2018 BMW 4 Series Convertible Review

When the 4 Series BMW was released the motoring fraternity was immediately divided, many claiming it was a better than the 3 Series and others swearing it was just a new design and that the novelty would wear off soon. Luckily for the Bavarian automaker, the novelty has indeed worn off but the continual introduction of new trims and special editions means the 4 Series is fast becoming a firm favorite – adding in an all-wheel drive drivetrain makes it just that much more desirable too. When the medium-sized coupe was released with a folding hard top, the car’s appeal rose too – but as expected, you’ll be paying well for the open top BMW 4 Series Convertible.

Interior

Inside the BMW 4 Series Convertible you’re treated to a top-class cabin with the usual great quality materials and finishings that BMW is known for. There is space for four adults, and admittedly the ones in the rear will feel a little cramped, but space is better than in a 3 Series open top car thanks to the car being a little bit longer than a 3 Series. The seats are very good, power adjustable up front and even though things are tailored for comfort, they look a lot like sports seats with good bolstering.

They even feature neck warmers for when you want the top down on a cold day. Different trims see different quality materials used to outfit the cabin, but even the lowest pricing sees top quality leather in play. BMW has managed to give the 4 Series Convertible 13 cubic feet of trunk space, which should see at least a set of golf clubs fit.

Driving (Ride & Handling)

As with any BMW, the driving experience is the main focus, after the luxury of course. Two engine and two drivetrain options offer up different drives. The turbocharged 2.0-liter is strong and responsive and sends all its power to the rear wheels resulting in a comfortable and smooth drive. The other option sees a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder sending power to the rear wheels too and the drive is much the same but with higher torque from the bigger motor. What makes the BMW 4 Series a great option is that both models can also be optioned with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive drivetrain, which increases the traction and the high-speed stability of the car.

Besides the better traction on the limit, both incarnations give a smooth and quiet drive with good steering feedback and a responsive automatic transmission, and the available adaptive M Sport suspension optimizes the whole car for the best possible drive on any surface.

Performance (Engine & Transmission)

It’s great to see cabriolet cars with good performance, and even the smaller engined turbocharged 430i 2.0 is more than adequate for most. In this guise the BMW 4 Series Cabriolet produces 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque to afford the car performance figures of 0-60 mph in 6.0-seconds (6.1-seconds for the xDrive) with a top speed of 130 mph, great for such a small capacity engine. The bigger 440i with the turbocharged inline 6-cyilnder produces 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque to allow performance figures of 5.1-seconds for the 0-60 mph run with a top speed limited to 155 mph – it’s the same when xDrive is optioned. All models make use of a brilliant 8-speed automatic dual clutch transmission.

Equipment & Safety

There’s no such thing as BMW that doesn’t have enough equipment and safety on board. Inside open top BMW 4 Series Cabriolet you’ll find all the trappings that make BMW the premium brand it is. There’s the iDrive 6.0 infotainment that includes things like Apple CarPlay with gesture controls, a range of cameras, navigation, a brilliant audio system, wireless charging and a heads-up display system. Safety includes front, side and curtain airbags, Daytime Pedestrian Protection, frontal collision warning with city collision mitigation, cross-traffic alert, active blind spot detection and lane departure warning among other things. Three packages (Luxury, M Sport and Premium) determine the amount of spec available.

Verdict

You can never really go wrong with a BMW product, and if it’s an open top cruiser that you’re after, the BMW 4 Series Cabriolet has to be among the top considerations when researching. On board security and features are extensive and can be tailored to suit individual needs if the available packages don’t quite cut it. The two available engines and the option of rear-wheel or all-wheel drive make the BMW 4 Series Convertible an even more attractive consideration. Pricing can look to be expensive, but you never really expect anything else from the likes of BMW. Are there cheaper cabriolets on the market that will also tick all the right boxes? Of course, but they’re missing that BMW badge and the prestige that goes along with it.