• Low-slung, sporty driving position
• Robust yet luxurious-feeling materials
• Driver-focussed ergonomics

In typical BMW fashion there’s a conservative yet stylish feel to the cabin, with good quality materials screwed together well.

It manages to neatly toe the line between hard-wearing and luxurious, managing to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

There are quite a lot of buttons though – handy for easy alteration of things like the climate control, but rivals offer a much cleaning looking cockpit these days.

Stereotypical BMW cabin

Features such as the rotary iDrive controller next to the gear lever are positioned just so, meaning minimal body movement for maximum adjustability.

We have found that, with a manual gearbox fitted, some drivers may unintentional nudge the iDrive controller by mistake when selecting a lower gear; this can cause the infotainment system to select a function unexpectedly and could prove a minor annoyance.

We absolutely loved the three-spoke steering wheel on the M Sport model, too. Its rim feels bulky and substantial in your hands.

For those hoping to get the roof down as regularly as possible we’d recommend the Convertible Comfort package, including steering wheel heating, wind deflector, and hot air blowers in the headrests.

• Metal roof means refinement is broadly similar to coupe
• Wind noise is kept admirably low with the roof down
• Optional wind break helps quell bluster in the cabin

Models fitted with adaptive dampers offer the best comfort levels of thanks to a broad range of ride quality, although the car is a bit floaty in its softest mode.

With the roof up it’s hard to distinguish the 430i convertible from coupe – that’s because its foldable top is made from metal and glass panels rather than canvas.

The advantage of this is roof-up refinement. Drive along with the convertible top closed and there’s barely any more wind noise than in a 4 Series Coupe.

Impressive roof-down performance

With the roof down there’s some rustly wind noise but the 4 Series Convertible does a good job of keeping buffeting to a minimum.

The optional wind deflector helps a lot here but also makes the rear seats unusable. Anyone occupying the back row will notice more wind than those in the front, too.

BMW M4 comfort

Despite the larger wheels and sports suspension, the high-performance M4 rides well given the 19-inch wheels. The standard-fit adaptive suspension even helps the larger 20-inch wheels of the Competition Package achieve a ride quality soft enough for everyday use.

This is still a convertible though, meaning vibrations sent into the cabin might prove wearisome on a long journey.

The heated leather seats come with adjustable lumbar support, two memory settings and are comfortable for long journeys.