Since its debut, the BMW 4 Series has had some mixed reviews. On one had, it’s a fun, sporty coupe that is comfortable enough for everyday driving but can also handle a mountain road. On the other hand, there’s another car in the BMW lineup that does the same thing, only better — the BMW 2 Series. So the idea of an entry-level 4 Series doesn’t really ignite the enthusiast fanbase. So is the BMW 430i worth getting? Edmunds finds out in this new video.
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If you’re looking for performance, the answer is no. In Edmunds’ testing, they found that a manual-equipped BMW 430i is actually slower to 60 mph than a V6-powered Camry that costs $10,000 less. However, its little 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder is punchy enough for everyday driving and the fact that it does have a manual transmission makes it a bit more fun than its numbers suggest. Even if its manual isn’t the best.
The BMW 430i is a nice coupe to drive everyday, though, as it’s comfortable, luxurious and, with said manual gearbox, entertaining enough. But the problem with it is that a car dubbed the “Ultimate Driving Machine”, entertaining enough isn’t, well, good enough. And that’s evident at the track.
Edmunds’ Mark Takahashi took the BMW 430i to their own proving ground to put the 430i through its paces on a track. Yes, the manual transmission helps it be a bit more fun but its mushy brake pedal and lack of limited-slip rear diff means it isn’t as fun as it should be. It’s a fine handling car but it just isn’t what you’d expect from a BMW. Even a BMW 230i with a manual would be more fun.
If you’re thinking “Nico, you’re an idiot. No one is going to take a BMW 430i to a race track”, I’d say you’re right on both accounts. Having said that, though, every BMW coupe should at least have the ability to be entertaining on track, whether or not that’s its intended purpose. Every BMW should be fun when you can open it up and push it hard, even if it isn’t going to set blistering lap times. It still needs to put a smile on the driver’s face and Takahashi seems almost bored driving it.
However, at the as-tested price of their 430i, Takahashi points out that you could have a BMW M2 and that car is considerably more fun. But if you need something less hardcore than the M2, the BMW 230i will fulfill the same duties as the 430i just with a bit more enthusiasm. Oh, and less money.
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The article is about the 430i, but the two posted pics are of a 420d.
The 3ers and 4ers have become meh cars… The 2ers are the driver’s cars.
I think lack of stock images on 430i, but we can search for one.
Not a bad review. Specing a manual in such a car is questionable of course. The ZF8 and the Mercedes 9speed are so good they make a stickshifter feel like an alien element in such a car. No question that a 4pot is poverty spec in the 4 series and out of place. The Inline 6 sounds and feels so much more fitting, though the turbocharged 4pot is plenty fast – 6 seceonds to 62 is NOT a slow car and you would not really go faster with the larger engine. It’a really about philosophy.
6 is more than most drivers need. But definitely preferable.
Really not sure how they managed to only do 0-60 in 6.3, Car and Driver hit 5.7 with a manual. Should be even faster with an auto.
One thing that car journalists and enthusiasts get wrapped up in is overall performance. You have to remember that a majority of buyers don’t have a demand for massive performance. I work at a BMW center, and in the 4-series lineup the 430i outsells every other 4-series trim by a large margin. I usually have people drive the 430i first and a majority are perfectly satisfied with the performance, it’s more than enough for a daily driver. To say this is slow is a bit ridiculous, it pretty much matches straight line performance of an early 90’s Ferrari 348.
If you don’t think that’s enough performance, then good news! They offer the 440i and M4 for exactly that reason. So don’t be quick to dismiss the 430i as a bad car just because it doesn’t meet a single specific requirement for some drivers.
Exactly!
Back when 330i/530i “downgraded” to 328i/528i, multiple journals observed improved performance from lesser displacement. More recently I’ve repeatedly read that BMW’s programming of their auto. 4 cyl. Is superior to competition’s similar configuration. As much as I love their I6, 4 works as well. Since 2002!