Tip-top pocket rockets: BMW M2, BMW Z4

German automaker leads in rankings for user-friendly options

By JOE PHILLIPS

Sure, German cars are uber exciting, but Asian brands are much more reliable. Right? Well, not exactly.

This year, for the first time, BMW tops the list in what is considered the holy grail of product-quality resources: Consumer Reports. Along with improved reliability, BMW leads in the rankings for user-friendly options—including innovative infotainment systems.

To be sure, seven of the top 10 most-reliable vehicles are still made by Asian automakers.

But today’s BMW drivers can enjoy both style and substance, with rides that are fun, fast, furious—and now very dependable.

BMW M2 COUPE

$64,000

MPG: 16 city/24 highway

0 to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds

Cargo room: 13.8 cu. ft.

PROS: lively acceleration, taut handling, sexy exhaust growl

CONS: rigid front seats, tight backseat, hard-to-access seatbelts

IN A NUTSHELL: I have a love-hate relationship with two-door cars. They fail the test when it comes to ferrying lots of people or more than a few suitcases. And forget about cross-country trips, especially if you want to pull over and catch 40 winks by stretching out in any sort of rear cargo area. But it’s hard to resist the convenience of a coupe or convertible when scooching into tight parking spaces or weaving through congested traffic. And these rides can be a blast to drive. That’s the case with the BMW M2 super-coupe, a pocket rocket that comes standard with a 435-hp engine and six-speed manual transmission. Expect automotive purists to forgo the optional eightspeed automatic, though it is a tad faster.

The feisty styling boasts flared fenders, muscular side panels and an arousing rear spoiler. As my husband Robert said, “This car is ‘sex on wheels.’ ” Yes, indeed.

Of all the BMW high-performance M cars, the M2 is the smallest and least expensive. Yet it’s loaded with the latest bells and whistles: sport-tuned suspension, track-oriented tires, side-impact airbags, knee airbags, Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo, 12.3-inch digital gauge display and an even-larger 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. This second-generation M2 is also longer and wider than before, which adds more leg and elbow room inside.

My test car came with the weight-saving carbon-fiber package. This included bucket seats with rigid thigh bolsters, as well as a quirky hard protrusion that stuck up awkwardly between my legs. Intended to keep you seated firmly in place when swooshing in and out of twisty curves, the intrusive seat design can sometimes smoosh your nether regions. In other words, there’s a reason these seats are called “ball busters.”

Bmw Z4 Roadster

$55,000

MPG: 25 city/33 highway

0 to 60 mph: 5.2 seconds

Cargo room: 9.9 cu. ft.

PROS: wicked fast, easy to drive, cushy cabin

CONS: low ground clearance, no second row, skimpy storage

IN A NUTSHELL: Built on the same platform as the less-expensive but also less-luxurious Toyota Supra coupe, the BMW Z4 convertible is more of a comfortable cruiser than cheeky racecar. Two fine engine choices are available, though neither propels the Z4 as fast as the Supra or BMW M2 coupes. Still, handling and braking are splendid. Most important, my tush appreciated the more traditional seating in the Z4 compared with those butt-blasting seats in the M2.

As with all BMWs, styling on this two-seater is dramatically sculpted. My only complaint was with the doors, which are so darn long you need to lean over and reach into another county to close them.

The high-quality cabin is surprisingly spacious, with plenty of headroom, even with the top up. But storage cubbies are few and far between. Luckily, the trunk offers decent stowage, thanks to the power-operated top that takes up no cargo space when lowered. And despite having a fabric top instead of a thick metal one, there’s very little road noise.

As with the M2, the Z4 is actually a lot of car for the money. Pricey competitors to the Z4 include the $101,000 Porsche Boxster S and $110,000 Mercedes SL-Class.

While crossovers and other SUVs may rule most showrooms today, these two rousing, reliable and relatively affordable two-door rides offer plenty of temptation.