BMW M4 Coupe Review & Prices

The BMW M4 is a high-performance coupe alternative to the likes of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Audi RS5 and Mercedes-AMG C63. Mechanically speaking, it’s pretty much identical to the M3 saloon but was spun off a few years ago into its own model as a sleeker coupe version of the famous 3 Series. The latest model has just as much punch as you’d expect from an M car, but brings a bit of a dilemma in design too.

You see, BMW has been a bit like your teenage son or daughter rebelliously sneaking out one afternoon to get a nose piercing you’ve told them not to. It was known BMW had plans for the snarling great grille you see at the front of the M4 but, despite widespread outcry not to do it, it went ahead and put it into production anyway.

Whether you love the looks or hate them, there’s more to the outlandish styling of the BMW M4 than just the ‘kidney’ (maybe lungs would be appropriate) grille. Huge intakes sit either side of the lower front bumper, while down the side swollen wheel arches make it stand out from a regular 4 Series. In fact, the only bit of bodywork shared with the standard car is the boot lid — though here it has a spoiler tacked on top. You’ll see a quad-exit exhaust sat below a carbon fibre diffuser, and happily, those huge tailpipes are real.

You can choose between different alloy wheel designs, with the front pair 19 inches and the rear 20 inches in size.

You won’t mistake the BMW M4 for a run-of-the-mill 4 Series inside. It’s laden with M-coloured stitching, M-badges all over and if that wasn’t enough, it’s like somebody vomited carbon fibre everywhere. A thick model-specific steering wheel is joined by standard electrically-adjustable sports seats that come with illuminated M logos, though you can opt for carbon fibre bucket seats if you want a more race car-akin feel.

This version of the BMW M4 is a bit longer than the old car as well, so there’s more room in the back. It’s pretty decent for legroom considering it’s a coupe, but headroom is pretty limited because of the sloping roofline.

For no extra cost in the BMW M4, you get a fantastic infotainment system. It’s intuitive and dead easy to use, plus there’s finally support for Android Auto in addition to Apple CarPlay. Both can be connected wirelessly, as well.

In front of you, there’s a 12.3-inch digital drivers display for key driving info, and these have plenty of customisation to them too, including racy-looking M-specific displays.

There’s a reasonable amount of boot space in the BMW M4, with 440 litres. That’s 35 more than the old car and a fair bit more than the Mercedes-AMG C63’s 355 litres, although 40 down on the saloon, and 60 behind the M3 Touring - the king of practical performance.

If you’re buying a BMW M4 though, you’re likely after performance — and this latest version has bags of it. Its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six engine is good for 510hp and 650Nm of torque in Competition form (which is all you can get in the UK), sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It fires the M4 from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and on to a 155mph limited top speed. You can get that raised to 180mph as part of a package that also includes carbon-ceramic brakes, but it’ll cost you thousands of pounds.

When you’re driving it hard, it doesn’t feel quite as spiky and unpredictable as the old car — in part because of amazing levels of grip at the rear. It feels sharper than the likes of the Audi RS5, yet not as intimidating as the last M4.

It’s not just a brutal performance car though and does the normal stuff pretty well. Switch everything into Comfort mode and you can cruise along with lighter steering, though the suspension still has a pretty firm edge to it.

Just as you would your firstborn if they rocked back home with a nose piercing though, you can look past the styling and appreciate the BMW M4 for how amazing it is. You might even grow to like the looks, too. If you do, check out the latest BMW M4 deals to see how much you could save. Also check out BMW deals across the whole range, and we’ve also got plenty of used BMWs for sale through our trusted network of dealers too. And if you want to sell your car online, carwow can help with that too!

You’re going to need deep pockets to buy an M4, that’s for sure, but alternative performance coupes will also take a big chunk from your bank balance. A Mercedes-AMG C63 costs even more, although the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Audi RS5 are a touch cheaper.

The BMW M4 is a sublime and sharp performance car, but alternatives are a bit more comfortable

In town

If you want a performance coupe that’s comfy around town, try the Audi RS5. The BMW M4 always feels like a sporty car, with a firmness to the ride even with the suspension in its most comfortable setting. It’s not rock hard by any means, but you always know you are driving an M-car rather than a regular BMW 4 Series.

You can’t buy an M4 with a manual gearbox in the UK, which is a shame. But being auto-only does make for easy progress in heavy traffic. The M4 is happy to creep along smoothly, although the powerful brakes can be a little grabby at low speeds.

The weight of the steering can be adjusted, and the lightest setting makes for easy manoeuvres. A better view over your shoulder would though help when reversing into a tight parking spot. BMW Parking Assistant Plus is available as an extra and includes a 360-degree camera system which can be configured to show different views of the car's surroundings, giving no excuse for kerbing those big alloy wheels.

On the motorway

The motorway limit is little more than a brisk walk for the M4. It’s limited to 155mph but that restriction can be lifted to 180mph as part of a package that also includes carbon-ceramic brakes.

Choose the most comfortable suspension setting, soften off the throttle and gearbox responses, and select a quiet mode for the exhaust, and the M4 will happily cover long distances. There’s a bit more tyre noise than in a regular 4 Series, but the M4 is very civilised for a performance car.

The brakes – even if you don’t go for the carbon-ceramic upgrade – are exceptionally strong. They’re really reassuring if you need to make an emergency stop from motorway speeds.

On a twisty road

When you’re driving it hard, the BMW M4 doesn’t feel quite as challenging to drive at higher speeds as the old car — largely in part because of amazing levels of grip at the rear. It’s more fun than an Audi RS5, yet not as edgy as the last M4.

The M4’s 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six engine is seriously powerful with 510hp and 650Nm of torque in Competition form. That makes for mind-bending acceleration. The rear-wheel-drive version of the M4 shoots from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.

Go for the Competition M xDrive and the car has four-wheel drive, cutting the 0-62mph time to just 3.5 seconds. There’s a rear bias to the four-wheel-drive set-up, so the handling is no less sharp. It’s just easier to use the car’s staggering performance, even if the road is damp.

Boot space is pretty good in the BMW M4, though rear headroom isn’t fantastic and the front seats aren’t particularly welcoming for those with a larger figure

The M4 is practical for a performance car. This is no weekend toy – you could easily drive it every day, especially if you don’t use the back seats too often.

It’s simple enough to find a comfortable driving position, thanks to the range of adjustment to the seat and wheel. The seats are heavily bolstered to hold you in place while cornering, which is great on a country road, but not so great if you are carrying a bit of timber. If you fit the seats, though, they are very comfy.

M Carbon bucket seats are available as an option, which reduce weight by 9.6kg and can be lowered really close to the floor, which will be handy if you plan to tackle the odd track day in your M4 and need enough headroom to wear a helmet.

Both the standard and optional front seats have electrical adjustment and heating.

You don’t buy a car like this for its storage space but being based on the sensible 4 Series turns out to be a good thing. There are twin cupholders at the base of the centre console, and huge door bins with room for a large flask or bottle. There’s more space under the armrest and the glovebox is big enough to be useful.

 Space in the back seats

There’s space for two in the back. It’s pretty decent for legroom by coupe standards, but headroom is pretty limited because of the sloping roofline.

Upgrade to the carbon bucket front seats though and there’s a little more space in the rear — so passengers can slouch a little for more headroom if they like. Adults will be comfortable enough, provided they’re not too tall.

There are ISOFIX mounting points in the back so you can fit child seats securely. It’s not going to be easy to get a bulky seat through the narrow gap between the front seat and door frame, though. Anyone with kids will be better served by the M3 Saloon or M3 Touring.

 Boot space

There’s a reasonable amount of boot space in the BMW M4, with 440 litres. That’s 35 more than the old car and a fair bit more than the Mercedes-AMG C63’s 355 litres. You get an electric tailgate as standard as well, which will help take off the load if you’re lugging in lots of cargo.

If you’re not sure whether the coupe’s boot is big enough, the BMW M3 Touring delivers similar performance and handling but with 500 litres for your bags. In fact, the M3 saloon also has more space, with a 480-litre capacity. For a coupe, though, the M4’s boot is pretty good.

Like carbon fibre? You’ll be right at home in the BMW M4. But it’s a shame some of the infotainment buttons have been taken out

The BMW M4 is a real departure from the regular 4 Series inside. It’s laid out the same, but carbon fibre is splashed literally everywhere — with plenty of M badges and branded stitching to match.

You get a thick-rimmed M steering wheel as well that really sets the tone. You just know you’re going to enjoy driving the M4 even before the twin-turbo six-cylinder engine barks into life.

The M4 launched with twin screens in the cabin, with a 12.3-inch display ahead of the driver and a centrally mounted 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Since the spring of 2023 BMW has upgraded the M4’s cabin with the latest BMW Operating System 8. There’s still a 12.3-inch screen in place of old-fashioned dials, but it now meets up with a huge 14.9-inch infotainment display. The two screens look like one wide curved display. The quality of the graphics and depth of colour is really breathtaking.

The only trouble is, the original twin-screen set-up was easier to use. BMW has taken away some of the physical buttons that were fitted to the car originally, so you now control the air conditioning using icons along the bottom of the screen instead. It’s not so easy to make quick adjustments without taking your eyes from the road.

Fortunately, BMW hasn’t ditched the iDrive rotary controller. This is much easier to use on the move than prodding at the screen. So overall, the new system is still one of the best infotainment packages around. It’s certainly one of the best to look at.

As well as the two screens, every M4 has a head-up display. It places key information such as the car’s speed directly in the driver’s line of sight. Don’t think it’s a gimmick – once you’ve driven a car with a head-up display you won’t want to go back.

f you worry about emissions and want a performance car with a low carbon footprint, the BMW i4 M50 could suit you better than the M4. It’s not quite as rewarding to drive but being fully electric there are no exhaust emissions.

For a petrol-powered car with over 500hp, the M4 Competition is quite efficient. But in absolute terms, there’s no denying that this is a thirsty car with high emissions.

You can expect 28.8mpg from the rear-wheel drive model, according to the official figures. Enjoy the performance and you won’t get near that.

The four-wheel drive M xDrive model is a little heavier and thirstier than the standard car, but there’s not a huge difference. In official tests the car returned up to 28.2mpg. Again, use the M4 the way it’s intended to be driven and you’ll burn through fuel at a faster rate.

In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, the M xDrive emits 227-229g/km. The rear-wheel drive car emits 223g/km.

You’ll pay a four-figure sum to cover the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) when the car is first registered, although it’s swallowed up within the on-the-road price. As any M4 costs well over £40,000, the £390 VED surcharge will apply for the following five years.

Swap your petrol head with a head for figures, and the M4 doesn’t add up for company car drivers. If the fleet manager is willing to sign off on an M4 you’ll pay benefit-in-kind at the top rate of 37%. With the low tax rates for electric cars, the i4 makes a far more sensible choice for business drivers. But where’s the fun in being sensible?

The safety experts at Euro NCAP haven’t tested the M4, but they have tested the 4 Series on which it’s based. It earned five stars out of five back in 2019.

The rating for adult occupant protection was an exceptional 97%. Child occupant protection was rated at 83%, vulnerable road user protection scored 93%, and the car’s safety assistance systems scored 72%.

You can add more driver assistance features if you start ticking boxes for optional extras, although this can quickly get expensive. Driving Assistant Professional is part of the Technology Plus Pack. It adds Automatic Speed Limit Assist, Cross Traffic Warning (front), Crossroads Warning with City Brake Function, Lane Keeping Assistant, Traffic Light Detection and more.

Read through reliability surveys and customer satisfaction studies, and you’ll find BMW has a mixed reputation and iIt often finishes in the mid-field. So while the M4 may not match the likes of the Lexus RC F for fuss-free ownership, it’s no lemon either.

Like any BMW, the M4 comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. The Audi RS5 also has three years of cover, but with a 60,000-mile limit.

If you are buying a used M4, check how long is left to run on the original warranty and think about arranging cover if the new car warranty has expired.