Love it or loathe it, the 2022 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe skillfully translates the controversial style of the redesigned, second-generation 4 Series two-door coupe into an athletic four-door hatchback. It cuts a more handsome profile than the blobby 3 Series but, yes, the massive twin-kidney grilles are still included. On the Gran they seem better incorporated with more interesting color schemes, or perhaps they shock us less a year later.
Style aside, the new Gran is also arguably a more practical choice than its sedan sister, which can’t be said of all four-door coupes. That’s partly because it shares a platform with BMW’s all-electric i4.
Though the powertrains are completely different, the Gran Coupe and i4 share the same basic body, and BMW’s decision to design them in lock step made each one better. The i4 gets muscular clothes and a reduced price tag, and the 4 Series Gran Coupe gets a serious boost in practicality.
BMW’s first all-electric sedan had to be spacious to compete with cars like the Tesla 3 and Polestar 2, but the extra size is a boon for the 4 Series Gran Coupe. The new Gran is 5.9 inches longer, 2.1 inches taller and an inch wider than its predecessor and rides a 1.8-inch longer wheelbase. Those extra inches make for much more interior room, particularly in the back seat and cargo area.
But while the i4 is aimed at a segment where hatchbacks and envelope-pushing styling are more palatable, the 4 Series Gran Coupe is distinctly more niche.
This is a sedan for people who want a coupe, and has always been a four-door spinoff of a two-door model. It’s aimed at enthusiasts who have outgrown their proper coupes: folks with kids who can’t stomach crossover life or frumpy sedans. They’re not a huge group, but they prioritize space, speed and style.
To see just how speedy and pragmatic the new Gran Coupe is, Forbes Wheels sampled a trio of Gran Coupes at a private BMW-hosted track event in Thermal, California, which also spilled onto the roads in and around nearby Palm Springs and Mecca Hills.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but look past those grilles and the 4 Series Gran Coupe makes a compelling case for itself against the 3 Series and its natural opposite number, the Audi A5 Sportback.
Driving the 4 Series Gran Coupe
I arrived for the Gran Coupe drive fresh off of an 800-mile, week-long test of a 430i convertible through the winding roads of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. The droptop isn’t as quiet as the Gran Coupe and it’s slightly heavier, but the driving impressions of these entry-level 4s aren’t so different. The Gran’s center of gravity is higher, but the Convertible weighs more.
The 430i packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 255 horsepower and 294 pound-feet of torque mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Opting for a manual means upgrading to the M4, which comes only in two-door form.
While the 430i may be the least powerful 4, it still hits 60 mph in just under 6 seconds–M3 territory in the DotCom era and still considered quick today. The talented two-liter loves to rev, and it makes the most of its power if you work it hard. In both Gran Coupes, Sport mode keeps those revs high if you’re in the mood for fun but even comfort mode is responsive. While the transmission is quick to serve up the right gear, the steering is less attuned.
The optional adaptive suspension, equipped on all of the cars I sampled, is unflappable. It soaks up bumps while providing a smooth ride and quick reactions, and both the Sport and Comfort settings know what drivers want from them. Still, the 4 Series can feel a bit anesthetized if your experience is driving Bimmers from the 1980s and 1990s.
All of the 4 Series models I sampled were equipped with the variable sport steering, part of the M package on the 430i and standard on the M440i. The system is meant to vary assistance according to speed and wheel angles. It delivers pin-sharp exactness when cornering, but it offers less distinct feedback than BMWs of yore. The 4 is still plenty of fun on twisty roads and also a good long-distance companion, but it seems less about savoring the journey compared with old-timey Bimmers.
That said, the rear-drive 430i is a touch nimbler and more reactive than the M440i and has nearly perfect weight distribution. Unlike the M version, it’s also possible to spec a base 430i sans variable steering.
The M440i uses another excellent powerplant, BMW’s 3.0-liter “B58” turbocharged inline-six, delivering 382 horsepower and 364 pound-feet of torque, assisted by a new 48-volt mild hybrid system that sharpens its responses. The added weight of the all-wheel driveline and the bigger engine increases its tendency to understeer, but the engine is a joy to work. All-wheel drive adds tenacious grip, but neither the M440i nor the 430i are going to break traction unless you turn off the various driving aids.
Even with a little more weight sitting on the front wheels (52.1% to the 430i’s 49.8%), it goes exactly where you point it and has limits that require a closed course to exploit safely. The engaging and punchy motor also never lacks for power. I recorded an unscientific zero-to-60 sprint of 4.6 seconds, but BMW says the car is good for 4.4. The M Sport exhaust sounds great, too.
The M440i’s power ups the fun quotient, but it may end up dwelling in the shadow of the i4 M50, the first all-electric M-badged car. The i4 M50 will hit 60 mph almost a full second quicker, has a lower center of gravity and comes with instant EV torque. Even so, the M440i Gran Coupe has a 700-pound weight advantage over the M50, which might make it a livelier handler.
4 Series Gran Coupe Versus 3 Series and A5 Sportback: Practicality
If past is prologue, most buyers will compare the Gran Coupe with the 3 Series sedan or the A5 Sportback, but even against more conventional cars like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Genesis G70 or Volvo S60 the Gran Coupe has some practical advantages.
All of these options have plenty of room up front, and BMW’s seats are firm but supportive. Heated front and rear seats are optional, and adjustable lumbar support for the driver is an extra. But this is also the case on the 3 Series. BMW cabins are not as visually lush as those of Mercedes or Genesis, but the materials are top-notch and everything is laid out logically. BMW’s have always been businesslike and the A5 is similarly spare.
The Gran Coupe packs in 16.6 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the rear seats–that’s half a cube shy of the 330i and M340i, but quite a bit more than the PHEV 3 Series models. With the seats folded space expands to a vast 45.6 cubic-feet, which is 10 cubic-feet more than the A5 Sportback, 5 more than the Kia Stinger and three times most sedans. Like the A5, the seats fold in a flexible 40/20/40 setup.
For this huge cargo hold Gran Coupe buyers sacrifice one inch of rear-seat headroom (36.6 inches to the 3 Series 37.6) and just 0.3 inches of backseat legroom. There’s also an inch-and-a-half more rear legroom than in the previous-gen Gran Coupe.
The Gran Coupe’s rear seat doesn’t feel any more confining for a tall person (I’m 6-foot-4, so I qualify) than either the 3 Series or the A5 Sportback, and feels more open than that of the departed 2020 Gran Coupe. At my height, the rear seat wouldn’t be a ton of fun for hours at a time, but it’s just as good as a regular sedan for kids or adults under 6 feet. If there’s a demerit, it’s that the door openings aren’t as big as the 3 Series. That can make getting in and out awkward for tall people, but child car seats will fit.
When and How Much?
The 430i Gran Coupe starts at $45,795, including a $995 destination fee. Stepping up to the M440i Xdrive Gran Coupe is a leap to $58,995. That’s $3,750 more than the equivalent 330i and M340i, but the added practicality may be worth it even to some sedan stalwarts.
The more expensive M440i also includes the M Sport items that are optional on the 430, including an upgraded rear differential, bigger brakes, wheels and tires, a body kit and that rorty exhaust. Neither, however, includes some features that come standard on less-expensive cars. Adaptive cruise, heated seats, driver lumbar support, surround-view cameras and most of the fancier colors all cost extra.
For those who want to de-emphasize the grilles, darker colors and the $400 Shadowline blackout trim option (standard on the M440i) will help. Also, you can’t see them from the inside, where this car truly excels.
The 2022 4 Series Gran Coupe was slated to arrive at dealers in August, but chip-shortage delays pushed back the arrivals until this month. A spokesperson for BMW told Forbes Wheels that vehicles are in transit and should be in stock by the end of November.
