Used 2023 BMW 4 Series

The BMW 4 Series is in a dwindling segment of sporty luxury coupes. It can be had as a traditional 2-door coupe or convertible, or with the sleek 4-door Gran Coupe body. They all carry the BMW brand’s hallmarks of an engaging driving experience and a luxurious, driver-centric interior.

The chief rival of the BMW 4 Series is the Audi A5, which also comes in three body styles and has exciting, high-performance options, namely the S5 and RS 5. The A5 is a little more affordable among entry-level luxury cars than the 4 Series and has the benefit of standard all-wheel drive on every trim.

The BMW 4 Series drives like you would want a BMW coupe to drive. The base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is quick and rev-happy while returning good fuel economy. However, enthusiasts will be more interested in one of the turbo 6-cylinder options.

The M440i is in the sweet spot of performance and value in the 4 Series lineup. It’s an absolute blast in straight-line acceleration, and the agile handling makes it fun on twisty back roads. It gets better if you opt for the Adaptive M suspension.

The M4 is more of a throwback to the high-powered BMW coupes of the old days, especially with its optional manual transmission. This is a serious driver’s car, especially with the optional Competition Package pushing it up to 503 horsepower.

The 8-speed automatic transmission that comes with most 4 Series models delivers quick and smooth shifts that never feel intrusive or improperly timed.

The optional xDrive all-wheel-drive (AWD) system improves acceleration and handling while making it more suitable for year-round driving if you live in a climate that gets some snow.

As for ride quality, the 4 Series is comfortable on the highway and in the city. The M Sport suspension is a little stiffer, but this is a worthwhile tradeoff for enthusiasts. The steering is precise but feels a bit numb and not as sports car-like as you might expect.

The interior of the BMW 4 Series is simple but authentically luxurious. Some of its rivals are more opulent on the inside, but the cabin of the 4 Series has a satisfying simplicity. It has a driver-centric cockpit, which is typical for BMW, and the quality of the interior materials is excellent.

The coupe and convertible can seat up to four people, and the back seats are pretty snug. If you carry back-seat passengers with any regularity, you’ll want the roomier Gran Coupe, which seats up to five and has more generous rear legroom.

Trunk space is predictably tight in the convertible and more generous in the coupe. The 4-door Gran Coupe has a surprisingly large cargo area and a whopping 45.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seats folded down.

The BMW 4 Series has a bold exterior that’s proven a bit controversial among the BMW faithful. This iteration of the iconic BMW kidney grille often gets accused of looking “buck-toothed,” but whether you love it or hate it is up to you. Questionable grille aside, the 4 Series has muscular body lines and a handsome light signature that make it look like the premium driver’s car that it is.

One of the strong suits of the 4 Series is that it’s available in three distinct body styles. There’s a 2-door coupe, a 2-door convertible, and a 4-door Gran Coupe. The Gran Coupe model is like a modern take on a traditional BMW sport sedan that has the driving dynamics of a sports car with a measure of practicality. Instead of a traditional trunk, it has a rear liftback door for easy loading and cargo storage.

The Gran Coupe is slightly longer than the 2-door models, but only by about an inch. The 4 Series is a bit bigger than the BMW 3 Series sedan and is about the same size as the Audi A5.

1. Exciting Engines
Every engine available in the 4 Series delivers swift acceleration. The base 4-cylinder will put a smile on your face while returning good fuel economy, but the 6-cylinder engines are more thrilling. The top M4 Competition xDrive model rockets from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

2. Practical 4-Door Gran Coupe Body
The 4-door Gran Coupe model adds some extra practicality to the 4 Series with roomier back seats and a surprisingly spacious cargo hold. It still retains the spirit of a proper BMW driver’s car.

3. Agile Handling
Even the base model of the 4 Series has nimble handling, making it engaging to drive at any speed. Options that make it even more agile include Adaptive M suspension and the Dynamic Handling Package, which further adds an M Sport differential and brakes.

4. M Sport Package
The M Sport Package not only adds a sporty appearance package inside and out but also improves handling with an M Sport suspension.

5. Premium Package
This option package adds some nice luxury features like a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, lumbar support for the driver’s seat, Comfort Access, and the Live Cockpit Pro digital gauge cluster.

6. iDrive Infotainment System
You can control the standard 10.25-inch infotainment system via the touchscreen or rotary dial. It’s loaded with features including Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, navigation, and two USB ports.

The BMW 4 Series has an all-turbocharged engine lineup consisting of a 4-cylinder and a 6-cylinder. The base 430i employs the 4-cylinder, delivering satisfying performance while returning pretty good fuel economy, even with all-wheel drive (AWD). It achieves a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds with rear-wheel drive (RWD) and 5.3 seconds with AWD.

The turbo 6-cylinder engine is available in three different tunings. The M440i is the most affordable and efficient version of the 6-cylinder, and it’s a significant performance upgrade over the base 4-cylinder engine. The M440i has a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds with RWD and 4.3 seconds with AWD.

The M4 turns up the heat with 473 horsepower, and the M4 Competition is peak performance in a 4 Series with a whopping 503 horsepower. The M4 hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, while the M4 Competition gets there in 3.8 seconds with RWD and 3.4 seconds with AWD.

Most 4 Series models come with a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, but the M4 is available with a traditional 6-speed manual.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (430i)
255 horsepower @ 5,000-6,500 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 1,550-4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg (RWD), 23/33 mpg (AWD)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M440i)
382 horsepower @ 5,800-6,500 rpm
364 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/34 mpg (coupe, RWD), 23/32 mpg (coupe, AWD), 23/31 mpg (convertible), 22/29 mpg (Gran Coupe)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M4)
473 horsepower @ 6,250 rpm
406 lb-ft of torque @ 2,650-6,130 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23 mpg (manual)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (M4 Competition)
503 horsepower @ 6,250 rpm
479 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/23 mpg (coupe, RWD; convertible), 16/22 (coupe, AWD)