Sometimes in sports, winning ugly is better than not winning at all. For instance, let’s say a team wins the game but they didn’t necessarily beat the other opponent outright in any one thing, they just didn’t make any glaring mistakes. Take the 2016 Super Bowl wining Denver Broncos, for example. They weren’t great on offense, and actually were kind of bad, but their defense was stout and they were able to pull off a Super Bowl win. It wasn’t pretty but they got their Lombardi Trophy. That’s sort of the BMW 4 Series at the moment and that may seem like faint praise but no one’s gonna argue a win.
In a recent review by Top Gear, they claim the BMW 4 Series to be the best car in its class, especially now that it’s received its mid-cycle LCI refresh, because it’s just an overall better driving experience than anything else. It’s not that the 4 Series blows its competition away in any area but it’s just so solid in every area that it never really falls down.
While the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe is better looking to many and has a flashier cabin, it just doesn’t handle as well as the 4 Series. Its steering isn’t as sharp, its chassis isn’t as playful and its powertrain options aren’t as good. All the while, the C-Class’ added comfort isn’t that much greater than the 4 Series’, so the Bimmer is the better overall car, according to TG.
Same goes the for Audi A5. The new A5 is a sharp looking car with a smart cabin and brilliant build quality. But it’s not as exciting as the 4 Series and isn’t the driver’s car. It’s better than the C-Class when it comes to spirited driving, but it’s not as comfortable. It’s sort of the middle-man between the BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The BMW 4 Series feels like a sports car from the moment you slink into its low seat. Its driving position is spot on, with a low seating position and a steering wheel that comes right to the center of the driver’s chest and great sightlines. However, it doesn’t beat you up like a sports car. It stays supple and comfortable enough for everyday driving that it never feels compromised. There’s also very usable back seat space for two adults and a large trunk. It’s the sporty coupe you can own and live with every single day. While the other cars in the class can make similar claims, none of them do it with the same sportiness of the BMW 4 Series.
It won’t blow you away or light your hair on fire, but it will just deliver, day in and day out, on everything you need it to. And it will do so in more areas that the other cars. So it might not be the Super Bowl 51 New England Patriots, putting up points like its Tecmo Bowl, but it will win with great defense and solid play.
[Source: Top Gear]
Disagree with TG. Having few BMWs in my drive way it happens I have Merc C class coupe as well. It is great car and for many reasons is better than BMW 4. I sold BMW 4 to buy Merc C coupe and it was great decision. I am not the one driving it every day but person who does is super happy and I have to admit he is right to do so.
BMW 4 is trying to be sport car every day and C class is rather GT car than sport one. Comfort is way better in Merc as well as interior is another class. Sometimes u don’t need to have car ready to take every corner as sharp as possible because u just want to drive from place A to place B in great looking car in compfort. Guess what Merc C coupe is exacly that. Probably isn’t very good on track days etc but who cares about track days with regular car.
This review from TG are many times completely opposite from what regular driver may expect. They trying so hard they forget what is really important for most people.
This car is one of the few stars in today’s BMW line up.
Those interiors have become even more beautiful with the passage of time.
The 4 series interior is boring and safe.
Hi John. I certainly respect your viewpoint. The current generation F3X 3 and 4 Series interior is my favorite of all the BMW’s modern I’ve had over the years. The interior is the the right balance of purposefulness and understated elegance. The ergonomics are intuitive and I instantly feel comfortable when I get in and start driving. There are very few cars where I get the same feeling.
I have to agree with you. Although I don’t have the LCI, I’m enjoying my 435i ZHP Edition. The performance power kit and limited slip differential are nice upgrades. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/81fd7487cdbd33ee81f44f11ecdd79e82f87fe0bf440a8d50ad939a747effdeb.jpg
This is good news for BMW. They should be very thankful that Porsche doesn’t make a front-engined, two-door, four-seat coupe.
[…] Download Image More @ http://www.bmwblog.com […]