BMW M2

Truth is, there are no major criticisms of the M2, just the odd disappointment, and chief among those is the cabin. What BMW describes as ‘deliberately understated’ translates to us as ‘a bit too much like a standard 2 Series’ – even when the standard black leather sports seats have contrasting blue stitching and there’s a liberal smattering of ‘M’ logos throughout the cabin. The additional 'carbon effect' trim seems rather aftermarket, and the steering wheels is needlessly thick. Otherwise, the M2’s links with the regular 2 Series are no problem: there’s decent room for a couple of six-foot adults in the front seats; and, with the optional two-pedal DCT transmission, the driving position is good, without the more cramped footwell and annoyingly offset position you get with the manual-gearbox car.