BMW 4 Series Coupe 2020 Review

There are three models in the new 2020 BMW 4 Series Coupe line-up – the $70,900 420i, the $88,900 430i and the $116,900 M440i xDrive. This pricing for each two-door, four-seater coupe is before on-road costs.

The first two models have 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines in different states of tune and rear-wheel drive. The 440i is a turbocharged inline six with all-wheel drive. All three have an eight-speed automatic transmission.

BMW has purposely held the pricing of the 420i close to its predecessor – reflecting the positioning of the Audi A5 Coupe and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe opposition.

However, the 430i heads up in price by more than $6000 and the 440i by more than $13,000, the latter case reflecting significant technical as well as equipment additions compared to the previous equivalent rear-wheel drive model.

Standard comfort and convenience equipment in the 420i includes Alcantara trim, tri-zone air-con, 10-speaker audio, 12.3-inch instrument panel, 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen, power front sports seats with memory function for the driver, and wireless charging and connection of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The 430i upgrades with ‘Vernasca’ leather upholstery, contactless tailgate opening and safety and technical features we’ll deal with below.

The M440i xDrive adds some trim bits, a glass sunroof, ambient lighting, lumbar support, front seat heating and Harman Kardon surround sound. Again, there are safety and mechanical upgrades we’ll deal with soon.

All three models get the M Sport Package standard. It incorporates large air intakes at the front and a “prominently contoured” rear apron, M Sport suspension, 19-inch M light alloy wheels and knee pads on the sides of the centre console.

There are a dizzying array of options, all with opaque names. Go there with our best wishes.

The BMW 4 Series Coupe range comes with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and conditions-based servicing. A basic servicing package for three years/40,000km costs $1350.

Watch out for the range to expand with the fire-breathing M4 and the 4 Series Convertible early in the new year. The 4 Series Gran Coupe four-door comes later in 2021.

There is no ANCAP safety rating for the 2020 BMW 4 Series Coupe. That’s no surprise as expensive niche-volume cars often aren’t tested.

But the 4 Series does share many fundamentals with the 3 Series sedan and that’s a five-star performer, so the signs are good.

The 4 Series comes with six airbags (rear passengers only getting head protection). Driver assist safety systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that brings you to a full stop, adaptive cruise and steering, lane control, parking and reversing assist. All models come with a head-up display. Surround view kicks in from the 430i, as does further driver assist tech that aids semi-autonomous capability.

LED headlights are standard on the 420i and 430i, while the 440i upgrades to Laserlight.

The 4 Series uses the latest BMW operating system 7.0, which allows display content to be configured individually and function control to be exercised via the touch-screen, iDrive, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, voice control or optional BMW gesture control.

You can also open and start your 4 Series by smartphone app and talk to it via the Intelligent Personal Assistant, although we found that to be a bit hit and miss in its responses.

It was also apparent the instrument panel lacked the configurability of Audi and Benz rivals, only able to adjust the view in the screen in the centre section between the speedo and tacho displays.

I found that to be an issue as the notch that denotes engine speed on the tacho was hard to pick up at a glance and could not be changed to a more traditional dial with a needle.

The official line is the new 2020 BMW 4 Series is very much its own vehicle, further separated from the 3 Series sedan than ever before.

It’s also a fair bit bigger than its predecessor. At 4768mm it is 128mm longer, at 1852mm it is 27mm wider and its wheelbase has grown 41mm to 2851mm. It’s also 6mm higher than the old 4 and it’s noticeable from a side view how much more rounded the roof is compared to the previous flat-top.

The 4 Series rolls on the same CLAR architecture as the latest 3. But key changes include a 23mm-wider rear track, a 57mm-lower overall height and a 21mm-lower centre of gravity. There’s more negative camber on the front axle to aid turn-in, and the steering, brakes and suspension have all received specific tuning.

The 4 Series is also stiffer than the 3 – check out the struts in the engine bay as an example of that – and generates more aerodynamic downforce (grip).

While all three models get sports suspension, the 420i has a passive set-up. The 430i upgrades to adaptive dampers as well as M Sport brakes with four-piston – rather than single-piston – front brakes. Both cars are shod with run-flat tyres.

Apart from rear-biased xDrive, M440i-exclusive technical features include an M Sport fully-variable locking rear differential and performance tyres – excellent Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in the case of the test car.

Powertrains are updates from the previous generation. The B48 2.0 makes 135kW/300Nm in the 420i and 190kW/400Nm in the 430i. The B58 3.0-litre six makes 285kW/500Nm. Power and/or torque is up in all three variants.

The M440i gets the biggest bump at 45kW/50Nm. It’s also aided by mild-hybrid 48V starter-generator tech that boosts acceleration by up to 11kW, provides a smoother start-stop function and saves some 95 RON premium unleaded.

Despite that, claimed fuel consumption still climbs to 7.8L/100km from 6.8L/100km for the previous rear-drive model.  The fours also climb in claimed fuel consumption, but not by as much.

The 0-100km/h numbers mostly head in the opposite direction. The 420i now claims 7.5sec (7.7 for the previous model), the 430i 5.8sec (unchanged) and the M440i 4.5sec (down from 5.0).

BMW offers tunability of characteristics through the driving experience controller from dulled-down Eco Pro to sharpened-up Sport+. The ability to configure bits individually is standard and if you’ve got the adaptive dampers there’s also an adaptive (auto) mode.

If the styling of the 2020 BMW 4 Series triggers debate then the driving experience certainly shouldn’t. Like the latest 3 Series, which was deemed the 2019 carsales Car of the Year, the 4 is a very enjoyable vehicle to pilot.

The M440i xDrive is unsurprisingly the star turn. It’s got the most grunt, the most grip, strong brakes and a ground-sucking flat stance that would make a high-performance SUV driver weep. But it’s not wild; there is still a lot of headroom for next year’s M4 to fit into.

The 440i can certainly cover ground swiftly, but even in Sport+ the engine and transmission response is smooth rather than jagged. There is still compliance in the suspension over bumps too.

More so than the 430i, which really bashed and crashed across the rougher stuff when the adaptive dampers were dialled up. Why? Run-flat tyres could be the culprit here. Otherwise, the 430i proved itself lively and responsive.

But a drive of the 420i left us wondering if the 430i was worth the extra spend. Its passive suspension tune provided a nice compromise between everyday cruising and sports driving. Its electric-assist steering was tuned in a similarly nuanced way.

Despite the power and torque deduction compared to the 430i, it’s still an engine happy to spin toward 7000rpm smoothly and accelerate with enough enthusiasm to be interesting.

It’s the one in which manual operation of the ZF-sourced auto transmission is most required. But in the context of this type of car there’s nothing wrong with that, especially when the shift is so nice.

It never felt too fast, never felt like you were just hanging on for the drive. It happily carved its way along winding hillside roads fuss-free, providing a human-sized thrill and reward in an age where the focus is so much on headline numbers.

Mind you, both the 420i and 430i do seem underdone in terms of audio. These engines are a struggle to be heard. They are just too muted, even drowned out by the run-fat roar on coarse-chip bitumen. The 440i has a louder bark, as well as bite.

Of course, there’s also a profound overhaul of the interior compared to the old 4 Series that’s reflective of the new 3 Series. Mostly it works well – the tacho graphic one obvious exception – and it looks and feels far more modern and upmarket than the previous car.

The front seats are a treat, the steering wheel is chunky and right-sized, there’s plenty of storage areas and even 440 litres on offer in the boot. There’s also two seats in the back, although I never even considered going back there to see how cramped it was. Sorry.

The new 2020 BMW 4 Series is a better car than its predecessor.

What’s a bit surprising is how smooth and neat all three models feel – except for the 430i when its adaptive dampers are wound up. Even the immensely capable M440i xDrive is a cool, calm customer.

But they definitely engage the driver and deliver an experience from behind the wheel that reminds us yet again that BMW, for all its dabbling in front-wheel drive and SUVs, is still capable of delivering fundamentally satisfying cars to drive.

So be as divided as you like on the look of the 4 Series – it’s not my cup of schnapps – but have no doubt about the high-quality experience it delivers once you get rolling.

How much does the 2020 BMW 420i Coupe cost?
Price: $70,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/300Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 146g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

How much does the 2020 BMW 430i Coupe cost?
Price: $88,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 190kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 151g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

How much does the 2020 BMW M440i xDrive Coupe cost?
Price: $116,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 285kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 178g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested