BMW 420i Coupe 2016 Review

BMW 420i Coupe
Quick Spin

What’s it all about?
BMW recently introduced a mid-life upgrade for the entire 4 Series range in Australia. The main changes are new equipment, revised engine performance and small styling tweaks to Coupe, Convertible and four-door Gran Coupe models.

The updated 4 Series also boasts more value than before. Sitting at the entry point of the range is the 420i driven here, priced at $68,900 (plus on-road costs). This represents a $2200 discount over its predecessor.

The 4 Series range moves through four engine variants (the petrol-powered 420i, 430i and 440i, and diesel-powered 420d) before arriving at the flagship M3/M4 sedan, coupe and convertible trio.

Not surprisingly, some recent Mercedes-Benz and Audi pricing re-adjustments spurred BMW into action with its latest BMW’s 4 Series price revisions.

That said, you also get more standard equipment on the 420i than before. The 420i and corresponding 420d now sport Adaptive M Suspension, head-up display, exterior mirrors with fold-in function, lane-change warning and driving assistant and surround-view camera with top and side views.

This is in addition to carryover features including 18-inch alloy wheels, eight-speed sports automatic transmission, reversing camera, electric Dakota sports leather seats with memory function, bi-xenon headlights, front/rear Park Distance Control, Navigation

System Professional with RTTI, BMW ConnectedDrive Emergency call and TeleServices, BMW ConnectedDrive Lifestyle package, Extended smartphone connectivity and DAB+ digital radio.

The big omissions on the 4 Series include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and heated seats – standard inclusions on the BMW’s major rival, the C-Class Coupe.

BMW offers condition-based servicing for the first five years or 80,000km of ownership. An annual $1440 inclusive package comprises an oil change, filter changes, spark plugs and the cost of labour.

BMW backs the 4 Series with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

BMW has long touted its cars as the ultimate driving experience, and the 4 Series lives up to the brief.

It offers an inherent front-to-rear balance that is easy to dial into a fast, twisting road. The steering is nicely weighted and full of feedback, while body control is admirable given the car’s 1540kg kerb weight.

The 420i offers plenty of oomph and a rorty engine note, factors which bely its four-cylinder capacity. The engine itself is free-revving, particularly in the higher echelons, but is subject to a little lag down lower in the dial. Think a 0-100km/h time of 7.7sec.

The matching eight-speed automatic transmission is the device that strings the entire show together. It is smooth, fluid and well-timed in its shift, working well across various Eco (we averaged 7.5L/100km) and Sport modes.

The car’s refinement is top notch, too. It bears a sense of occasion behind the wheel, with only tyre roar and the occasional rattle interrupting the cabin ambience. The infotainment system is easy to navigate, even though it hasn’t got BMW’s latest software, and the sat-nav is intuitive in city traffic.

Ride comfort is also well sorted, despite the fitment of run-flat tyres; the BMW is firm but controlled over bumps, resisting the temptation to crash or thud over all but the largest of road imperfections.

Being a two-door, the 420i is geared predominantly towards two-people households, however, with its generous interior seating it is more than capable of playing family chariot.

The front seats are low-slung, affording the sensation that you’re sitting inside of the vehicle rather than on top of it. The seats themselves are comfortable and supportive.

The Luxury Line kit fitted at no cost to our vehicle may not please all age groups, fit with white leather seats and white carpet that were broken up by splashes of woodgrain highlights.

More generally, the car’s centre fascia and instrument cluster are beginning to feel their age against newer rivals, but remain aesthetically pleasing.

The rear seat offers decent legroom proportions and good but not great headroom courtesy of the sloping roofline. Rear passengers get air vents, but have to contend with some considerable outside bolstering on the outer pews.

A 480-litre boot extends to 1300 litres via 60:40 split-folding rear seats, helping make the coupe a decent weekend-away proposal.
Where does it fit?

The 420i is a formidable option for those who want to punctuate their professional success or step into something more elegant as a daily driver.

With the exception of an annoying rattle in the left-side door sleeve, and some low-rent plastic trim in concealed parts of the cabin, the 420i lives up to the tag of a luxury car and deserves its place among the Mercedes-Benz C 200 Coupe and upcoming Audi A5.

So, what do we think?
Not surprisingly, BMW hasn’t forgotten how to produce a stylish and sporty coupe. The 420i is hardly a firecracker, but it is smart and elegant, backed up with excellent driving mannerisms.

Despite its merits, there is plenty of renewed competition in this sector, namely with the newly introduced Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and the upcoming Audi A5. It will pay to do your research.

2016 BMW 420i Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $68,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/270Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 176g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Mercedes-Benz C200 coupe (from $65,900 plus ORCs)
>> Audi A5 1.8 TFSI (from $68,900 plus ORCs)
>> Lexus RC200t coupe (from $65,090 plus ORCs)

Related reading:
>> 4 Series pricing announced
>> BMW 430i Gran Coupe video review
>> BMW M4 Competition v Mercedes-AMG C63 S comparison