BMW M2 G87 vs BMW M4 G82
“Same S58 straight-six, two different temperaments: the G87 M2 is the shorter, rawer, more playful road car; the G82 M4 is the bigger, faster, more planted weapon that wins on pace and composure.
The M2 is the one that talks. Its turn-in feels a hair sharper, the short wheelbase makes it darty and agile, and reviewers keep calling it more raw and engaging — more fun at sensible road speeds, moving around underneath you. It's also the cheaper one by a wide margin, and the most usable of the bunch on the street.
The M4 is the one that delivers. In xDrive form it's quicker — a 0.7-second gap in one head-to-head test — and the always-there traction gives you more confidence; one reviewer rates its front end among the best he's ever experienced. The price of that composure is a little distance: the M2's fans say the M4 feels less like a sports car.
Pick the M2 for the conversation and the money, the M4 for outright ability.
you want the more engaging, more playful car for real roads — sharper turn-in, a rawer feel, more fun at sensible speeds — and you'd rather keep the large price difference than chase the last tenths.
you want the faster, more capable, more confidence-inspiring car — xDrive traction, that benchmark front end, track-day composure — and you'll pay the M4 premium for it.
Buy the G87 M2 if feel and value lead — reviewers repeatedly call it more raw, more agile and more fun on the road, for a lot less money. Buy the G82 M4 if outright ability is the point — it's quicker, its traction and front end make it more confidence-inspiring, and it's the more superior sports car in pace and capability.
Handling is genuinely contested: the M2 earns praise for sharper, dartier turn-in, while Joe Achilles rates the current M3/M4 front end as one of the best he's experienced and says the M2's isn't quite as good. Daily comfort splits too — Savagegeese calls the M2 the most usable street car of its group and one reviewer finds its comfort-mode ride perfectly normal, while the M4 draws both 'so much more refined' and 'jarring in town' depending on spec.
Performance
Handling
Fun to drive
“I think this is more fun to drive than the M4 manual base for less money... The M4 manual base just it was so peaky it felt kind of underpowered honestly”
“I feel like that car is just a little bit more fun feels a little bit lighter on its feet even though it technically isn't much lighter it feels lighter that shorter wheelbase helps a lot”
Daily drivability
“this very latest G87 M2 CS also has a massively better ride than the regular M2.”
“In urban type of scenarios, well, it's surprisingly comfortable. It's easy to live with, and if you flick it into comfort, you can use this as a daily driver.”
