Overview

Mid-size, four-seat coupes are a rapidly dying breed, but BMW is still sticking to the format with this, the BMW 4 Series Coupe. Based on the same set of mechanical and electrical components as the 3 Series saloon, it’s a compact-ish size yet seats four adults in perfectly reasonable comfort. The front-end styling caused some controversy when the car was launched and it’s debateable whether familiarity has bred acceptance. Otherwise, it’s quite a sleek thing.

This is the second generation of 4 Series, following on from the 2013 original which itself replaced the 3 Series Coupe line. That change came about because BMW decided its sports models would have even Series numbers. The current 4 Series was launched in 2020 and very lightly facelifted in 2024, changes amounting to a new design of steering wheel and rear lights, BMW’s latest infotainment system and a slimmed down model range.

Here, we’re covering the two-door 4 Series Coupe. Both the open-top 4 Series Convertible and five-door 4 Series Gran Coupe continue post-facelift, and you can read about them separately. The high-performance M4 derivative continues, as well, in Coupe and Convertible form.

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We’ve covered a lot of miles in many different circumstances in various versions of the 4 Series over the years, including a six-month long-term test when the current car was launched. We’ve also spent some time with the latest facelifted iteration. You can read about how we test cars at Parkers to find out how we reach the conclusions given here.

When it was launched 2020, the 4 Series had a small cluster of rivals including the Audi A5, Lexus RC and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. Now, only the Mercedes-Benz CLE (launched in 2024) offers an alternative to the 4 Series. At a push, you could lump in the Ford Mustang but, though it’s a four-seater coupe of similar size, it’s ultimately a very different sort of car to the 4 Series. Manufacturers always cite the popularity of SUVs when they kill a coupe…

The current range consists of just two models: the 420i M Sport and M440i. Both have petrol engines and an eight-speed automatic gearbox; the latter comes with xDrive all-wheel-drive. They’re very well equipped with features including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, leather seats and adaptive cruise control. Other engines have been available in the past, which we also cover here.

Over the next few pages we’ll thorough review every aspect of the BMW 4 Series Coupe and rate them in our verdict. Our scores take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.