2014 BMW 4 Series 428i M Sport 2.0 twin turbo

Summary:

Outstanding, all the car I will ever need...

Faults:

Nothing - early days. The quality feels good so far.

General Comments:

Admittedly this is a "first review" after 6 weeks of ownership, but I couldn't be happier. This is my first BMW and I am very very impressed.

The buying experience was good - the dealer was helpful and worked hard to win my business - not at all pushy and was patient.

This is a second car for my family, but needs an element of practicality to accommodate our two young kids on occasions. I also wanted something with a sporty edge, and this seemed to be the perfect fit.

The breadth of ability of this car is amazing. In ECO or Comfort modes the car will grind through the daily commute comfortably and quietly without fuss. The M Sport seats are the most comfortable I have tried and are infinitely adjustable. The ZF auto transmission is smooth and unobtrusive. The stop/start is very quick and really doesn't hold you back in busy town runs.

However, when you hit Sport/Sport+, the demeanour of the car changes completely. The chassis stiffens (although never gets too hard), the steering gets more direct and the gear changes become sharper. Using the paddles, the gears shifts are impressively quick and the car goes... really goes! The performance is very strong from the 2.0 TT engine and it sounds fantastic with a metallic gravelly growl (vastly different to the 328i I drove). Setting the "speed warning" appropriately is a critical activity!

I know that there are varying views on the interior fit out of current BMWs. Overall I think it is pretty good - the quality of the plastics probably isn't quite to the levels of my previous Audi, but it is a slightly brighter, nicer place to be. All of the switches have a nice solid feel to them.

I genuinely feel that this car is as close to "perfect" as I would find for my needs, but just to prove I don't work for BMW :-), there are some things that could be improved:

- The iDrive on the whole works quite well, but some of the sub-menus on the sat-nav are very awkward and frustrating - it can be very hard to find what you want.

- The sat-nav does not include traffic information and is very optimistic about journey times.

- The sound quality from the stereo is excellent, but loading music on to the 2GB hard drive is very clunky and awkward.

- I have never come anywhere near the manufacturer's claims for fuel economy - although this does seem to be the norm with almost every car these days.

- The doors are long... very long... and heavy. It is only a matter of time before they get damaged in a car park I feel.

- My car has the "brushed aluminium" trim finishers inside - they look good, but get dangerously hot when it has been standing in the sun for a few hours.

Overall though, I'm very impressed and look forward to driving this car every day.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 31st January, 2015

1st Feb 2015, 15:52

Nice review. I wonder if renaming the 3 series coupé will help BMW improve the coupé car sales. As for the doors, it's the downside of most coupé cars. Funny, but it makes us understand how pleasant and easy to handle are regular sedan doors.

2nd Feb 2015, 07:18

The 4 Series still bears the 3 Series name in China, as most Chinese associate the number 4 with death.

It was for this reason that the Volvo 164 and 264 failed in Hong Kong, and the Alfa Romeo Alfa 164 had to be re-named as the Alfa 168.

1st Sep 2015, 02:24

Update from original reviewer:

I'm now 7 months in and the car continues to be a revelation to me. No faults and I still enjoy every drive. I regret slightly not waiting and getting the 5 door version, as the 3 door is becoming a drag with the two kids, but that's really my own fault!!

5th Oct 2017, 15:04

I am confused about the steering wheel in this car. On web pictures, some 4 series appear to have a larger and curved airbag assembly at the center of the steering wheel, while on other 4 series the airbag assembly is rather the old round smaller box in the center of the steering wheel?

5th Oct 2017, 21:25

Hi, could you please indicate the mileage when you give updates, so we can tell how far the car has been driven too. Also, you indicate (in the initial review) the mileage as in "miles," yet the review is showing as from Australia and New Zealand - was this an English import?

22nd Sep 2022, 14:01

Just depends which options have been specified on the car - some will have controls in the steering wheel, other versions will not have.

29th Mar 2023, 12:17

I think we should quit using the "the chassis stiffens" expression. Not only it's actually the suspension (shock absorbers) that stiffens, but sedan vehicles don't have a chassis - chassis is a truck thing.