BMW 4 Series Coupé review

Prices start slightly above the Audi A5, but that’s partly because the 4 Series is available only in relatively high-end trims. Indeed, if you’re looking at equivalently specced versions of the 4 Series, A5 and Mercedes C-Class Coupé, they all have very similar brochure prices.

Always check to see how much you can save over at our deals section, of course, because all three cars are usually available with significant discounts.

If you’re a company car driver, the 420d diesel will cost you the least in monthly salary sacrifices and net you the most miles to the gallon. However, the 420i petrol is a cheaper option for those buying with cash or on PCP finance, and it’s also predicted to hold on to its value better. Indeed, the 4 Series is also predicted to depreciate more slowly than both of its main rivals.

The range kicks off with sporty M Sport trim, which comes with plenty of standard goodies, including 18in alloys, leather seats (heated in the front), cruise control and three-zone climate control. As we mentioned earlier, we’d recommend forking out extra for adjustable lumbar support, but none of the option packs is exactly a ‘must have’.

Upgrade to M Sport Pro Edition and you’ll get 19in alloys, sportier styling, tinted windows and the M Sport Pro Package we mentioned earlier. The range-topping M440i is very similarly equipped to the M Sport Pro Edition but, of course, you get that mighty six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine under the bonnet.

The 4 Series was too new to feature in the 2020 What Car? Reliability survey, but BMW as a brand finished in ninth place (out of 31 brands) in the overall manufacturer league table. That’s above every other premium brand apart from Lexus.

The 4 Series has yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, but we suspect it would perform very well. That’s because, as we mentioned earlier, the 4 series is closely related to the 3 Series saloon and that car scored the full five-star rating when tested. As such, it has plenty of safety kit as standard, including automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning – features designed to stop you from getting into an accident in the first place. Buyers can also optionally add the Driving Assistant Professional pack (which comes as part of the Technology Plus Pack), which features adaptive cruise control, a more advanced lane-keeping assistant, a front cross-traffic alert system and an automatic speed limit assist.