2022 BMW 4 Series Coupe

If you like the way the 2022 BMW 4 Series coupe and convertible look, chances are you're going to like most everything else about these athletic four-passenger cars. Based on the BMW 3 Series sedan, the 2022 4 Series is broadly appealing aside from its love-it-or-leave-it grille design. Choosing a darker color helps to minimize the bold nose's visual impact, but if BMW wanted to gift Audi and Mercedes-Benz with new customers, it could not have chosen a better method.

This year, BMW makes minor standard and optional equipment changes to the 4 Series. It's also expanded availability of rear-wheel and all-wheel drive; there's now a rear-drive version of the M440i coupe as well as all-wheel-drive versions of the 430i and M440i convertible. As is true of the 3 Series, the BMW 4 Series is enjoyable to drive, even in base 430i form. If you're shopping for a sport-luxury coupe or convertible, the 4 Series is well worth consideration. Learn more by reading our in-depth Expert Rating below.

Scratch beneath the surface of its ghastly front-end design, and you'll find that the BMW 4 Series is a comfortable and engaging sport coupe. Even in modestly powered 430i guise, this energetic two-door delivers punchy acceleration and playful but controllable handling. A few quirks prevent it from being perfect, but if you're looking for a well-rounded and exciting coupe, you'll find it in the 4 Series.How does the 4 Series Coupe drive? The 4 Series packs a lot of punch even in 430i form, which is what we tested. Our test 430i coupe accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. For reference, the Lexus RC 300 took 6.2 seconds, as did the last-gen 430i. Our test car was equipped with the upgraded brakes of the Dynamic Handling package. They stopped the car from 60 mph in a very short 105 feet, but they were a bit grabby in casual real-world driving.

The steering is a little vague during truly spirited driving. It's a mild disappointment in a BMW, though the reality is that rivals aren't appreciably better in this regard. Handling is a 4 Series strength, with stable composure around tight bends and a seemingly high limit for traction control intervention. The eight-speed automatic shifts smoothly and always seems to be in the right gear, making this an easy car to live with.

How comfortable is the 4 Series Coupe? BMW makes some of the best front seats in the business. They are comfortable and feature multiple adjustments — including side bolster angle and thigh extension — that allow you to find an ideal sitting position.

Our test car had the available Dynamic Handling package, which adds adaptive suspension dampers. With it, the 4 Series' ride is surprisingly supple. If you're getting an M Sport-equipped 4 Series, the adaptive dampers are a must-have upgrade. Wind and tire noise is kept to a minimum, and the engine is quiet — a little too quiet for a sport coupe, we think.

The only real misstep is the climate system. We appreciate a tri-zone system in such a small coupe, but the automatic function bizarrely does not adjust fan speed. The sync function is also buried in a touchscreen menu. Of note: Ventilated seats are available as an option, though our tester was not so equipped.

How’s the interior? The 4 Series' cabin will be familiar to current BMW drivers but daunting to newbies. There are a lot of buttons, though most controls are grouped intuitively. There are a few puzzling layout quibbles — the charging pad is located in front of the cupholders, for example, so if you have cups in there, you can't reach your phone. The menus for the iDrive system are dense and take time to learn, but most commonly used controls are just a few clicks away.

There's decent legroom up front, but the compact dimensions and sleek roofline limit the usefulness of the rear seat. Tall drivers might find it challenging to fit up front perfectly since the standard sunroof cuts into the modest headspace.

Visibility to the sides and rear is excellent thanks to plenty of window coverage. The view out of the front is decent, but the flat hood makes placing the front of the car challenging and the sideview mirrors can modestly obstruct your view through left turns.

How’s the tech? Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are part of the 4 Series' standard features list. Wireless connectivity worked flawlessly in our test car, and you can always charge with the four USB ports and optional charging pad. The navigation system is quite helpful, even returning Yelp reviews for nonresidential destinations. One problem, though: The screen displays too much map information. Major streets are highlighted even as you zoom out, so if you have traffic enabled, prepare for a sea of red, yellow and green.

The voice controls are nearly flawless in recognizing spoken addresses and point-of-interest requests. The Harman Kardon audio system is darn good and worth the modest cost, delivering full and immersive sound.

How’s the storage? The 4 Series coupe's cargo area measures 12 cubic feet, which is a little more than rivals. You'll find a couple pockets aft of the wheelwells to secure smaller items, and remote levers easily disengage the rear seats. But you still have to go inside to pull the seatbacks down, and you might have to move the front seats forward to completely fold them. There's good storage space inside, with plenty of cupholders and cubbies, plus side-panel cutouts and cupholders for rear passengers.

Fitting a car seat will be a challenge. Lower anchors are easy to find, though the top tethers require a little fussing. The bigger obstacle is manipulating a car seat into and through the small cabin.