Pros

• Motors that are strong and don’t waste fuel.
• You don’t have to give up sporty driving for comfort.
• Huge space for cargo.

Cons

• It’s hard to line up the front part of the car when the hood is flat.
• People too tall for the standard sunroof can’t get this one.

How was the 4 Series made? It was time to test the M440i roadster with rear-wheel drive. In our tests, it went from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, a full second faster than a 430i coupe with similar equipment that we also tried. It is a powerful car. Also, the acceleration is strong at highway speeds. The car stopped from 60 mph in 109 feet, a few feet longer than the 430i, even though it weighed about 500 pounds less.

Sadly, the brakes are hard to use at low speeds, and you need a light foot to slow down gently. The 430i’s automatic engine stop-start system works better than the M440i’s, but the M440i doesn’t have a separate off button.

When moving quickly, it can be hard to see where the steering is going. Even though other cars aren’t much better, it’s still a little disappointing in a BMW. Handling is one of the best things about the 4 Series. It stays calm even in tight turns, and the traction control doesn’t step in often. With an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and always seems to be in the right gear, this car is easy to drive.

How cozy does the 4 Series feel? BMW makes some of the best front seats on the market. They are comfortable, and they have a lot of choices that let you make your sitting position, like thigh extension and side bolster angle.

The adjustable suspension on the M440i makes the ride very smooth. Also, the wind and tires make little noise. Only the weather system is really to blame. The tri-zone idea works well for this size of convertible, but the automatic feature doesn’t change the fan speed. A choice on the touchscreen also hides the sync feature.

How is the inside? People who already drive a BMW will know the 4 Series cabin, but people who need to become more familiar with how BMWs are designed might find it scary. Even though there are a lot of buttons, most of the tools are set up in a way that makes sense. In the same way, the iDrive infotainment system’s options are hard to understand at first, but most of the features you use every day are just a few clicks away. People who are drinking inside will find it hard to reach their phone because the charging pad for smartphones is right in front of the cupholders.

The front seat has a lot of space, but the back seat is so small that it could be more helpful. The convertible is better for taller drivers than the coupe because it has no sunroof that takes up space.

It needs to be clarified at the beginning. It’s hard to get the front of the car in the right place because the hood is flat, and the side view mirrors can get in the way when you’re going left. The giant rear roof pillars of the convertible also make it hard to see out the back.

How is the technology? It is customary for smartphones to connect wirelessly through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It worked perfectly in our test vehicle. The charging pad and the four USB ports are always ready to charge. The GPS shows Yelp reviews for places that aren’t homes, which is helpful. There is too much map information on the screen, which is a shame. Get ready for a sea of red, yellow, and green if traffic is turned on. Major roads are marked even when the map is zoomed out.

The voice control technology is very good at picking up spoken names and questions about points of interest. The Harman Kardon music system that comes with the 4 Series is also perfect, making the sound that is full and surrounds you.

How is the storage situation right now? There are 13.6 cubic feet of room in the trunk of the 4 Series convertible, which is a bit more than the Mercedes C-Class convertible and a bit more than the Audi A5 and S5 convertibles. The BMW’s pass-through is tight, but the back seats can be folded to make more room for things. A wall separates the trunk space for the folded convertible top from the rest of the space. If the top is left up, though, you can use the whole space.

The trunk space inside this convertible is ample for its size. There are different trays and compartments, as well as storage options for people in the seats.

It should be easy to put a child seat in a four-seater if you want to buy one because you plan to have kids. Just make sure the top is down. A kid’s seat in the back will not fit if an adult is in the front seat. The adult will have to move forward.

How well does the fuel work? The EPA says the M440i convertible with an automatic engine will get 26 mpg on the highway. That’s impressive for a car of this quality. The EPA says the Audi S5 Cabriolet gets four mpg less, and the Mercedes-AMG C 43 gets five less. But keep in mind that both cars come with all-wheel drive, which makes them less fuel-efficient. Even worse, the Ford Mustang GT convertible only gets 18 miles per gallon overall. Our 115-mile test loop got 26.3 mpg, which shows that the EPA’s predictions can be met in real-world drive.

Should you buy the 4 Series? There is a lot of money spent on the 4 Series Roadster. It cost a massive $73,120 for our test car, an M440i with some but not all the bells and whistles. Prices start at a little more than $54,000. That costs about the same as a Mercedes-AMG C 43 convertible and a little more than an Audi S5 convertible of the same body style. But when it comes to dynamic speed, specialty sports cars like the Porsche 718 Boxster and Corvette Stingray convertible are better. If you need a car with four seats, the Ford Mustang GT has the same speed for less money. Some features inside the 4 Series could be better for the money, even though it is well-built.

BMW has a bumper-to-bumper guarantee that lasts for four years and 50,000 miles, just like Mercedes and Audi. It’s nicer than its straight competitors because the first three maintenance visits are on them for free.

The M440i’s smooth inline-six engine is excellent. There is a strong push and a throaty, burbly exhaust tone. You can save about $10,000, and the 430i isn’t that much slower. The 430i’s engine stop-start function can be turned off with just one button click. (Switching between driving modes works because the M440i doesn’t have a button.)

No one has yet come across someone who likes the front end of the 4 Series. We will say this, though: it’s unique. The 4 Series can also be ordered in a dark color if you want the grille to stand out less. Aside from that, the convertible is a good, well-rounded, and fun car to drive.

You’ll like the M440i’s more power and features if you spend an extra $10,000. But the standard 430i model will work fine for most of the time. It has many features out of the box and could be updated to have most of the M440i’s features.

BMW 4 Series Cars

The 2024 BMW 4 Series comes in four trim levels: 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i, and M440i xDrive. The coupe and convertible both have two doors. The version of the Gran Coupe with four doors is looked at separately. The 430i models have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The M440i models have a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that produces 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Both of the motors are connected to a transmission that has eight different gear ratios. On xDrive models, all-wheel drive is not standard but can be added as an option.