BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Review & Prices

If you’re after a sporty-looking car that offers some extra practicality, the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is worth checking out. If you were in the market for something practical and sporty, your options used to be limited to a shooting brake-style estate, like a Volkswagen Arteon, a super expensive sport saloon (BMW M5 anyone?) or the Audi A5 Sportback. But this updated version of the BMW could be for you.

Much like the A5 Sportback is just an extended version of the regular A5, the Gran Coupe takes the sleek, coupe styling of the standard 4 Series and adds two extra doors at the rear and a hatchback boot lid. Viewed side-on it looks properly smart, it’s just a shame its massive twin kidney grilles make it look a bit like an angry beaver up front.

Compared to the previous 4 Series Gran Coupe, this version is taller, longer and wider, which helps to improve interior space. The cabin is as well-built and generously kitted out as any BMW, with soft-touch materials fitted alongside a high level of standard equipment.

Inside, your eyes are drawn to the 12.0-inch digital instrument display with BMW’s latest hexagonal-like dial graphics, but it’s a pity that you might find the screen a bit hard to read. You also get a crisp 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that can be used with the familiar iDrive control dial in the centre console, and this works very well indeed.

You’ll have no trouble getting comfortable in the 4 Series Gran Coupe, as you can get optional electric seat controls with lumbar and bolster adjustment. The sport seats that you can have fitted are a little firm on a longer drive, but they keep you very well supported. Particularly lofty adults might have a harder time getting settled in the back seats, though, thanks to the car’s dramatically sloping roofline and limited headroom. That swooping silhouette comes at a price, it seems. The boot is a good size, but it’s still smaller than in the 3 Series saloon.

You have the choice of three petrol engines and one diesel, all of which are paired to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Seeing as this is a sporty-looking model, the six-cylinder M440i may be tempting as it’s very fast and refined. Saying that, the sole 420d diesel option will be the most efficient.

As there are only three trims to choose from, pairing the M Sport Pro with the 420d xDrive all-wheel drive unit combines the best in efficiency and year-round practicality. 

With its accurate steering, it feels pretty entertaining through the corners, and although some bumps are felt at slower speeds due to the firm M Sport suspension that’s fitted as standard, it’s not unliveable with by any means.

On longer drives, it settles down superbly and cruising is an absolute breeze – especially with the optional adaptive cruise control system with steering assist to help keep you in the right lane. It can feel quite large on narrower roads and between tight gaps in town, but its steering is set up so it’s nice and light at low speed – making it easier to manoeuvre.

Although there are places where the 4 Series Gran Coupe may be very appealing, you can’t help but think that it isn’t quite as practical as the 3 Series, nor as sleek as the regular 4 Series Coupe. Even though it treads the line between the two well, you may feel that you’re better off with one or the other – and not a blend of the two.

It’s also not the cheapest. When you tick boxes for the multiple option packs – which you probably will – prices start to get a bit silly. A lot of desirable kit – such as the top driving assistance kit and a wireless charge pad – is only available this way too, which is a bit of a pain.

But if the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe sounds like it could be the car for you, then head to our deals page to see how much you could save through carwow, or click through to our used BMW page for the latest deals on nearly new cars.

SE is the entry level and is generally well equipped with lots of standard kit and leather trim. It can be specified with petrol or diesel, the latter of which are supported by a mild-hybrid system.

Next up is the M Sport. It gets sports seats, lowered sports suspension to reduce how much the car leans in corners, blue interior trims on the doors and dashboard, a wider sat nav screen than the SE model and a soft leather gear knob for manual cars.

Like all M Sport BMWs, it also gets a more aggressive look thanks to sporty front and rear bumpers, and a black front grille.

The Pro Edition packs adds to M Sport spec with extra goodies including M adaptive suspension; M Sport differential and brakes with red calipers; 19-inch wheels, extended Shadowline exterior trim, black door mirrors, Free Form exhaust finishers, M Sport seatbelts, Aluminium Fabric interior trim and sun-protection glass.

At the very top is the M440i, which comes with all the same features as the M Sport model, but the bits that make it handle and stop are upgraded. There's adaptive suspension, M Sport brakes with red calipers, variable sport steering and an M Sport differential. All the better for coping with the extra power.

Sportier than a 3 Series, the Gran Coupe works best in the performance-focused trim levels, but expect some degree of tyre and wind noise at motorway speeds

In town

The 4 Series Gran Coupe feels really well-balanced in most conditions and it offers more feel from its electronic steering setup than most alternatives.

Having driven both the M440i and 420d, there are some similarities across the range. Even though the M440i’s character is sharper, all Gran Coupe models have M Sport steering as standard, so they all feel very direct and have well-weighted controls.

You will feel it becoming lighter at slower speeds and that helps when navigating around town. The Gran Coupe can feel a bit wide through narrower streets and in traffic, but with good visibility and the optional fleet of all-round cameras available, you shouldn’t have much trouble.

On the motorway

Where this car is at its best is on the motorway. With the sleek coupe design and excellent sound deadening, the cabin is super refined. And when you’ve got your music playing, you won’t notice the minor tyre and wind noise so much at all. Add to that the option of the assisted driving system as part of the £3,650 Technology Plus Pack, and this car will take you from one end of the country to the other without much hassle at all.

On a twisty road

BMW fits lowered, firmer M Sport suspension to the 4 Series Gran Coupe as standard regardless of trim level. That may sound like it’ll make the Gran Coupe uncomfortable, but it really doesn’t. The only time you’ll notice bumps really making an impact is at slower speeds, as elsewhere the 4 Series feels very composed and sure-footed.

When you want to open the taps a bit and enjoy a back road, the 4 Series feels very comfortable here too. It doesn’t lean too much round the corners, and the adaptive suspension that comes as standard in the M440i does an excellent job of keeping it stable. Add in the M Sport differential and xDrive system, and it’s properly quick in most conditions.

The boot is pretty impressive and the cabin ergonomically great, but rear seat passengers are compromised

The 4 Series Gran Coupe is essentially a 3 Series up-front but that’s no bad thing as the 3 is a comfortable, refined and well laid-out car. With the optional electric adjustable seats, the front passenger can stretch out a lot and has decent headroom. There’s a good amount of bolstering at the sides to keep you snug, while you can adjust the lumbar support to help keep a stiff back at bay.

There’s a good amount of storage throughout. In the front, you have two cupholders and the door bins are reasonably sized. Just make sure you don’t accidentally knock the boot-release button in the driver’s side door bin, though.

In the back, the storage isn’t the best. You do get covered cup holders in the central armrest and decent door bins. But if you choose the optional sport seats in the front, they get hard backs and no pockets for things like phones and tablets.

Space in the back seats

With the sloping roofline however, rear headroom is a bit compromised. It’s better than the regular 4 Series, which isn’t as long and has a steeper roofline, but next to the 3 Series saloon, you’ll find this car feels much more cramped in the back.

The rear bench is set quite low too, and that means your knees are a little higher. With the front sport seats fitted, you won’t be able to stretch out by sliding your feet beneath them, either, all of which makes the back seats a bit less comfy than you might like.

Another advantage over the standard 4 Series is that you get a middle seat in the Gran Coupe. That being said, the high transmission tunnel and low roofline mean it’s only really suitable for particularly short passengers. You also get twin ISOFIX fixture points with covers, making them easy to access.

Boot space

The 470-litre boot space is pretty decent for a car of this size and shape – after all, coupes aren’t normally known for their practicality. It’s bigger than an Audi A5 Sportback – this gets 465 litres.

Add the £1,950 Comfort Plus pack and that load space becomes even more versatile, as it adds extra storage areas to the boot.

It’s worth pointing out that the 3 Series saloon’s boot has 10 litres more storage capacity than that of the Gran Coupe, however.

Folding the rear seats down increases the load capacity to 1,290 litres, which can help out a lot when you need it. That said, there’s no way to fold the seats down from inside the boot, and there’s no place to store the load cover when removed.

Everything is to hand, well laid-out and high-quality, but it’s not the most characterful of cabins

As with most BMWs, the cockpit of the 4 Series Gran Coupe isn’t that exciting to look at. But what they always do is deliver on quality, fit and driver involvement.

You always feel like everything important is angled towards you, while the style lines are very well thought-out and make for a very pleasing experience.

The touchscreen, though, looks like an afterthought. It flows well into the rest of the centre console at the bottom, but it sticks up a bit at the top, and BMW could have made it look a bit smoother like they did in the all-electric i4.

There are five leather colour options to choose from, with the two black options looking the smartest. There’s also a handful of dashboard trim options to help you further personalise your Gran Coupe, all of which are of a good quality.

Even though this 4 Series Gran Coupe is a new model, it gets an older version of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. But that’s no bad thing.

This version is pretty simple to navigate, and with a customisable setup you’re able to put the menus you want on the main page. You can also use the ‘Hey, BMW’ voice command system to set the sat nav and tune into your favourite radio station.

It’s a good system, but you might find you prefer to just use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The former can be hooked up wirelessly, while you’ll need a good old-fashioned cable for the latter. Both systems come as standard.

With the optional Technology Plus Pack fitted, you get a head-up display too. You can alter the brightness and positioning, so it should be pretty easy to read during the day. It shows your directions for your sat-nav as well as your current speed.

Under the bonnet, you have the choice of three petrol engines and a sole diesel unit. The entry 420i and more powerful 430i are both based on a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol, developing 184hp and 245hp respectively.

You can also go for the diesel 420d, a four-cylinder 2.0-litre engine that develops 190hp. It’s the only one of these three to be available with xDrive all-wheel drive – which you might find handy in those colder winter months.

All the engines available are capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in less than eight seconds, with the slowest model – the 420i – still able to do that sprint in 7.9 seconds.

But if those engines sound a bit unexciting, then the six-cylinder M440i might float your boat – as it’s the closest this car comes to a hot-blooded M version. Under the bonnet of that model is a turbocharged, straight-six 3.0-litre petrol engine that develops 374hp and 500Nm. That means 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph.

Both the diesel and M440i options get a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup to improve fuel economy and run parts of the electrical system when the engine is switched off when you’re sat still. With the 420d, you can expect upwards of 50mpg and plenty of miles between trips to the pump. Even though it’s the most characterful and exciting engine option, sadly the M440i doesn’t get much more than 33mpg on a commute, or at best 40mpg on a longer motorway run.

Even though there are some vibrations through the pedal and some noise comes into the cabin under hard acceleration, the 420d is arguably the engine that suits this car the best. It can easily cover huge distances on a single tank, is punchy enough for overtakes on the motorway, and is more than smooth enough. Get the xDrive all-wheel-drive system, and you’ll find it suits almost all weather conditions perfectly.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe comes with standard advanced driving assistance systems under its Active Driving Assistant suite of safety features. These include lane-departure warning, speed limit assist, active blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear-collision avoidance. It has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

BMW offers a three-year, unlimited-mile warranty on the 4 Series Gran Coupe including breakdown cover and recovery. The anti-corrosion body warranty is 12 years. There have been no UK recalls so far.