Skip advert
Advertisement

Used BMW 4 Series (Mk1, 2014-2020) review - What do owners think? 

BMWs are usually well made and very safe, but long-term reliability is on shakier ground

RRP
£44,925 £62,365
Avg. savings
£4,338 off RRP*
Find your BMW 4 Series
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

BMW 4 Series owners tend to fall into one of two camps: private or company. The latter is likely to choose a diesel engine for pounding Britain’s motorways, while private buyers might opt for one of the excellent petrol engines. Owners rate the car for its connectivity and low running costs, but are less satisfied with the reliability and exterior finish. Be wary when buying a low-mileage 4 Series diesel, as future DPF issues could be on the cards. Indeed, you should opt for a petrol version if you intend to spend most of your time on short trips.

Reliability

The 4 Series finished in 54th place (out of the 75 cars ranked) in our 2018 Driver Power satisfaction survey, which is a considerable fall from its position in 2015, where it came 19th. That said, the 4 Series is growing older, so you would expect it to lose places to newer, more modern cars.

BMW as a whole finished 21st out of the 26 manufacturers which ranked. Putting it above Vauxhall, Fiat and Citroen, but below Audi, Volvo and Jaguar.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In our latest 2021 survey, the BMW 4 Series finished 56th out of 75 cars, while BMW finished a disappointing 21st out of 29 cars on the list of manufacturers. A warm welcome and excellent service are two things you can’t guarantee at a BMW dealer.

Tell us about your car in the Driver Power survey...

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £44,925
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £44,925
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    M440i xDrive MHT 2dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £62,365
Select car
Senior test editor

Dean has been part of the Auto Express team for more than 20 years, and has worked across nearly all departments, starting on magazine production, then moving to road tests and reviews. He's our resident van expert, but covers everything from scooters and motorbikes to supercars and consumer products.

New & used car deals

BMW 4 Series

BMW 4 Series

RRP £45,195Avg. savings £4,338 off RRP*Used from £17,094
BMW 3 Series

BMW 3 Series

RRP £34,260Avg. savings £4,070 off RRP*Used from £11,990
Audi A6

Audi A6

RRP £39,640Avg. savings £7,364 off RRP*Used from £16,899
Audi A4

Audi A4

RRP £32,725Used from £13,295
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival
Citroen Holidays - front

New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival

The new Citroen Holidays is the perfect option for those that want to camp on a budget
Road tests
15 Apr 2025
New Subaru Outback morphs into an SUV for Mk7 generation
Subaru Outback New York - front

New Subaru Outback morphs into an SUV for Mk7 generation

The boxer engine and off-road focus has been retained despite the Outback’s new SUV look
News
17 Apr 2025
Long live the Kia K4: striking hatch set to replace the Ceed in Europe
New Kia K4 hatchback at the New York Auto Show - front

Long live the Kia K4: striking hatch set to replace the Ceed in Europe

The new Kia K4 hatchback is the petrol-powered replacement for the family-friendly Ceed
News
16 Apr 2025