2026 BMW 228 xDrive review: “Nice Kia, bro!”

Make no mistake about it: the 2026 BMW 228 xDrive is a pretty fantastic car. It’s comfortable, fun to drive, and nearly as practical as any current small to midsize SUV.

So what’s the catch? Glad you asked. There are several (most of which hit me in the first few minutes). Limited interior space and a bland-looking exterior are my biggest gripes.

If you don’t mind driving around in a BMW that looks like a subcompact Toyota or Kia from the mid-2010s (with interior space to match), this is the car for you.
If you’re the kind of person who thinks that the whole purpose of buying a BMW is to look like you bought a freakin’ BMW, you should probably look elsewhere.

Scott Leazenby driving a 2026 BMW 228 xDrive — If I could sum up this entire review in one picture, it would be this one. I haven’t looked this satisfied (and smug) since passing my recent colonoscopy with flying colors!

My full review of the 2026 BMW 228 xDrive

I had a full day to kill during a recent trip to Hawaii, so I popped over to the Sixt rental car counter at HNL to see if they had any cars available. “I’ve got a BMW 2 Series for $92 a day” was all I needed to hear to send me off on another fun day of car reviewin’.

First impressions

This was my first time seeing a BMW 228 up close. It looked good, but if I’m being honest, it was hardly the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. It looked fine. Just like a slightly upscale subcompact car ought to look, I suppose.

White 2026 BMW 228 xDrive parked at the Sixt rental car garage Honolulu airport — Our first meeting. Never mind that it kinda looks like a 2017 Kia Forte. Based on my recent experience with the 2026 BMW X3, I had ~~a suspicion~~ hope that the interior was going to be *spectacular*.

This particular car was an xDrive model. That’s just a fancy way of saying that it featured BMW’s tried and true all-wheel drive system. Hardly a requirement for a rental car based in Honolulu, but I ain’t one to complain.

Rear 3/4 view of a white 2026 BMW 228 xDrive parked at the Sixt rental car garage Honolulu airport — Tell me this doesn’t look like a Kia!

Front 3/4 view of a white 2026 BMW 228 xDrive parked at the Sixt rental car garage Honolulu airport — *“You’re weird bro, it’s nothing like a Kia.”* I like how it assumed that I didn’t know who said that.

Styling and design

Yup. I’m of the opinion that the 2026 228 looks like a stereotypical rental car (at least from 20 feet away). The design is safe. Simple. Familiar. Especially in white.

All white 2026 BMW 228 xDrive with black interior — Low cost Korean car jokes aside, the 228 is a good looking subcompact car IMHO. It is somewhat pretentious though (as evidenced by its need to tuck in its side mirrors in this wide open parking spot).

It’s not until you get up close to it that you start to notice all of the typical BMW details. There are large scoops and openings in the front bumper. Racy looking headlights. Creases and folds in the bodywork leading your eye from one design element to the next.

2026 BMW 228 front grill and headlights — Hallelujah for the fact that the 2026 228 does not suffer from the unfortunate Beaver Tooth Front Grill Syndrome (BTFGS) which plagues so many other 2026 BMWs.

“GTFO with your BTFGS!” it screamed. “Chill bro. I think you look pretty good from a side view.”

It’s the short front and rear overhangs which give the 228 its “yeah, I’m a BMW” look. It’s a stubby looking car. In a good way.

White 2026 BMW 228 xDrive with black roof — A low-slung vehicle this is not. Notice how high it sits compared to, say, the 2021 BMW 330i. *“So what you really mean is that I have a big a**? Right?”* Actually, yeah. It does have kind of a big butt. *“But it looks good on you, I swear!”*

2026 BMW 228 xDrive headlight detail — While the LED projection headlights *could* be mistaken for the headlights of a 2025 Mercedes-Benz C300, all the cuts and scoops here on the front end are unmistakably BMW. I like.

225/45R18 wheels and tires on the 2026 BMW 228 xDrive — 18 inch wheels on 225/45 Hankook Ventus S1 tires. Check out the bulge at 4 o’clock (with associated curbed rim rash right next to it). Wasn’t me!

Interior

I know. The 228 is classified as a subcompact car, so my complaints about the lack of interior space are somewhat unfair. Thankfully, the design of the interior is phenomenal. It looks great, it feels great, and everything is placed exactly where it should be. Who cares if it feels a little tight?

Opening the driver side door on a 2026 BMW 228 xDrive — About to get all up in them guts here in this 228. Looking pretty good so far, isn’t it?

2026 BMW 228 front seats with black interior — Whoa. All those hopes and dreams I had about the interior back at the airport? I’m happy to report that they have come true. These are some good lookin’ seats! Comfy too.

The highly adjustable front seats are some of the best seats I have experienced in a car at any point in the last 10 years. I mean it. They were firm, highly supportive, and comfortable on long drives.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive black interior passenger seat and dashboard — What your passenger will see as they’re thinking *“holy crap this guy / gal has a good taste in cars that look mediocre from the outside but spectacular on the inside.”*

2026 BMW 228 xDrive dashboard and steering wheel — What your backseat passengers will see as they pop their head forward to ask *“are we there yet?”*

2026 BMW 228 glass roof as a scene from the backseat — **Pro tip:** Flipping the switch to open the sunshade on the sunroof will make even the most annoying of rear seat passengers retreat in awe.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive center console with dual cupholders — Those of you who like to yank on a stick to shift gears may be let down by the gear selection mechanism here in the center console of the 2026 228. You’ll have to find other sticks to yank on unfortunately.

Dual cupholders and wireless charging pad in the 2026 BMW 228 — Dual cupholders, USB-C charging ports, and a wireless charging pad which was pretty much useless. Every bit a modern BMW.

Other than a wireless charging pad which was unable to charge my brand-new iPhone, the tech inside this 2026 228 was as useful as it was fun.

The infotainment screen was fast, bright, and highly responsive.
Wireless Apple CarPlay worked flawlessly for my entire time with this car.
Accessing the climate controls (temperature, fan speed, etc) was very easy through the infotainment screen, even with CarPlay active.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive infotainment screen showing wireless Apple CarPlay — Ain’t no complaints about the large infotainment screen, nor how easy it was to connect Apple CarPlay wirelessly. Looks like I have a message though, which I’m not going to check (out of fear that it may be this car letting me have it about the Kia thing).

Using Apple CarPlay navigation on the infotainment screen in the2026 BMW 228 — And for what it’s worth, the screen was very bright and easy to see even in direct sunlight. All the better to help me see the names of roads and towns I can’t pronounce here on Oahu.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive digital LED gauge cluster — My only complaint about the gauge cluster is how bad the reflections are. It’s not a problem on the infotainment screen, but I was seeing everything (including my ugly face) when glancing down to check my speed. And WTF does “Values since individual” even mean? That message popped up halfway through my drive, and I couldn’t figure out what it meant.

Sitting behind the wheel of a 2026 BMW 228 xDrive with the gauge cluster and infotainment screen on — Zooming out a bit to show you what it’s like to sit behind the wheel. There are a lot of things about this car that remind me of a mid 2010’s Kia, but this ain’t one.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive black interior backseats — What you will see as you rip open the back door to knock some sense into annoying rear seat passengers who won’t stop asking if we’re there yet. Thankfully there’s enough room in here for them to escape from your rage out the other side unscathed.

2026 BMW 228 rear trunk space — If somehow you are able to catch at least one of them before they escape, you’ll be happy to know that the trunk seems big enough to accommodate at least one adult size human being. I have no idea what you’re gonna do with the others though. This ain’t that big of a car.

2026 BMW 228 citric console storage space under the armrest

2026 BMW 228 black interior showing headrests in the seats and open sunroof

Engine and transmission

This particular 228 featured the BMW 2.0L TwinPower turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine which is rated at 241 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Those may not seem like very big numbers, but it was just the right amount for a car this size (weighing in at 3,534 lbs) IMHO.

2.0 L turbo charged four-cylinder engine in the 2026 BMW 228 — When the air cleaner is almost as big as the engine…actually, I have no idea what that means. Especially since this 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder feels like a pretty good match for a car of this size. It’s plenty quick, but I will admit that just a *bit* more power would be nice.

White 2026 BMW 228 with the hood open — Even with the hood fully open, there’s not a lot of room to get in there and do anything of significance. Need an oil change? Might as well just sell the car and get another one.

I quite liked the transmission and drivetrain combo. The 7-speed Steptronic automatic is actually a dual clutch design, which makes shifts feel fast and snappy. Even with the xDrive all-wheel drive system.

Honestly? I wouldn’t even have known this car was all wheel drive if I didn’t see the badge. It drove fine.

Driving impressions (and performance)

BMW claims a 0 to 60 time of 5.8 seconds. I believe it. This car didn’t feel especially quick to me, at least compared to the 2026 X3 that I recently drove. But it was decently fun ripping away from stoplights around town.

Where this car shines is out on the freeway at higher speeds. It’s extremely stable. Firm. Confidence inspiring. Just like a proper BMW should be.

POV driving a 2026 BMW 228 on the freeway — Out here on the freeway, steering is responsive and tight. I had no choice but to apologize. *“I’m so sorry about the Kia comments, bro. You’re right. I am weird!”*

POV driving a 2026 BMW 228 on city streets in Hawaii — On surface streets however…that tight steering (and semi-firm suspension) kind of made me wish I was in a mid 2010’s Kia. It’s a lot of car for city driving.

Scott Leazenby driving a 2026 BMW 228 — The criticisms were likely mutual, as I had no doubt that this car was wishing I were somebody else. *“I swear to God this pasty white mainlander has got the boniest butt ever!”*

2026 BMW 228 glass roof — While I’ve got the camera down here, I might as well show you how large that glass roof is. Thankfully there’s a power-activated shade which can block out most of the sun when it becomes too intense.

I found the ride to be a bit too rough for my liking over uneven roads. But I suppose that’s the compromise that had to be made for being so firm (and confidence-inspiring) at higher speeds.

Build quality

This car had 15,000 miles on it when I picked it up. That’s a lot for a rental car on a little island such as Oahu, but it seemed to be holding up nicely. There were no annoying rattles or squeaks. It felt tight on even the roughest of roads. There was no obvious wear on any of the interior surfaces. And it still smelled like a brand new car.

White 2026 BMW 228 xDrive parked at the beach in Hawaii

White 2026 BMW 228 xDrive parked in front of the mountains in Haleiwa Hawaii

Gas mileage

I averaged 28.5 mpg over 110 miles in this 228. It was mostly city and country / beach road driving, with occasional blasts out on the freeway to get from one side of the island to the other. BMW claims 27 MPG city and 39 MPG Highway (31 MPG combined), so I have no complaints.

White 2026 BMW 228 xDrive filling up with gas at the gas station — Praying / hoping that somebody will yell *“nice Kia bro!”* while filling up here at the gas station. These were my final few minutes with the car, and I was desperate to have my opinions validated before giving it back. That validation never came unfortunately, so yeah. Maybe I am weird.

Pros and cons of the 2026 BMW 228 xDrive

I liked this car. But I didn’t love it. Mostly because it looked more like a boring subcompact car than a proper (somewhat flashy) BMW. But it was nice. Comfortable. Easy to drive.

Pros

Sitting in the driver seat was a very BMW like experience. It feels (and looks) sporty.
This car transforms from subcompact economy car to sports car in the blink of an eye at higher speeds out on the freeway.
Build quality is excellent. This thing felt like a tank (even after a full year and 15,000 miles of rental car abuse).

Cons

Have I mentioned how bland looking the exterior is?
It’s not fast enough if I’m being honest. A little more oomph would be nice IMHO.
What is it with these wireless charging pads in modern BMWs? Its as if they have all conspired to refuse to charge my iPhone.

2026 BMW 228 xDrive review: “Nice Kia, bro!”