• Dashboard identical to the 3 Series
• Which is a very good thing
• Generous standard features

How is the quality and layout?

The BMW 4 Series’ origins are most obvious in the interior. Most of it, including the dashboard is lifted straight out of the 3 Series saloon. But that’s no criticism. Very high-quality materials are used throughout, and the layout is very user-friendly – so long as you get on with screens.

Included in the 2024 update was the so-called Curved Display, a gigantic sweep of screens across the dashboard that incorporates a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch infotainment system display. The vast majority of the car’s features and functions are now controlled through the display; fortunately the aircon controls are permanently at the bottom, replacing the pre-update car’s separate block of physical buttons and knobs.Build quality is of a very high standard, though the design lacks glitz of the Mercedes CLE’s interior. Or the ruthless logic of the Audi A5 Coupe’s.

Infotainment and tech

The infotainment system fitted to the latest 4 Series is outstanding. So was it’s predecessor in the pre-facelift 4 Series, but there are some notable improvements. First off, the sheer size of the display gives all the menus and icons plenty of real estate, so it’s easy to find and prod the one you want. If using a touchscreen doesn’t work for you, there’s a brilliantly intuitive rotary controller or you can use ‘Hey BMW’ voice commands.

The infotainment runs BMW’s latest operating system and it’s probably the best in the business right now. It certainly has the most responsive touchscreen we’ve come yet come across in a car, indeed it’s up there with the best smartphones. Some other systems can still take seconds to get their act together. It’s a shame, then, that it’s not the best-looking system. The graphics are pin-sharp but the colours are rather dull. Alternatively, you can connect your phone via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

The driver has their own display which can show a vast range of information and allows access to the Bluetooth phone connection and entertainment choices. There are various graphical themes but, again, we think they all look a bit dull. The standard-fit sat nav provides real-time traffic information and can find an empty parking space for you.

Comfort

• Very comfortable in the front
• Less so in the back
• Quiet and refined at a cruise

We’ve had no issues with comfort in the 4 Series. The driving position is excellent, as is the layout of all the major controls. The front seats are plush and supportive and hold you in place well when cornering enthusiastically. Our testers have done many very long journeys in the 4 Series and reported they were still feeling fresh at the end.

The back seats are perfectly comfortable, but getting into them requires a rather gymnastic manoeuvre past the front seats. Similarly, the front seats are quite close to the ground, so you have to lower yourself a long way down into them.

One oddity of the latest 4 Series is the steering wheel. It’s a new flat-bottomed design that looks attractive (though we found some too-sharp edges on the plastic trim) but the rim is extremely thick. And that might not be comfortable if you have smaller hands.

Outside noise is well supressed. Bigger wheels kick up some road noise and engine noise is piped into the interior when accelerating. At a cruise, though, you can barely notice the motor thrumming away in the background.