Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW 8 Series review - Practicality, comfort and boot space

The 8 Series has a large boot, but if you're prioritising practicality then you'll need the four-door Gran Coupe model

Overall Auto Express Rating

4.0 out of 5

Practicality, comfort and boot space Rating

3.8 out of 5

Price
£84,095 to £134,955
Find your BMW 8 Series
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
9/10 sellers got the price they expected
Advertisement

If you can handle its overall size – the 8 Series is longer than some SUVs – this is a practical grand touring machine for two passengers. It’s nominally a four-seater, but humans with legs will not enjoy attempting to access the rear seats. Up front there are plenty of practical touches though, with twin cup-holders, a big glovebox and decently-sized door pockets. In spite of the car’s dimensions, practicality is helped by automatic parking assistance and all-round parking sensors and cameras.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Grand Coupe model is almost as long as the executive 7 Series, and so offers more practicality and space for passengers to travel in comfort.

Size

At 4,843mm long and 1,902mm wide, there’s no doubt the 8 Series takes up lots of space in the garage. From a size perspective it splits the difference between a Mercedes S-Class Coupe and the Aston Martin DB11. The Porsche 911 is noticeably smaller at 4,499mm x 1,808mm.

The extended wheelbase of the Grand Coupe means overall length comes in at over 5 metres, while it's also slightly taller.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Nobody will complain about the passenger space in the front seats. You sit quite low and there’s a cosy feel thanks to the broad transmission tunnel, but there’s plenty of leg, elbow and headroom. The seats are supremely comfortable and supportive, and there’s plenty of adjustment in both the seats and the steering wheel.

The situation in the back couldn’t be more different. There’s virtually no legroom at all, even for children, and the car’s swoopy roofline means headroom is also severely compromised.

Rear access in the Gran Coupe is much improved over the standard two-door model. Two rear passengers can sit in complete comfort, while there is a middle seat for use on shorter journeys.

Boot

The BMW 8 Series boot is definitely a good size, and with 420-litres of luggage space it outdoes some family hatchbacks. True, the shallow opening of the boot lid means it’s not the most practical space to access, but for the luxury coupe class, it’s not too bad. Choose the convertible and the capacity shrinks to 350 litres.

You even get 50:50 split-fold rear seats that are operated from inside the boot when you need more space. The boot lid is power assisted for hands-free operation, too.

The Gran Coupe offers an extra 20 litres of boot space, while the rear seats split in a 40:20:40 arrangement for increased practicality.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    840i sDrive 2dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £71,725

Most Economical

  • Name
    840d xDrive MHT M Sport 2dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £77,260

Fastest

  • Name
    M850i xDrive 2dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • Price
    £101,290
Executive editor

Paul was employed across automotive agency and manufacturer-side sectors before joining Auto Express in 2020 as our online reviews editor. After a brief sojourn at a national UK newspaper, Paul returned as executive editor where he now works closely with our commercial partners.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024