[Cyberdemon]

Just because you could do something doesn't mean you'll enjoy it.

You can drive a manual transmission every day into rush hour urban traffic...but you may not enjoy it.

I don't have kids, but any of my co-workers with kids even those with small sedans complain about the room. I can't imagine trying to get in the back there with anything more than a bag of groceries.

The good news is the 3 series is still a very good car.

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by tccox

And projectile vomiting,
As others have said a front facing seat might be doable, I cannot imagine trying to put a newborn in a rear facing seat in the back of a 2er

I have a Chicco rear facing seat with a base in the back middle seat... pretty easy to put in and out with the base and plenty of room to move seats back as the car seat fits in between the 2 front seats

[tke743]

Just to chime in. I have 2 kids and they are no problem to get them into the back seat. I had them in full harness seats and they both just graduated to high back boosters and it got even easier. No issues at all with forward facing seats.

That said, there is no way on this earth that you would want to consider a rear facing car seat in this car. Not a chance. (Edit: Unless it is the base and seat based type as mentioned above. I was referring to the classic strapped in version of the seat.)

I'm 6'1" and fit just fine in the back. I could tolerate it for an hour if needed. My head does not hit. I do have the moonroof delete, so that might have some impact on this.

[elro]

Another data point for you. I have two kids, 4 and 2. I have a Recaro front facing carseat for the 2 year old and a booster seat for the 4 year old. I have to help the 2 year old up to his seat but it is not really that big of an issue. Totally doable. We don't use this car for everyday kid hauling but i do get them in there once or twice a week.
The main issue for me is that at 6'1, i do have to change the position of my seat with i have the 4 year old in the back, otherwise, the backrest of my seat would not allow her legs to adjust comfortably since she does not reach the floor with the booster seat on....
I also think that back facing carseat would be a bit of a challenge, even if you have a good system. Enough of a challenge to be doing it often.

[bladeomatic]

Here's the thing...

Virtually EVERY review of the M235i glows about it's return to roots, fast/fun behavior, improvements over the 1 series, good acceleration/brakes, BWM still knows how to build a spunky car, yada yada.

You know what?
They're all right.

Guess what else?
Virtually all of those same reviews say that one of the only shortcomings of the car is it's back seat.

You know what?
They're all right.

Though you can make it work, I wouldn't dream of using this car as a car seat/kid hauler on a regular basis. YMMV.

[CaliforniaDrew]

Originally Posted by elro

...
The main issue for me is that at 6'1, i do have to change the position of my seat with i have the 4 year old in the back, otherwise, the backrest of my seat would not allow her legs to adjust comfortably since she does not reach the floor with the booster seat on....

This! I have kids which are 4 and 6 in booster seats, and if I am in my normal driving position (I am 6') then the kid behind me has to sit with their legs up (feet on their seat or criss-cross) - there just isn't enough room for their feet. There is enough room for legs (barely), but not feet. So I need to scoot forward, and it is a pain.

[CP911]

Do what I did and buy something cheap, practical, and safe for the baby so you can free up all your funds for a separate weekend/track/hobby car. I sold my 2016 WRX and went and bought a used 2012 Volvo XC70 for $8500 cash. It's a 1-owner, well maintained, high-mileage example from little old lady who commuted to work every day on the interstate. Works beautifully for my family's needs, and honestly, it's such a great vehicle that I will definitely be buying another Volvo for my next new DD purchase when this one is driven into the ground. The real benefit of going this route is that I can now afford the m240i I just ordered.

On a side note, it sounds like you are in for a serious dose of reality once that baby arrives! Haha... your life as you know it is over. Mine ended 10 months ago when my son's began! Think changing loaded diapers on your back bench seat, mixing formula and feeding in the back seat, baby puking and choking while rear-facing so you have to get back there and get him out ASAP, etc. etc. The horrifying, heart-jolting, head-pounding, stressful as S@!# experiences are literally non-stop for at least the 1st year. You'd be screwing yourself hardcore if you try to get away with a 2+2 coupe as your only car.

Best of luck, my friend! Be sure to enjoy the good times along with the bad!

Cheers,

CP911

[F22santiago]

I really don't understand why people act like the rear seats are tiny. I have regular size friends in the back of my car for decent trips all the time and I never heard anyone complain...

[CAMOETO]

Must be getting close to Halloween, the zombies have arisen!

[stevenvillatoro]

Originally Posted by F22santiago

I really don't understand why people act like the rear seats are tiny.

Because their frames of reference are their bloated Titanicmobiles, and they were sold on the idea that bigger is better?

I say let them suffer in the 2’s ‘tiny’ rear seats... it’ll build character.

[3.0L]

Lot's of good input here.

My wife and I hauled around 2 diaper age kids in our 1971 Mercury
Capri 2-door coupe for years, kid car seats and all. But, we were
young then and had strong backs. So in my pea- brain, it boils
down to your age and how strong your back is. We did OK.

[Dylan86]

It's my opinion that the 2 series rear seating is reasonably spaced, based on the overall size of the car. If you have two tall mofos up front, its gonna be a tight squeeze in the back, but that's almost any 2dr coupe, these days. The M4 isn't all that better, but who buys a car likes these and considers using the back seats, daily? I know enough to suggest that if you're trying to do it all, with one vehicle, this isn't your ideal candidate.

As much as I could "justify" doing such, because it's such a great car, it just doesn't make sense. Now, if you could get something CPO, slightly less upfront cost, and purchase a DD beater (4 door City Golf or something), now you're making sense.

I put the pipe dreams down about having a 12mo/yr car that did it all, that made me happy and eager to drive every day, but after 6-12 months in most of these cars (GTI, R, S4's) I got bored of their "convenient" size, again and again. It wasn't until the 2er came around, that I said "f'it, summer car and a truck", and haven't been happier about the switch. It also gives you a "seasonal" down time to dream about getting back in the car, getting it out of storage, and the work you can tinker away on while its not being driven. All that said, I also want to keep this car for 10-15 years, so 6mo/yr and only racking up about 10-15k kms annually, it's gonna be in great shape for the long haul. No winters, no sand/salt/sheit, squeaky rubbers, etc.

Just my $.02

[internalaudit]

My toddler is now almost four years old so I can get her to use a booster with side impact protection I recently bought.

If my wife (5'2") was with her at the back while I stay in the front passenger side and with my seventeen year-old driving, would they be comfortable sitting there for two hours? My teen-aged daughter is about same height. I'm only 5'6" so the 228xi would be perfect. We have a RAV4 Hybrid and Accord coupe (before we had the little one) right now.

How is the seat ergonomics back there? Is it comfortable enough for passengers?

Also, how easy is it to slide the front driver and passengers seats? Is there a lever that I can pull/push for ease of entry?

Many thanks.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by internalaudit

My toddler is now almost four years old so I can get her to use a booster with side impact protection I recently bought.

If my wife (5'2") was with her at the back while I stay in the front passenger side and with my seventeen year-old driving, would they be comfortable sitting there for two hours? My teen-aged daughter is about same height. I'm only 5'6" so the 228xi would be perfect. We have a RAV4 Hybrid and Accord coupe (before we had the little one) right now.

How is the seat ergonomics back there? Is it comfortable enough for passengers?

Also, how easy is it to slide the front driver and passengers seats? Is there a lever that I can pull/push for ease of entry?

Many thanks.

Why not take that larger cars for longer drives?

At four years old, I'd think you child should now be in a forward facing seat now so that should definitely work, room wise, in a 2 series.

I'm close to 6' 2" (34" inseam) and my wife is 5' 8". My 9 y/o is 4' 2" and my 13 y/o is 5' 5". They easily fit in the back and can easily make a 1+ hour trip and I'm sure they'd be fine back there for a longer drive if needed. However, for longer trips, we take our 2015 Outback. If my wife was driving my car, I can easily fit behind the driver's seat without being crammed. When given the choice, the kids ALWAYS want to ride in dad's fast car.

Considering the size of the 2 series, it has a quite a decent back seat especially compared to something like a new Mustang or Camaro which are much larger cars but manage to have much smaller rear seats.

[morphomeman]

OP asked about sliding and her is where the magic starts, if you have the electric seats. There are two little buttons at the top of the seat. Press one once, and the seat slides forward all the way. Press the other and the seat slides back to its original position.
This makes ingress and egress a snap. Once you are in the seat, it is comfortable, at least for short to medium distances.
As with all coupes, though, it is awkward to use a rear-facing child seat, because you have no door for direct access. When we need to transport our infant grandson, we use the X3, which is much easier.

[internalaudit]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Why not take that larger cars for longer drives?

At four years old, I'd think you child should now be in a forward facing seat now so that should definitely work, room wise, in a 2 series.

I'm close to 6' 2" (34" inseam) and my wife is 5' 8". My 9 y/o is 4' 2" and my 13 y/o is 5' 5". They easily fit in the back and can easily make a 1+ hour trip and I'm sure they'd be fine back there for a longer drive if needed. However, for longer trips, we take our 2015 Outback. If my wife was driving my car, I can easily fit behind the driver's seat without being crammed. When given the choice, the kids ALWAYS want to ride in dad's fast car.

Considering the size of the 2 series, it has a quite a decent back seat especially compared to something like a new Mustang or Camaro which are much larger cars but manage to have much smaller rear seats.

Thanks XutvJet. Yes, she has been forward facing now and she can buckle herself in.

For longer trips, we'll take the RAV4. But with youngsters, they might want to drive sportier cars even when the whole family tags along.

I was considering a Miata (remotely of course) but a two-seat roadster is not going to do for a family of four. Other than a used 228xi Series, I'm considering a used Lexus IS 250 AWD and a used ornew 10th gen Accord.

I'm all over the place with this decision making process but we have enough cars at the moment that I'm not in a rush to get in. I don't want to go to a dealership just to check out whether my family will fit because I'm not buying new for sure. Most important features for me would be a car that has dynamic cruise control, a heated steering wheel and seats. Of course I need to be to sit four, don't care if there are only two doors if the 2 Series doesn't have a lot of competition.

I understand the A3 is a worthwhile competitor but my wife's dream car is a BMW and I can hit a few birds with one stone here. My dad let me drive a really old (mid 80's) 318i that was so under-powered so maybe trying another BMW won't hurt, especially if it's been more reliable than other Series.

Originally Posted by morphomeman

OP asked about sliding and her is where the magic starts, if you have the electric seats. There are two little buttons at the top of the seat. Press one once, and the seat slides forward all the way. Press the other and the seat slides back to its original position.
This makes ingress and egress a snap. Once you are in the seat, it is comfortable, at least for short to medium distances.
As with all coupes, though, it is awkward to use a rear-facing child seat, because you have no door for direct access. When we need to transport our infant grandson, we use the X3, which is much easier.

Interesting. Good to know I have to make sure I get one with power seats.

[harma24]

I have a pair of 4-year old's in forward facing car seats. I've done drives of 8 hrs on two occasions, and a 12hr day (with stops) and my kids have been fine. In fact, they prefer taking my BMW over our minivan (so do I; I've trained them well). I've even had people who are in the 6' range in the back for nearly 1hr rides without complaints (it might help that I'm 5'6", so I'm not pushing the front seat too far back).

I think the car would likely be fine for 4 people in the 5'-8" range. As you start to get someone taller than that, you'll need someone shorter to offset the difference.