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If you’re looking for a two-door coupe or convertible that feels great to drive and is sporty yet practical, the BMW 4 Series should be on your shortlist. It has space for four adults, its boot is a useful size, it’s comfortable and it can give you surprisingly good fuel economy. It’s also a satisfying car to drive and some versions are very quick.
The 4 Series has been sold since 2013. You can think of it as a sleeker version of the BMW 3 Series saloon. Indeed, the two cars are very closely related, using the same engines, electronics, suspension and much of the interior. The 4 Series is available with two-door coupe and convertible bodies, which we’re looking at here, and there’s also a more family-friendly five-door hatchback version called the 4 Series Gran Coupe.
A brand-new version of the 4 Series was released in 2020. You can easily tell it apart from the older version because of its much larger front grille. The 4 Series Convertible also switched from having a folding metal roof to a more traditional fabric top, and the on-board tech was updated with BMW’s latest features.
A selection of petrol and diesel engines is available, giving acceleration ranging from sprightly to seriously fast. Some models have a manual gearbox, but automatics are much more common. Four-wheel drive is fitted as standard on the most powerful models and it’s an option on some less powerful models.
There are several trim levels to choose from including Sport and M Sport. Top-of-the-range models like the M440i come with a higher-spec package of features.
Standard features fitted to the latest version of the 4 Series include sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity to the infotainment system, air con, leather seats, cruise control and parking sensors. The older version has largely the same features, though Apple CarPlay was only offered from 2019 and Android Auto connectivity wasn’t offered at all.
For a sporty car, the 4 Series is surprisingly fuel efficient. In the latest version, models with a petrol engine can give average fuel economy of 34-44mpg, according to official figures, and 44-60mpg with a diesel engine. The diesel 420d is the most efficient model. Fuel economy figures for older 4 Series models are very similar.
Annual Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) charges are pretty low for this type of car but you need to bear in mind that cars sold since April 2017 that had cost more than £40,000 when new will incur an extra annual charge until they’re six years old.
The 4 Series faces competition from the Audi A5, the Lexus RC and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Compared to the BMW, the Audi feels a bit more relaxing to drive, the Lexus looks more striking and the Mercedes feels more luxurious. But the 4 Series is a brilliant all-rounder that combines a sporty driving experience with comfort, fuel-efficiency and practicality.
The two-door BMW 4 Series is just as spacious as the BMW 3 Series saloon in the front. There’s generous head, leg and shoulder room, even if the high centre console between the seats makes space feel a bit tighter than it actually is. Whatever size you are, though, you should be able to get comfortable.
Clambering past the front seats might be a bit tricky for some people, but once in the back, there’s plenty of room for an average-size adult or child. It can feel a bit dark in the back of 4 Series Convertible models when the roof is up because of the smaller back windows. Otherwise, it’s a pleasant, comfy car to travel in, even in the back seats.
The boot in 4 Series Coupe models is a good size, easily big enough to hold a couple of large suitcases when you go on holiday. In Convertible models, some boot space is sacrificed to create room for the roof to fold into but you can still fit in enough luggage for a weekend away. The back seats fold down in both Coupe and Convertible models if you need to carry long loads like skis or flat-pack furniture.
The 4 Series slots into the middle of BMW’s four-seater coupe/convertible range, between the smaller 2 Series and bigger 8 Series (which replaced the 6 Series in 2018). Comparing it to BMW’s saloon cars, the 4 Series is the same size as the 3 Series.
Safety organisation Euro NCAP awarded the latest 4 Series a full five-star rating. It scored very high marks for protecting adults, children and even pedestrians in the event of an accident. Standard driver safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and speed limit assist.
The older version of the 4 Series wasn’t assessed by Euro NCAP. However, the closely-related 3 Series saloon was awarded a five-star safety rating, so the 4 Series should be just as strong and safe. It’s also fitted with many of the same driver-safety features as the latest version.