They might call it a 4 Series, but 3 is the magic number when it comes to choosing models from BMW’s 2018 range.
Starting with the sexiest, we have the BMW 4 Series Convertible, followed by the Coupé, and even the Gran Coupé – the main difference between these latter two, of course, being the upgrade from two doors to four doors. So what of this sexy coupé range?
BMW has changed tack slightly when it comes to beating their rivals like the Audi A5 and the Mercedes Benz C Class Coupé. Rather than releasing the models in phases, for example, a saloon followed by a touring estate, we have everything on the table at once, giving us the pick of the litter from the BMW 4 Series M Sport to the bigger Gran Coupé M Sport.
If you’re looking for something a little sportier, you can either upgrade to M Sport suspension for a tidy £515, or you could go the whole hog and get yourself an M4 instead. For a tamer coupé, we reviewed the two-door, which is still a lot of fun.
Such fun is made possible by accessories like the Sport and Sport+ driving mode, adaptive LED headlights and a 6.5in infotainment screen.
On the exterior, meanwhile, it’s not exactly ground-breaking – it’s packing dimensions of 4,640mm by 2,017mm by a height of 1,377mm – not hugely different from previous models in terms of size, though its rear end is slightly wider than its 3 Series predecessors.
Sport mode by name and sport mode by nature: if you’re going for the top end M4, you can go from 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds, while the more modest 2 litre, four-cylinder diesel will get you there in 7.8.
Likewise, expect a top fuel economy of 60.1 MPG, with the most middle-of-the-road 430i offering a 255BHP turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 0 to 62MPG in 5.9 seconds and an average 43.5MPG – not bad for a petrol in a pretty sporty car.
BMW continues to offer the interior “Comfort” package in the 4 Series – curiously named because most of its features that seem to bring about practicality rather than strictly comfort. Infer what you like: this comes with “comfort access” (keyless entry), electronic exterior mirrors, electronic front seats and additional storage features.
That aside, there is some decent room in the front cabin, even if its sporty design makes you feel as if you are dangerously close to the floor.
The 4 Series boot offers less room than we would have liked, but this is perhaps for the benefit of the backseat passengers. Likewise, you don’t feel as if you need to upgrade to any additional comfort features – the supportive, padded front seats are plenty, and you can go for additional support if you are upgrading to a sportier model.
Straight away, the first thing we notice when we compare the 4 Series Coupé to its rivals is the steering feel – there’s hugely responsive suspension and body lean is not noticeable whatsoever.
Again, if you are going for sportier upgrades, then the Adaptive M Sport Suspension gives an even more confident drive. Go with the manual gearbox if you want a slick transition through gears on long straights, or if you’re more of a city driver, then we’d recommend the automatic.
Rear parking sensors come as standard, while the infotainment system offers everything you’d expect – Bluetooth and USBs. Sadly, there’s not much beyond that however unless you’re willing to pay a premium for bigger screens and clearer audio, so we feel as if BMW could have been a little more up-to-date.
There have been some questions over reliability in the past – for example, in 2013, the electronic parking brake was called into question, but to its credit, the 4 Series scored second out of eight coupés in reliability tests.
The BMW 4 Series price comes with a three-year warranty, starting at £33,000 to buy outright or around £358 per month (including VAT) on lease deals.
Certainly, it’s not the most innovative BMW we’ve ever driven, either in terms of design or technology, but there’s still a great lot of fun to be had on country roads with its no-holds-barred acceleration. If you’re not fussed about long journeys, stick with the standard two-door, and keep it no frills with the middle of the range petrol for sensible fuel economy.
7/10
