Christian Wardlaw
Review QuickTakes:
Is there a more versatile BMW than the 2022 4 Series? We think not.
After all, the 4 Series lineup includes a coupe, a convertible, and a five-door sportback that the automaker calls a Gran Coupe. Additionally, you can get each of these body styles with a turbocharged four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine and with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. Furthermore, high-performance versions of the coupe and convertible are available, and they’re called the BMW M4. Finally, the automaker also bases its new i4 electric car on the 4 Series Gran Coupe, so if you prefer battery power to gasoline, you can get it.
They all do have that grille, though. There’s no getting around that.
What’s New for the 2022 BMW 4 Series?
BMW expands the 4 Series lineup to include more versions equipped with the automaker’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. In addition, standard equipment now includes digital instrumentation and ambient interior lighting, and BMW makes its usual round of option package modifications for 2022.
However, the big news is the debut of the redesigned 4 Series Gran Coupe. The name is misleading because the Gran Coupe is actually a five-door hatchback with folding rear seats. As such, it offers a compelling blend of form and functionality. Turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines provide the Gran Coupe’s power, put to the ground through the rear or all four wheels. It does not come in high-performance M4 specification.
How Much is a BMW 4 Series?
For 2022, BMW 4 Series prices range from the mid $40,000s to the high $80,000s, including the destination charge to ship it from Germany to your local dealership.
2022 BMW 4 Series Trim Levels and Configurations
When you shop for the new BMW 4 Series, you can choose between two-door coupe, two-door convertible, and five-door Gran Coupe body styles. Once that is settled, you must decide between model designations that primarily signal mechanical differences.
BMW 430i – This is the standard 4 Series equipped with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive (RWD). An xDrive nameplate indicates a model equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD). Sport and M Sport design themes are available, with M Sport adding blacked-out trim, larger wheels, a sport suspension, and several driving assistance systems.
BMW M440i – The M440i models include a turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine equipped with a mild-hybrid system that boosts efficiency. You’ll choose between RWD or AWD and M Performance or Shadowline design themes.
BMW M4 – Available only with the coupe and convertible body styles, the BMW M4 has a high-output version of the turbo inline-six. With the coupe body style, RWD and a manual gearbox are standard. However, if you want an automatic or xDrive AWD, the even more potent M4 Competition is the model you want. Competition-spec is available for the M4 coupe and standard for the M4 convertible.
2022 BMW 4 Series Review and Test Drive
Test Drive QuickTakes:
Once upon a time, the BMW 4 Series coupe and convertible were a part of the BMW 3 Series lineup. Nearly a decade ago, BMW split them apart from the 3 Series sedan and station wagon to create the 4 Series and then added the Gran Coupe to give people who wanted the sportier styling of the Four with some of the practicality of the Three. Last year, BMW redesigned the 4 Series coupe and convertible for the first time, and now, for the 2022 model year, the Gran Coupe gets its turn.
The BMW 4 Series is surprisingly popular. Based on 2021 sales reported by Automotive News, the 4 Series outsells every other BMW except for the automaker’s primary models: 3 Series, 5 Series, X3, and X5. In fact, the 4 Series trailed the 5 Series by a mere 1,586 units. The addition of the Gran Coupe body style for 2022 could help the 4 Series muscle its way past the 5 Series.
Given this BMW’s popularity and the expansion of the lineup for 2022, I wanted to evaluate the new Gran Coupe. For this 2022 BMW 4 Series review, I test-drove a 430i Gran Coupe in Southern California. It came with nearly all available options and wore a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $57,295, including the $995 destination charge. BMW provided the vehicle for this 2022 4 Series review.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 BMW 4 Series Review: The Design
You either love how the BMW 4 Series looks, or you don’t. The design is controversial because of the massive grille, a bold expression of the automaker’s brand identity that makes it impossible to mistake this car for anything else. Otherwise, the slightly longer, wider, and taller 4 Series Gran Coupe represents an evolution of the previous-generation model, inside and out.
A BMW isn’t about luxury so much as it is a serious, almost coldly-calculated pursuit of performance. This apparent mission is plainly evident in the 4 Series’ angular dashboard design, purposeful control layout, technical digital displays, and fantastic voice recognition system. Frippery is out, and focus is in.
Christian Wardlaw
Don’t get the wrong idea here. BMW fits the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s cabin with high-quality materials in pleasing tones and textures, and you can fancy it up with genuine leather, real wood, and bright colors. But the underlying goal is not to coddle, comfort, or dazzle. It is to drive.
For example, the test vehicle did not have power-adjustable front seats. You can’t get them in a 430i. Nevertheless, the seats offer a wide range of manual adjustments and supply excellent comfort and support. Plus, you can swap the standard simulated leather for the real thing, and get heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel.
Christian Wardlaw
Entry and exit are easy only for the young and limber. The 4 Series sits low to the ground. With the coupe and the convertible, long front doors make getting in and out simpler as long as you have the necessary clearance to open them. The Gran Coupe’s doors are shorter, so the portals through which you climb to enter the cabin are smaller. Making matters worse, it is too easy for your fingers to slip out from underneath the Gran Coupe’s flush-mounted exterior door handles. If you have long nails, be careful.
Speaking of small, that describes the Gran Coupe’s rear seat. Cramped headroom and legroom mean taller adults will not want to ride back there, and I couldn’t discern an appreciable gain in accommodations compared to a BMW M4 coupe I reviewed in 2021. Still, if you have children, loading them into a Gran Coupe beats stuffing them into a two-door version of the 4 Series any day of the week.
Christian Wardlaw
Utility is the other reason to choose a Gran Coupe over the other 4 Series models. Open the huge hatch, and you’ll find a 16.6 cubic-foot trunk. That’s more cargo room than you’ll get in the two-door 4 Series coupe (12 cu-ft) and convertible (9 cu-ft). You’ll realize further benefit by folding down the back seats to create 45.6 cu-ft of total cargo space. That’s as much as some SUVs supply.
2022 BMW 4 Series Review: The Technology
In years past, critics spilled much proverbial ink regarding the disaster of BMW iDrive. Back then, BMW deserved the criticism. Today, it does not. Whatever its past faults, the current iteration of iDrive technology is nothing short of terrific.
Christian Wardlaw
Yes, the center console buttons and control knob remain. However, iDrive now comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display within easy reach of the driver, a brilliant natural voice recognition system that works just like the digital assistant on your smartphone, and physical controls for primary stereo and climate system functions. As an option, you can also get a gesture control system, but based on my experience using it in other BMWs, it’s not quite ready for prime time.
Just as you can’t get power-adjustable seats in the 430i Gran Coupe, neither is a premium sound system available. The standard 10-speaker audio components are decent, but it sure would be nice to upgrade to the 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system BMW offers in the M440i.
Christian Wardlaw
The iDrive system does offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and satellite radio. In addition, three different connected services packages provide access to features such as remote engine starting, a Wi-Fi hotspot, connected navigation, natural voice recognition technology, and safety-related features such as automatic collision notification and SOS emergency calling. Some are free, some are complimentary for a short period, and some require a paid subscription upon the vehicle purchase.
Additionally, a smartphone app provides remote access to several vehicle functions. The 4 Series also offers Apple iPhone users a digital key feature that operates the car’s door locks and engine start system.
Christian Wardlaw
Here’s another reason to skip a BMW 430i Gran Coupe in favor of the more powerful and expensive M440i: you cannot get the Driving Assistance Professional option package on the more affordable version of the car. This upgrade includes Active Driving Assistant Pro, a bundle of driver-assist systems that equips the 4 Series with lane-centering assistance, evasive steering assistance, and an Emergency Stop Assistant that can detect an unresponsive driver and bring the car to a safe halt.
Additionally, the Extended Traffic Jam Assistant technology is only available on the M440i. It pairs adaptive cruise control with steering assistance to create a semi-autonomous driving aid at speeds under 40 mph. It is perfect for clogged commutes, especially when you’re tired.
Nevertheless, the 430i Gran Coupe includes modern safety features such as forward-collision warning with city-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and an active blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. They work as the driver expects and operate in the background without making a nuisance of themselves. The most noticeable group member is the lane-keeping assist, which can expertly and aggressively correct your course. However, by some magic known only to BMW, it seemingly steps in only when you most need it.
Christian Wardlaw
2022 BMW 4 Series Review: The Drive
A BMW 430i Gran Coupe is quick but not fast. The automaker quotes acceleration to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, presumably only when engaging the car’s launch control technology.
Still, there is plenty of zip to the car’s character, courtesy of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It makes an adequate 255 horsepower and an impressive 294 lb-ft of torque. Moreover, the torque is available from 1,500 rpm to 4,400 rpm, fading away just as maximum horsepower arrives from 5,000 rpm to 6,500 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission with a Sport mode is standard and powers the 430i’s rear wheels unless you get the xDrive AWD system.
Christian Wardlaw
Because maximum torque or maximum horsepower is available pretty much across the 430i’s power band, the car’s powertrain offers a sporty feel from behind the steering wheel. In addition to the transmission’s Sport mode, you can also select from Eco Pro, Comfort, and Sport driving modes.
Driving primarily in Comfort mode, the 430i averaged 25.3 mpg on the evaluation route, falling well short of the official fuel economy rating of 28 mpg.
Christian Wardlaw
For mountain driving on twisty roads, I switched the car into Sport mode and engaged the transmission’s Sport mode. Undoubtedly, this contributed to the fuel-efficiency shortfall. But the 430i Gran Coupe is so much fun to drive in those settings that you’ll want to use them all of the time. Furthermore, I recommend the optional Dynamic Handling package for its 19-inch wheels, performance tires, M Sport rear differential, M-tuned adaptive suspension, and M Sport braking system for maximum smiles per mile.
So equipped, the 430i Gran Coupe felt as much like a traditional BMW as it gets. Driven with enthusiasm, the car instills trust through faithful response to inputs, precision steering, relentless grip, and expert control of body motions. These traits can make a properly equipped modern BMW feel like the cars the automaker used to build in the purely analog days.
Christian Wardlaw
An unexpected side benefit of the Dynamic Handling package is the ride quality in Eco Pro or Comfort mode. Though tuned for performance, the adaptive damping suspension also successfully filters harshness on the nation’s often broken and crumbling city roads. Of course, you’re still going to feel surface irregularities. After all, this is a BMW shod with performance tires. But the car doesn’t feel too stiff and brittle during the daily drive.
From my perspective, the only downside to the Dynamic Handling package, other than its price tag, is how the M Sport brakes feel in the city and heavy traffic. Due to their immediate response, the upgraded components can make the brake pedal harder to modulate, which means it is more challenging to bring the car to a smooth, clean, unfettered stop.
Is the 2022 BMW 4 Series a Good Car?
If you like the way it looks and you’re the type of person who enjoys the journey as much as the destination, the BMW 4 Series is worth serious consideration by anyone shopping for a luxury coupe or convertible. And the new Gran Coupe body style not only offers an alternative to the Audi A5 Sportback and Kia Stinger, but it expands the pool of potential owners who might otherwise nix the 4 Series from the shopping list over its comparatively inaccessible rear seats and lack of utility.
BMW 4 Series Competitors for 2022
Few alternatives to the BMW 4 Series exist. The Audi A5 lineup matches the BMW’s depth and breadth of body styles and performance-tuned variants, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class is available in both coupe and convertible configurations. Some 4 Series coupe shoppers might also find the Infiniti Q60 or Lexus RC appealing. Believe it or not, the Kia Stinger is also on this list, a direct rival of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
BMW 4 Series Features
Highlights
Blending BMW driving dynamics with your choice between three sporting body styles, the 2022 4 Series is an expressive luxury car for people seeking fun, sun, or even style with a side of utility.
2022 BMW 4 Series Safety Features
- BMW Assist eCall – Standard feature including SOS emergency calling and enhanced automatic collision notification
- Active Guard – Standard feature including forward-collision warning and city-speed automatic emergency braking
- Active Driving Assistant – Standard feature including active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist
- Active Driving Assistant Pro – Optional feature including lane-centering assist, evasive steering assist, and emergency stop assist*
- Extended Traffic Jam Assistant – Optional feature including adaptive cruise control, semi-autonomous driving assist at low speeds*
2022 BMW 4 Series Technology
- Live Cockpit Professional – Standard 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel
- iDrive 7.0 – Standard infotainment system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display
- Intelligent Personal Assistant – Standard natural voice recognition technology that a driver summons by saying “Hey BMW”
- Head-up Display – Available feature that projects driving data within the driver’s forward field of view*
- Surround View with 3D View – Available surround-view camera with a 3D view of the car and its surroundings*
2022 BMW 4 Series Specs
- 430i: Turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, eight-speed automatic, 255 horsepower and 294 pound-feet of torque
- M440i: Turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder, eight-speed automatic, 382 hp and 368 lb.-ft.
- M4: Turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder, six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, 473 to 503 hp, 406 to 479 lb.-ft.
- Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive
- EPA fuel economy ratings: 18 mpg to 28 mpg in combined driving
2022 BMW 4 Series Interior
- SensaTec – Standard simulated leather upholstery
- Leather – Available feature*
- Heated front and rear seats – Available feature*
- Ventilated front seats – Available feature*
- Premium sound system – Available 16-speaker Harman Kardon*
*Availability is subject to specific trim level selections
