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43561, 42995, 42818, 42918, 42874, 43609, 42817.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228i Gran Coupe, 228i xDrive Gran Coupe, 230i Convertible, 230i Coupe, 230i xDrive Convertible | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| 230i xDrive Coupe | 7–10 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 0 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay Elite |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2 L |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 228 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | AWD/All-Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Transmission speeds | 8 |
Driver assistance
Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert
Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Parking assist
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Gran Coupe, xDrive GC). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 174.4–178.0 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 69.7–70.9 in |
| Height | 55.5–55.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.1–105.9 in |
| Track, front | 59.8–61.8 in |
| Track, rear | 60.2–61.8 in |
| Curb weight | 3,499–4,065 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 50/50 to 59/41 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 9 configurations: 228I xDrive Gran Coupe, 230I 2-door Coupe RWD, 230I xDrive 2-door Cabriolet, 230I xDrive 2-door Coupe, M235I xDrive Gran Coupe, M240I 2-door Cabriolet RWD …. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2021 BMW 2 Series is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (4)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseSeat Belts
Structure
Visibility
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Whether any of this applies to one specific 2 Series
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. BMW publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 BMW 2 Series, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2021 BMW 2 Series
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this 2 Series →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported
6.7 per 10,000 built · BMW reported 13,349 2 Series built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 3
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
Prior to the repair, the vehicle displayed fault codes 100227 and 100229. The dealership technician informed me that faulty wiring was identified as the cause of the problem. After the vehicle entered limp mode, I was stranded on the roadside for approximately five hours awaiting assistance.
Engine mount replace required at 37000 per dealership service inspection. Informed that it is standard for this part to fail repeatedly during life of engine. Retail price of repair at dealership estimated at $3000, offered repair for $1200. Informed that a driving hazard and cause for more engine damage if not replaced
BMW DRL (Daytime Running Light) module is is overheating causing damage to the internal fiber optic tube. Dealer said this is a common issue and requires module replacement to prevent requiring a whole headlight assembly as BMW does not sell the fiber optic cable separately.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 228I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear brakes. The service brakes warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rear brake rotors.
IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO FAIL ACROSS MULTIPLE BMW MODEL LINES, particularly in the E60, E90, and E92 series. when it fails, the engine power goes into a safe mode which drops the rpms down to idle speed around 500 rpm and the car can only go a few mph.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 228I. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the sunroof exploded. The contact stated that the shade guard was closed at the time the failure occurred. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that he inspected the vehicle but could not determine the cause of the failure.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by BMW itself: 5 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 5 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 37 per 100,000 built. Every 2 Series model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 15 years or 150,000 miles · BMW warranty extension 1390900300For this vehicle, the EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles, from the original 10 years/120,000 miles…
- 15 years or 150,000 miles · BMW bulletin B011423Pressure control valve (PCV) extended LTD WTY 15 YEARS/150,000 miles
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Structure, Steering.
- B512022 Service bulletin2026-06-30 · Structure — Body
- While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area.
- B010224 Warranty extension2026-06-26 · Engine
- The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.
- B010224 Warranty extension2026-05-05 · Engine
- The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
- B512022 Service bulletin2024-07-15 · Unknown Or Other
- While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area.
- B640416 Service bulletin2024-01-19 · Structure
- Customer complains of a musty odor or damp front footwell carpet.
- B611305 Service bulletin2024-01-11 · Electrical System
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.
- B360121 Service bulletin2024-01-08 · Steering
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21.
- B610524 Service bulletin2024-01-05 · Equipment — Electrical — Infotainment
- The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3). FaultB7F8F9 – “HU-H: Reset” will be stored in the HU-H3.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 BMW 2 Series failed the emissions check on 2.7% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).
failed emissions
707 initial inspections of 692 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2021 2 Series | Every 2021 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 2.7% | 1.9% | 703 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.4% | 1.5% | 707 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.14% | 0.19% | 707 |
| Miles driven a year | 8,339 | 10,343 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 43,928 | 54,681 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
2 Series by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2021 2 Series
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2021 BMW 2 Series have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2021 BMW 2 Series. The most serious on file is 21V554000, covering Seat Belts. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2021 BMW 2 Series yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (77/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 BMW 2 Series, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
Transport Canada measured it at 174.4–178.0 in long, 69.7–70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 55.5–55.9 in tall, on a 105.1–105.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,499–4,065 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 BMW 2 Series, most often about exterior lighting, electrical system, service brakes. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
The EPA smog rating for the 2021 BMW 2 Series runs 7 to 10 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 0, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2021 BMW 2 Series?
The manufacturer has filed 139 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 BMW 2 Series, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-06-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2021 BMW 2 Series do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 BMW 2 Series failed the emissions check on 2.7% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 7 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 7 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 4 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 9 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | none | NHTSA NCAP | NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe. |
| Service bulletins | 139 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 12 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.