• Decent efficiency for a sporty car
• But there’s no plug-in hybrid
• Electric i4 is available, though

What are the running costs

Prices for the 4 Series Gran Coupe are around £1,200 more than they are for the two-door coupe, which puts it a bit above the 3 Series, too. The four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo-powered 420i is the entry point to the range, and combines decent performance with a WLTP-tested fuel economy figure of 42.8mpg. Move up to the 430i, and while this used to mean you’d get a six-cylinder engine, that’s no longer the case here, with a more powerful version of the 420i’s four-pot instead. This has quoted fuel economy of 39.8mpg.

The top-spec M440i xDrive does get a six-cylinder engine, but since it’s quite powerful, fuel economy takes a bit of a hit, although a WLTP figure of 35.3mpg isn’t horrendous. If you want to make savings by going diesel, there’s just one engine to choose from. It’s the 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the 420d, which can deliver 58.9mpg. This version is also available with xDrive four-wheel drive, which pegs its WLTP fuel economy to a still decent 53.3mpg.

While the 3 Series is available with plug-in hybrid drive, there’s no equivalent 430e for the 4 Series range. BMW does offer an all-electric version of the 4 Series instead. The i4 uses the Gran Coupe’s body, but replaces the ICE set-up with a full EV drivetrain that offers a range of up to 365 miles.

Servicing and warranty

All BMWs use a system called condition-based servicing. This means that the 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t have an annual service schedule; instead the car’s electronics monitor the major components for wear and factor and how the car is being driven, too. If something needs attention, then a dashboard warning will illuminate, with further information to be found in the car’s touchscreen menus.

As with many other car makers, BMW offers service packages where maintenance can be paid for in advance, either monthly on finance or with one lump sum. BMW also offers packages such as quick 90-minute servicing for a fast turnaround, or servicing while you fly, so your car is ready to go once you’re back from a business trip. All BMWs come with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, and BMW Finance offers Insured Warranty extensions for extra cost.

Reliability

• Constant updates keep tech fresh
• Standard three-year warranty
• Last place for firm in 2019 JD Power survey

The 4 Series Gran Coupe shares its running gear with the 3 Series, and while that car can be expensive to maintain, it has a reasonable reputation for reliability. The Gran Coupe uses the same infotainment technology, which we’ve found to be a little patchy in operation in the past, but has improved with dealer updates.

Otherwise, mechanical components are tried and tested from a vast range of other BMW cars, and the 3 and 5 Series continue to perform well, finishing just behind the Honda Civic in the Fleet News FN50 reliability survey.

However, BMW’s mediocre performance in the 2019 JD Power UK Vehicle Dependancy Survey is worth making a note of here. The organisation measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), to come up with a score, with a lower number indicating better performance. BMW came bottom of the heap with a score of 181, compared with 167 for Audi and 137 for Mercedes-Benz.

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