BMW 4 Series 2017 Review

The facelift of the BMW 4 Series is subtle, but effective. From almost any angle the revised 4 Series looks a little cleaner and fresher, although the changes are kept to a minimum.

Help for the 4 Series, which wasn't exactly a visual nightmare anyway, has arrived in the form of Bi-LED headlights and LED fog lights. Unfortunately, during our daylight-hours test drive in the 430i Convertible, followed by the 440i Coupe, there was no opportunity to test the new lighting.

The 430i Convertible driven was finished in Sunset Orange metallic, one of two new colours for the range. And the 440i Coupe featured the other new colour, Snapper Rocks Blue.

BMW says the new blue was "inspired by the colour of Australian surf beaches". In snowy Bavaria for the international drive program such an eye-popping colour was seriously out of place – in a good way.

All-weather tyres muddy the waters

One little problem with driving both cars in Bavaria and reporting on them for Australian readers is that they were shod with winter tyres, which won't be fitted to examples sold in Australia.

Not only did they tend to mask any roadholding or handling defficiencies that the new suspension tune might have introduced, they also enhanced the car's ride properties beyond what we should necessarily expect from the run-flat tyres that will be fitted as standard in the local market.

But let's start there anyway...

The 4 Series was quiet on Germany's well sealed roads – there was no real wind noise, and just some some slight drivetrain rumble present at open-road speeds. For their part, the winter tyres produced zero noise.

However, German roads are very well maintained, and the sort of coarse-chip surface that’s almost a universal constant on Aussie country roads is nowhere to be seen in BMW’s home market.

The 430i felt quite composed cornering. Steering response was fast enough from the revised setup, the 430i's handling inspired confidence and grip was steadfast. Stiffer suspension for the coupe helps reduce body roll, BMW claims, along with handling that’s closer to neutral.

On centre, even in Sport mode the 430i felt slightly loose in the steering, but that could be attributable to the all-weather tyres, given BMW says the Convertible’s straightline stability and steering characteristics have been sharpened up.

There was no such quibble with the six-cylinder 440i Coupe tested later the same day. In that car the steering was naturally heavier than that of the four-cylinder 430i's, but also felt a little more communicative.

Steering response and handling were up to par, but we had little opportunity to test the 440i in conditions that would have yielded more information. During the drive program we were frequently baulked by slower traffic on the cold, snowy roads.

Also riding on winter tyres (Pirellis) just like the 430i, the 440i impressed with its surefooted grip when other cars struggled maintaining 60km/h in 100km/h zones.

Both cars remain powered by the same powerplants as before, and in the two cars tested drove through eight-speed ZF automatic transmissions.

440i comes with six appeal

The 440i is powered by BMW's fabulous twin-scroll turbocharged inline six. Some of its aural qualities are due to active sound generation, but I can live with that (a classic high-revving note when it's angry) from an engine that still meets current emissions legislation.

It's refined when loping along at an easy cruising pace, with just a hint of its performance potential present. Fuel economy from the six-cylinder model never exceeded 11.3L/100km, but finished up at 9.9L100km overall.

The turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the drop-top 430i was fun and free-revving with a typically sporty BMW snarl to it. There was reasonable mid-range torque and the 430i boasted lively performance for overtaking.

Fuel consumption was as low as 7.7L/100km when cruising, but the economy took a hit as soon as the car was given some stick, rising to 9.9L/100km after a prolonged fang.

The eight-speed automatic transmission was responsive when shifting manually, but without any detriment to smoothness and refinement. Sport and Sport+ mode changed the shift points for optimal performance, increasing revs by a few hundred for each mode change – starting from just below 2000 revs at 100km/h in Comfort mode.

Interior changes enhance ambience

Inside, it's largely business as usual. We didn't drive any of the 420i variants, which are now equipped as standard with the Luxury Line pack. The whole range gains new wiper and indicator stalks that 'snap' into place, which is a more natural action ergonomically than the previous stalks. In addition, the 4 Series is finished in new upholstery and colours.

Overall, the look is classy but a little conservative in the bespoke BMW fashion. I found the driving position to be very comfortable, due to the comfortable, body-hugging seats. And the informative displays are complemented by the colourful satnav readout in the HUD.

Headroom in the rear is marginal for a male adult of average height, but I found the knee room to be quite acceptable. Entering and leaving the rear of the 430i Convertible is considerably easier than the last folding-roof BMW of similar dimensions I tested – an E93 M3.

There's not a great deal of room in the boot of the Convertible, although we could squeeze in a couple of mid-sized suitcases with the roof raised. Just a few months ago we compared the 4 Series convertible against a Mercedes-AMG C 43 and found the Mercedes has the more commodious boot with the roof lowered. It’s only about 60 litres the difference, but that could be significant on a weekend away.

That’s emblematic of the situation facing the 4 Series. The competition’s a bit newer and Benz has never given less than its all in battle with BMW. For the moment, the 4 Series is improved, and still a good product, but a buyer choosing the 4 Series over the C-Class will be increasingly predicated on transaction price and the intangibles – does the BMW make the buyer feel better than the Benz?

2017 BMW 430i Convertible pricing and specifications:
Price: $97, 900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 185kW/350Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 146g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

2017 BMW 440i Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $99,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo-petrol
Output: 240kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 159g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

Related reading:
>> BMW sharpens up 4 Series
>>