Review: BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014)
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Rating:
Four-door with hatchback practicality. Electric tailgate as standard. Available with xDrive four-wheel drive. Impressive ride quality. Same price as 4 Series Coupe.
Does look similar to the 3 Series from certain angles.
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BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014): At A Glance
- New prices start from £35,075, brokers can source from £24,868
- Contract hire deals from £224.39 per month
- Insurance Groups are between 23–41
- On average it achieves 77% of the official MPG figure
The 4 Series Gran Coupe sees BMW branching into new territory with a four-door version of the Coupe that rivals the popular Audi A5 Sportback. BMW says it's designed as a sleeker and sportier alternative to the 3 Series saloon with features like frameless doors and an electric tailgate as standard.
Despite the extra doors, the Gran Coupe is actually the same length as the 4 Series Coupe with the same wheelbase. This means it shares the same good looks as its two-door counterpart albeit with a higher roofline which stretches further back.
This has a big impact on interior space with impressive room in the back, even for taller passengers. The boot is the same size as a 3 Series but more practical thanks to the hatchback opening and split folding rear seats.
The engine range follows that of the 4 Series Coupe with one addition - the 418d. This will have big appeal for company car drivers, many of whom don't have two-door coupes as an option, meaning they can now move up to a 4 Series.
However, the 420d is our choice as it blends strong performance with impressive economy of 60mpg, while the 435d is the stand out engine with performance not far short of the M4. Four-wheel drive xDrive - a £1500 extra - is also available on several models, including the 420d.
One of the criticisms of the 4 Series Coupe was its overly stuff ride, but BMW has changed things for the Gran Coupe and it's far more forgiving and comfortable. Yet it still has the handling and grip you'd expect from a BMW with a wonderful precision to all the major controls like the clutch and gearbox. It's a great car for long distances thanks to excellent noise insulation and supportive seats.
The 4 Series is a near faultless car and a more desirable alternative to the 3 Series. It's certainly better than the now ageing Audi A5 Sportback with better refinement on the move. Standard equipment levels are good with leather upholstery, DAB, heated seats and the electric tailgate as standard on all models. Yet despite the extra doors, prices have been kept the same as the 4 Series Coupe.
What does a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014) cost?
| List Price from | £29,490 |
|---|---|
| Buy new from | £24,868 |
| Contract hire from | £224.39 per month |
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014): What's It Like Inside?
- Boot space is 480–1300 litres
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 4638–4640 mm |
| Width | 2017 mm |
| Height | 1389–1404 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2810 mm |
Getting behind the wheel of the 4 Series Gran Coupe is very much like getting behind the wheel of a 4 Series Coupe. That's hardly surprising when you realise that the Gran Coupe has almost identical dimensions to the Coupe with the same overall length and wheelbase. But what's impressive is how spacious it feels inside, particularly in the back. In fact it's hard to believe it's the same size as the two-door.
There's a low slung driving position with plenty of adjustment in the steering column and seat. It feels very much a driver's car with all the controls focussed toward the driver.
Sit in the back and you'll find plenty of legroom and, perhaps more surprisingly, generous headroom, even if you're six foot plus. Despite the coupe-like roofline you don't feel hemmed in while the frameless doors add an extra touch of style.
All models come with an electric tailgate as standard - an impressively upmarket feature - and the hatchback opening makes this a very practical alternative to a conventional saloon. As an option there's a smart-open feature where a sweep with the foot under the rear bumper activates the tailgate opener.
It has a 480-litre boot, the same as a 3 Series and the Audi A5 Sportback, plus you can fold down the rear seats in a 60/40 split for carrying more awkward items. The load floor is flat and the wide boot opening makes loading larger loads much easier.
The quality is everything we've come to expect from BMW with a premium feel throughout and an impeccable level of fit and finish. Standard equipment levels are good too so along with the electric tailgate all models come with leather upholstery, heated front seats and DAB digital radio. Luxury and M Sport models come with the Business Navigation package as standard.
Standard equipment:
SE comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, run flat tyres, Thatcham Category 1 alarm, cruise control, dynamic brake lights, hill start assist, front fog lights, LED tailights, parking sensors front and rear, rain sensor, automatic headlights, tyre pressure monitor, xenon headlights, daytime running lights, Isofix, Dakota leather upholstery, rear headrests, 60/40 split folding rear sears, matt black exterior trim, electric tailgate, two-zone air conditioning, front armrest, electric windows, multifunction sport leather steering wheel, start/stop button, Bluetooth, auxiliary input, BMW Professional radio, DAB tuner, 6.5-inch colour display and a trip computer. 428i SE models also get electric front seats.
Sport models add 18-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, Drive Performance Control, front sports sears, sport three-spoke multifunction steering wheel and a sport instrument cluster.
Luxury adds chrome exterior detailing, Dakota leather upholstery with Exclusive stitching, BMW Business Media Package and front sports seats. 430d and 435d Luxury models also get metallic paint and the eight-speed Sport automatic gearbox. The 435i Luxury has M Sport suspension.
M Sport models have M Double-spoke 18-inch alloys, aluminium interior trim, BMW Business Media Package, M aerodynamic bodystyling, front sports seats, M Sport suspension and an M Sport gear lever.
Child seats that fit a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014)
Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.What's the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014) like to drive?
- Engines range from 418d to 440i Automatic
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 24–59 mpg
One of the criticisms of the 4 Series Coupe was its overly firm ride, particularly on M Sport models, but BMW has clearly altered things and the 4 Series Gran Coupe is blessed with a smooth and forgiving ride that makes it the ideal long distance car.
Even on M Sport models with larger wheels and firmer suspension, the 4 Series Gran Coupe copes well on rough surfaces and over potholes. The SE and Luxury models are particularly good and it's no surprise to find out the 4 Series chassis was tested on UK roads during development.
Add to that the lack of road and wind noise on the move, plus the impressively refined engines and strong noise insulation and the 4 Series Gran Coupe is every inch the serene long distance car. There's more to it than just the ride quality though. This is a BMW after all, so you get well weighted steering and great handling. The Gran Coupe is the same length as the 4 Series Coupe and feels just as agile and as surefooted with great grip through corners.
It's a real joy to drive, effortlessly flowing from corner to corner, plus alongside the standard rear-wheel drive models, BMW is also offering xDrive four-wheel drive with certain engines including the 420d and 435d. While purists may prefer rear-wheel power, xDrive gives the 4 Series Gran Coupe added traction and security in tricky conditions such as snow, especially when fitted with winter tyres.
One engine in the Gran Coupe range which isn't available in the 4 Series Coupe or Convertible is the 418d. Aimed mainly at company car drivers, who often are restricted in their choice bodystyles, the 418d has CO2 emissions of just 121g/km yet still has 143PS.
However, it's the 420d that stands out as the perfect engine for the 4 Series Gran Coupe, blending refinement, enough power and strong economy. It develops 184PS but it's the 380Nm of torque that makes all the difference and means it pulls impressively strongly in-gear.
Claimed economy is 60.1mpg with the standard six-speed manual which has a nice positive shift, but we'd recommend going for the optional eight-speed automatic which offers quick and decisive changes. It suits this engine perfectly. Even going for the xDrive version - a £1500 extra - only sees economy drop to 58.9mpg with the auto.
The bigger 430d and 435d models both use a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that has a strong character and huge reserves of torque. The 435d is our star of the range and with 313PS plus 630Nm of torque it really shifts along with a 0-62mph time of just 4.8 seconds - that's only half a second slower than the M4. It's effortlessly quick and comes with the eight-speed Sport automatic gearbox and xDrive as standard.
The petrol range starts with the 420i that has the same 184PS as the 420d, albeit it with less torque, but still reasonable economy of 44.1mpg. The same 2.0-litre engine is used in the 428i, but with power boosted to 245PS. It's very smooth and refined but does lack the character of a six-cylinder engine, which BMW-badged 28i models traditionally used.
The top petrol is the mighty 435i which has 306PS but it's actually not as quick as the 435d from 0-62mph with an acceleration time of 5.5 seconds with the manual gearbox while economy is only 34.9mpg.
| Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 418d | 60–66 mpg | 9.2 s | 114–127 g/km |
| 418d Automatic | 60–66 mpg | 9.1 s | 112–121 g/km |
| 420d | 58–67 mpg | 7.5–7.7 s | 111–128 g/km |
| 420d Automatic | 59–71 mpg | 7.3–7.5 s | 106–124 g/km |
| 420d xDrive | 57–61 mpg | 7.6–7.7 s | 129–133 g/km |
| 420d xDrive Automatic | 54–63 mpg | 7.4–7.5 s | 118–131 g/km |
| 420i | 43–49 mpg | 7.5–7.6 s | 141–149 g/km |
| 420i Automatic | 46–51 mpg | 7.6–7.7 s | 134–146 g/km |
| 420i xDrive | 41–43 mpg | 7.6–7.8 s | 161 g/km |
| 420i xDrive Automatic | 43–48 mpg | 7.9–8.1 s | 144–149 g/km |
| 428i | 42–43 mpg | 6.1 s | 154 g/km |
| 428i Automatic | 44–45 mpg | 6.0 s | 147 g/km |
| 430d Automatic | 51–53 mpg | 5.6 s | 134–139 g/km |
| 430d xDrive Automatic | 48–51 mpg | 5.3 s | 140–145 g/km |
| 430i | 44 mpg | 5.9 s | 151 g/km |
| 430i Automatic | 46–49 mpg | 5.9 s | 136 g/km |
| 435d xDrive Automatic | 46–50 mpg | 4.8 s | 146–150 g/km |
| 435i | 34–35 mpg | 5.5 s | 189 g/km |
| 435i Automatic | 37–37 mpg | 5.2 s | 174 g/km |
| 440i Automatic | 38–42 mpg | 5.1 s | 159 g/km |
Real MPG average for a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014)
Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
77%
Real MPG
24–59 mpg
MPGs submitted
319
Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.
What have we been asked about the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014)?
Every day we're asked hundreds of questions from car buyers and owners through Ask Honest John. Our team of experts, including the nation's favourite motoring agony uncle - Honest John himself - answer queries and conudrums ranging from what car to buy to how to care for it as an owner. If you could do with a spot of friendly advice before buying you're next car, get in touch and we'll do what we can to help.
Do you think Adaptive M Sport suspension is necessary on my new BMW 440i?
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What do owners think?
Our view gives your our opinion, based on driving hundreds of cars every year, but you can't beat the views of someone who lives with a car day-in, day out.
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