Used BMW 4 Series Coupé 2021-present review

The BMW 4 Series Coupé is the sleek two-door coupé that catches your eye as you shop for the more sensible BMW 3 Series executive saloon. It's a more self-indulgent, stylish purchase, but, as you'll be glad to hear, it isn't without substance.

This latest one replaces the previous 2014-2021 BMW 4 Series Coupé – that car was a huge success and it was also built (just like the current generation) in convertible and four-door BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé forms.

There's a healthy choice of engines, ranging from 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrols and diesels right up to a muscular M440i 3.0-litre six-cylinder version, as well as a BMW M4 performance car for the real speed freaks.

The trims kick 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. We’d recommend paying extra for adjustable lumbar support and getting the M Sport Pro Pack for its adaptive suspension.

M Sport Pro Edition gives you a choice of three exclusive exterior colours and adds 19in alloys, sportier styling, tinted windows and the M Sport Pro Pack. The range-topping M440i is very similarly equipped to the M Sport Pro Edition.

The entry-level, rear-wheel-drive 181bhp 420i is terrific. It's quick and excitable for your cheapest (petrol) option, with 0-62mph taking 7.5sec. The 430i still has 2.0-litre petrol, but it gets an extra dose of power – albeit not to the point where it's night-and-day quicker and a must-have upgrade.

Then there's the 420d diesel. It provides far more oomph than the 420i below 3000rpm and the 0-62mph time drops to 7.1sec, with extra low-down urgency that makes B-road overtakes a cinch. Even more punch comes in the form of the six-cylinder diesel 430d. Whether you think a diesel suits this kind of car, though, is up to you.

Four-wheel-drive (badged xDrive) 420i, 430i, 420d and 430d models are also available. All 335bhp M440d examples have four-wheel drive.

The most powerful BMW 4 Series, bar the extremely quick M4, is the M440i. It has a 369bhp six-cylinder petrol engine and four-wheel drive to help put all of that power down in a controlled manner.

Indeed, the M440i gets going so well that it can hit 62mph from a standstill in just 4.5sec – which just pips the rival Audi S5 and Mercedes-AMG C43. It feels pleasingly potent from low down in the rev range, although it’s more than happy to keep singing all the way to its red line.

Every 4 Series gets variable steering as standard. It ramps up assistance to save you from excessive arm-twirling when parking, but offers less help on faster roads to prevent the car from feeling hyper-reactive to tiny steering adjustments.

The 4 Series' standard suspension is noticeably stiffer than the set-up in the BMW 3 Series, reducing body lean through corners. That allows you to scythe down twisty roads more enthusiastically than in the Audi A5 and the Mercedes C-Class Coupé. However, because it's more focused on delivering poise and control than wafty comfort, you feel more bumps as they pass beneath the car than in the best versions of the A5. Cars equipped with the adaptive suspension (which lets you stiffen or soften the ride at the touch of a button) are significantly smoother, though.

In terms of engine refinement, the 420i and 430i are smooth and quiet enough when you’re pottering around, with a more rorty edge when pushed hard, while the 420d is prone to a bit more vibration through the steering wheel at idle. The M440i is the best-sounding 4 Series (again, bar the M4); its six-cylinder engine noise is wonderfully soulful, especially compared with the S5's muted diesel bellow.

If there’s one area in which the 4 Series does feel just like the 3 Series, it’s the interior. The driving position, for example, is almost identical, as are the dashboard and infotainment system.

In many ways, that's great news. Okay, you could be behind the wheel of an executive saloon, but a very good one, with a comfortable and supportive driver’s seat and lots of adjustment.

Build quality is first rate and better than in the C-Class Coupé. Only the odd bit of hard plastic and some silver-painted buttons on the dashboard let the side down a little.

The infotainment is brilliant. All versions get a 10.3in display that you can either use as a touchscreen or operate by twisting and pressing a rotary controller between the front seats. The controller is much less distracting to use while driving than a touchscreen and, combined with an intuitive operating system, is one of the main reasons we prefer the 4 Series’ infotainment to the A5’s.

The 4 Series is suitably roomy in the front, so you’re unlikely to have any issues with head or leg room. Getting into the back seats involves squeezing through a relatively narrow gap, but that’s true of any car lacking rear doors (if you do want those, have a look at the 4 Series Gran Coupé). Once you’re in, you’ll find plenty of leg room, and although taller adults will need to stoop slightly or put up with their head resting on the ceiling, two six-footers will be comfortable enough in the back as long as the journey isn’t too long.

The 4 Series has a slightly smaller boot than its two main rivals, the Audi A5 and Mercedes C-Class Coupé. There’s enough space for a set of golf clubs or a small pushchair, though, and you can fold down the rear seats when you need to carry longer loads. The boot opening is smaller than the A5’s.

If you're interested in finding a used BMW 4 Series, or any of the other coupés mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

The 420i and 420d are your most affordable used 4 Series options, starting at around £28,000. It'll be a 2021 model with roughly 50,000 miles on it. The 430i and 430d demand around £32,000 and the M440d and M440i around £38,000.

You'll need at least £35,000 to afford a 2023 model (of any kind).

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MPG

The 420i M Sport has an official fuel economy figure of 44.1mpg. This reduces to 41.5mpg for the 420i xDrive four-wheel-drive version. The M440i will return an official 36.7mpg. The 420d gives 56.5mpg, the M440d 47.9mpg.

Road tax

Road tax will be charged at the standard rate, currently £180 per year, although if your 4 Series was more than £40,000 new it will be liable to a luxury car tax supplement between years two and six; this is currently £390 per year.

To find out more about the current road tax costs, click the link.

Insurance and servicing

Insurance groups waver around the 30 mark (the specific group depends on your chosen variant), which is average for this kind of car.

Maintenance and repair costs will be about average as far as the 4 Series’ premium rivals are concerned, although you will find any BMW to be pricier to maintain than a model from a manufacturer with less cachet.

Engine

The entry-level, rear-wheel-drive 181bhp 420i petrol is our pick of the range. It offers all the performance most people will ever want from a car, let alone a sporty coupé, and it just so happens to be among the cheapest 4 Series models you can buy.

Specification

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. We’d recommend looking for a car with the M Sport Pro Pack fitted, for its adaptive suspension.

Our favourite BMW 4 Series Coupé: 420i M Sport (Pro Pack)

The Audi A5 is a premium product with looks to match the 4 Series. Choose carefully and you'll be getting a comfortable and quiet coupé with a very classy interior. True, the A5 could be a little more exciting to drive, but it's still a very well-rounded car – especially if you look for the 40 TFSI petrol in entry-level Sport trim.

The Mercedes C-Class Coupé is good to drive and a well-equipped alternative to the Audi A5. However, it isn't as comfortable as its German rival, nor quite as practical, and it isn't anywhere near as good to drive as the 4 Series.

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If you're interested in finding a used BMW 4 Series, or any of the other coupés mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.