BMW 4 Series Convertible Review 2024

Despite our weather, we love convertibles in the UK and while there are plenty of two-seat sports cars around, there are fewer options if you want four seats and some practicality.

The BMW 4 Series Convertible ticks the boxes for those desiring performance and comfort, along with the joy of open-top motoring. It's one of the best convertible cars around. As we'll explain in our BMW 4 Series Convertible review.

Four-seat convertibles always look like a great option. After all, who doesn’t want to be able to share the open-top, wind-in-your-hair experience of a convertible with friends?

The trouble is those back seats often don’t have much legroom, so unless you are just driving your friends home from a night out, they aren’t going to be so friendly after having their limbs squashed in.

The BMW 4 Series Convertible and the 3 Series before it have always been popular choices, providing reasonable legroom for those in the back unless a tall adult is in the driver’s seat. It’s a potential family car option too, with room for the kids, decent space in the boot and a good level of comfort.

The latest generation of BMW 4 Series Convertible arrived in 2019 and with it came the buck-toothed grille. We don’t mind saying that we aren’t fans, but we are getting used to it and one person’s ugly is another person’s beautiful. So let’s just leave it at that.

The BMW 4 Series Convertible is a great all-rounder, delivering supple comfort around town, then rewarding the enthusiastic driver with typical BMW driving dynamics beyond city limits.

Plus it has space and practicality for four. BMW has dropped the diesel engines and the petrol 430i from the range, leaving the 420i as the sensible option, then the performance pairing of the M440i and M4 Competition.

It doesn’t have too many similar-sized convertible rivals, with Audi having dropped its A5 Convertible and the Lexus LC costing over twice as much.

There is the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet, although this will be replaced by a CLE convertible in 2024 (which brings together both the C-Class and E-Class drop-tops in one model). Alternatively, there are plenty of two-seat sports convertibles on the market if you decide you don’t really need the space.

What do others think of the BMW 4 Series Convertible? Check out our Owners' Reviews from people who live with this car every day.

The BMW 4 Series Convertible is great at delivering a rewarding drive, whether that drive is the mundane daily commute, an enthusiastic run through the countryside or enjoying a summer’s day with the top down. It’s superbly engineered to be an all-rounder and this comes through in how it drives.

All models are equipped with M Sport suspension as standard, as well as a number of driving modes. The engineers have done a fine job of keeping things comfortable, although with the top down you will feel a bit of body-flex on some bumpier back roads.

The 420i is the best if you want a daily commuter, delivering great comfort with a bit of performance. Push it hard on open roads and it will reward you with a lively and precise drive, but you won’t be surprised to find you’ll have the most fun in the M440i or M4.

Both deliver plenty of grip, while the Sport settings and active rear differential allow for some fun in the corners when you feel like being more enthusiastic. Combine that with dropping the roof and you have a performance convertible that is the best in its class – and one that is happy to let you have fun on any road.

All versions of the BMW 4 Series Convertible have petrol engines, starting with the 420i M Sport. Its maximum power of 187PS is available between 5,000-6,500rpm, with 300Nm of torque from 1350-4000rpm.

Performance is reasonable, with a 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds. Like many BMWs, it uses the superb eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. It’s a great engine for everyday use, but if you want something more athletic, you’ll need to look further up the range.

With the 430i convertible no longer available, it’s a big jump in price and power to the M440i xDrive, which uses 48V mild hybrid tech and has all-wheel drive.

Power is 379PS at 5,500-6,500rpm and torque is 500Nm between 1900rpm and 5000rpm, enough to give it a 0-62mph sprint time of 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 155mph. The 48V system also provides an additional 11PS of boost power for overtaking, or quicker acceleration from standing start.

It’s a wonderful combination, with an engine that is willing to respond instantly to acceleration requests and a chassis and suspension that allow for some enthusiastic driving, especially in one of the sportier driving modes.

At the top of the range sits the mighty BMW M4 Competition Convertible. It serves up 517PS and 650Nm of torque.

In just 3.7 seconds, you can have the wind racing through your hair at 62mph, but we don’t recommend hitting the top speed of 155mph with the top down. Adaptive suspension and various driving modes allow you to set the car up exactly the way you want, with the engine willing to be fairly docile in town, then raucous when you seek that BMW driving pleasure on the open road.

The BMW 4 Series Convertible gets all the main safety kit, including front and side airbags, a rollover protection system and Isofix child seat anchor points.

Then there’s the electronic stuff such as Dynamic Traction Control, Cornering Brake Control and Performance Control, all of which have a range of settings to suit your driving mood.

Lane-departure warning with steering assistance is standard, as is park-distance control, autonomous emergency braking, a reversing camera and reversing assistance. It all helped gain the BMW 4 Series Convertible a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.

All models have the ability to tow a 750kg unbraked trailer. The 420i will pull a maximum of 1600kg braked, but it’s not going to be thrilled about it, while the M440i will take up to 1800kg braked. BMW offers an optional original equipment towbar, at a cost of £935 when you order the car. Some aftermarket options are available, too.

If you are looking for a spacious and practical four- or five-seater, the BMW 4 Series Convertible isn't going to be a match for a BMW 3 Series saloon or BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.

If you can do without the space they provide, the 4 Series makes for one of the most practical convertible models available, with a good interior and plenty of boot space, lots of storage cubbies around the cabin, premium build quality and a soft-top that is well insulated and easy to operate.

How easy, we hear you ask? Well, it weighs less than a folding hard-top and it will open or close in just 18 seconds at speeds up to 31mph –  ideal if you suddenly get caught in a rain shower.

It’s a multi-layer fabric roof that is great at insulating occupants from external noise when it’s closed. When it is, you get the full 385 litres of boot space, although that drops to 300 litres when the roof is stowed. That’s still considerably more than the folding hard-top of the previous-generation BMW 4 Series Convertible, which took up most of the boot.

The driving position is perfect, and when the roof is down the interior is reasonably well shielded from the wind.

The back seats are comfortable and, with a 41mm longer wheelbase than the previous generation, the legroom is sufficient for most adults, although it can be a little cramped for taller folk – and slightly claustrophobic when the roof is up.

Premium finishes go with the territory when you buy a BMW. The materials all feel top-notch, with soft touch plastics, neatly trimmed leather and some nicely contrasting pieces of metal or metal-look plastic. Some of the buttons in the centre of the dashboard can feel a bit loose, but generally the feeling is one of solid build quality throughout.

BMW’s latest generation of its iDrive infotainment system is superb, with the choice of a rotary controller in the centre console or the 10.25-inch touchscreen mounted high up on the dashboard.

The screen is easy to read, with clear menus and icons, and is intuitive when it comes to navigating your way around it. Combined with the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, you can display audio, navigation, vehicle settings or things like the weather or news headlines.

There’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity if you want to mirror the look and apps of your smartphone, and the BMW 4 Series Convertible has a voice assistant so you have someone to talk to when you’re alone in the car.

All models also benefit from over-the-air remote updates. It all works really well and keeps you connected, or you can just turn it all off and enjoy the drive.

At the time of writing, prices for the BMW 4 Series Convertible start at £48,860 for the 420i. Go for the superb performance of the M440i xDrive and you’ll shell out anything from £63,330. If you want to go all-in on sporty open-top motoring, the M4 Competition starts at £88,975.

There’s no such thing as a standard price, though, thanks to BMW’s extensive options list. Tick away and you could see a big increase in the purchase price. However, the optional packs do help soften the blow.

All versions are now petrol, but it is possible to get decent fuel consumption through sensible daily use. The 420i is capable of achieving 40mpg, but not surprisingly that figure drops quite a bit with the M440i (35mpg) and even more in the M4 Competition. The latter can average 27.7mpg if you’re conservative with the loud pedal.

Emissions range from 154g/km to 231g/km, which means a first-year VED figure of between £645 and £2220. With all models costing more than, you’ll be liable for the luxury car tax in years two to five, plus an annual tax of £570 across the range.

Insurance costs will vary immensely, with the 420i in group 33 (out of 50 groups in total), the M440i in group 43 and the M4 Competition convertible in group 46.

Maintenance costs are comparable to those of rivals, and BMW offers a service plan at a cost of £836 to cover all the basic jobs throughout a fixed period.

BMW has dropped the diesel models due to low demand, as the market moves towards petrol and electrified vehicles. Sadly, it has also cut the superb 430i from the line-up, again citing a lack of demand. That leaves the BMW 420i, BMW M440i xDrive and BMW M4.

All models have M Sport equipment as standard. This includes the M Sport body kit and 18-inch wheels, M Sport suspension, Vernasca leather sports seats with electrical adjustment and an M Sport leather-covered steering wheel.

Other standard equipment includes ambient lighting, a welcome light when you unlock the car at night, the BMW Live Cockpit Professional infotainment system and digital instrument cluster, three-zone climate control and reversing assistance.

BMW 4 Series M Sport Pro specification is an option on the 420i and standard on the M440i and M4. This includes black 19-inch alloys, darkened headlights, M seatbelts, Adaptive M Suspension, a Sprint Mode and a more sporty engine sound inside the car, although it’s not all ‘real’ noise.

The BMW M440i adds M Sport brakes and an M Sport rear differential, which are also fitted to the M4. That gets a few more exterior bodywork additions, too.

There’s a typically BMW long list of options, but there are some useful packs to help you avoid ticking too many boxes.

These include a Visibility Pack with laserlights, a Technology Pack with a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system and a head-up display, and the Technology Plus Pack, which has a built-in drive recorder and more driving assistance features. There’s also a Comfort Pack with a warm air collar to keep your neck toasty when the top’s down in winter.