Why BMW 2 Series Beats Mercedes CLA-Class, Audi A3 and Lexus CT

The BMW 2 Series beats the Mercedes CLA-Class, Audi A3 and Lexus CT to take top honors in the J.D. Power APEAL Study. How did the new BMW 2 Series do it?

Not the first award for BMW 2 Series

The BMW 2 Series was all-new in 2014 and replaced the 1 Series from the BMW lineup. The 2 Series offers sporty performance making the new car a real head tuner. Here’s what KBB had to say about the 2 Series when they named it 10 Best Luxury Cars Under $35K; “In a clear case of having your cake and eating it, too, the most affordable BMW is also among the most fun to drive. There's even a cherry on top in the form of highway fuel economy that tops out at 36 mpg. Available features like a parking assistant, Track Handling Package and BMW Apps add touches of BMW-style luxury.”

How J.D. Power conducts their APEAL Study

In the APEAL Study, which takes place once a year, J.D. Power surveys new car customers 90 days after they have taken delivery of their vehicle. This year’s 21st edition of the Study questioned new car drivers in the U.S. on 77 characteristics in 10 categories between November 2015 and February 2016. Among the attributes evaluated by the owners were “interior” and “driving dynamics.”

Driving dynamics pegs the meter

The 2 Series is about as good as it gets when it comes to driving dynamics. The base BMW 2 Series 228i Coupe is powered by a 240 hp 2.0-liter TwinPower turbo, comes with rear-wheel-drive and the 2 Series gets 36 mpg on the highway. The M235i cranks up the fun-to-drive meter with its 320 horses on tap. It’s not a surprise the BMW 2 Series beats the Mercedes CLA-Class, Audi A3 and Lexus CT to take top honors in the J.D. Power APEAL Study.

Source: BMW, J.D. Power

Image source: BMW