• Diesels are economical and efficient
• BIK and CO2 figures are competitive
• Should be dependable like a 3 Series

What are the running costs?

The BMW 4 Series range offers some surprising economy figures for a sports car, especially if you’re looking at the entry-level 420i and 420d models. Unlike the 3 Series, there’s no 430e plug-in hybrid version of the 4 Series Coupe, so these are the most efficient models in the line-up.

Starting with the entry-level 420i, WLTP combined economy comes in at between 42.2mpg and 44.1mpg, or 39.8mpg to 41.5mpg for the same engine with xDrive four-wheel drive. Move to the 420d and the figures rise to between 56.5mpg and 60.1mpg, or 53.3mpg to 56.5mpg when xDrive is added, both helped by 48-volt hybrid tech.

View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the BMW 4 Series specs pages

Step up to the 430i, and the balance of performance and economy changes a little. The petrol-powered 430i is rear-wheel drive only, and returns 40.4-42.2mpg, which is a great result for a car with this level of performance. Finally, the 375hp BMW M440i xDrive puts in great figures considering its performance, managing 36.2-36.7mpg.

Move to the rest of the diesels and the effects of xDrive are countered by the standard 48v mild-hybrid assistance, so the 430d manages 50.4mpg to 52.3mpg, while the M440d returns 47.1mpg to 47.9mpg on the WLTP cycle.

Emissions are competitive, too. The best performer is the 420d, emitting 130-132g/km of CO2 with a BIK rating of 27-28%. That rises to 146-153g/km for the 420i and 153-160g/km for the 430i. While the M440i has 48-volt hybrid assistance, it’s the poorest petrol performer posting 175-178g/km. The other diesels score 140-147g/km for the 430d, while the M440d ranges 154-157g/km.

Servicing and warranty

BMW pioneered the fixed-price service plan and still offers service packages where maintenance can be paid for either monthly on finance or with one lump sum. BMW knows its customers, too, so it offers packages such as quick 90-minute servicing to keep you on the road, or servicing while you fly, so your car is ready to go once you’re back from a business trip.

As with all BMWs, the 4 Series Coupe uses condition-based servicing, so there’s no annual service, but the car’s on-board systems let you know when parts are worn or need replacing. You’ll see a warning light on the dashboard that will let you know when something needs attention. All BMWs come with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, and BMW Finance offers Insured Warranty extensions for extra cost.

Reliability

• The 4 Series should match the 3’s record
• Three-year warranty as standard
• BMW finished last in 2019 JD Power survey

The 4 Series is based heavily on the 3 Series, and that car is well-regarded in terms of reliability. However, this model uses some new infotainment technology that we’ve found to be patchy in operation – but it’s improving with dealer updates proving effective.

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Otherwise, mechanical components are tried and tested from a vast range of other BMW cars, and the 3 and 5 Series continue to perform well, finishing just behind the Honda Civic in the Fleet News FN50 reliability survey.

Nonetheless, this is tempered by BMW’s poor performance in the 2019 JD Power UK Vehicle Dependancy Survey. The organisation measures the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), to come up with a score, a lower number indicating better performance. BMW came bottom of the heap with a score of 181, compared with 167 for Audi and 137 for Mercedes-Benz.