Acura Integra vs BMW 2 Series: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Acura Integra burns about $2,300 of fuel annually against $2,450 for the BMW 2 Series. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Acura Integra is the stronger commuter at 30 mpg city, while the BMW 2 Series pulls ahead on the interstate at 39 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Acura Integra is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the BMW 2 Series with 3 (SIDI & PFI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI, SIDI & PFI). Across 15 recorded Acura Integra configurations and 93 for the BMW 2 Series, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Acura Integra is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the BMW 2 Series with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Large Cars and Subcompact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Acura Integra emits 269 g/mile of CO2 versus 279 g/mile for the BMW 2 Series. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.