BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé: The Four-Door Fastback That Gets Everything Right

There's a particular kind of car that BMW does better than almost anyone: the four-door fastback. Where a saloon sits upright and a coupé sacrifices rear space for drama, the Gran Coupé threads the needle — genuinely stylish roofline, four proper full-size doors, and a boot you can actually use. The 4 Series Gran Coupé LCI (Life Cycle Impulse — BMW's term for a mid-cycle facelift) arrived for the 2025 model year, and it sharpens an already strong formula.

What's New for 2025

The changes BMW made to the G26 LCI are deliberately restrained — this is a car that was already well-proportioned, so the update focuses on refinement rather than reinvention. Up front, the kidney grille gets a new horizontal bar design with a black high-gloss surround, replacing the previous vertical slats. The LED headlight signatures are reworked too, giving the car a slightly crisper, more upmarket look at night.

Inside, the biggest single upgrade is the move to iDrive 8.5. The curved dual-screen display — combining a 12.3-inch driver display with a 14.9-inch central touchscreen in a single glass panel — gains the QuickSelect shortcut bar and a reorganised home screen that makes the most commonly used functions genuinely quick to reach. It's a meaningful improvement over iDrive 8.0 in everyday use, not just a software rebadge.

The M440i also gains a flat-bottomed steering wheel and revised seat materials, bringing it closer in feel to the full M models without the M Division pricing.

The Engine: 374hp and a Mild-Hybrid Assist

The M440i remains the pick of the range. Its 3.0-litre turbocharged B58 inline-six now works with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, pairing a small electric motor with the drivetrain to eliminate turbo lag at low revs and recover energy under braking. The result is 374 horsepower and 500Nm of torque, with a 0–62mph sprint of 4.4 seconds in xDrive four-wheel-drive form — or 4.7 seconds in the rear-wheel-drive version, which is the more engaging driver's car.

The B58 is one of the best engines BMW has ever built: linear power delivery, a genuinely satisfying sound under load, and real refinement when you want to cruise. At motorway speeds, road and wind noise are impressively suppressed, making the Gran Coupé a relaxed long-distance machine as well as a capable sprint car.

Below the M440i sit the 420i (184hp), the 430i (245hp), and the 420d diesel. UK prices run from around £43,000 for the 420i Sport to approximately £57,000 for the fully specified M440i xDrive — strong value for what the car offers.

Four Doors, One Boot, Full Practicality

The Gran Coupé's 470-litre boot, accessed via a proper tailgate rather than a saloon-style lid, makes a convincing argument against anyone who considers a two-door coupé for real-world use. Four adults fit comfortably, rear headroom is adequate for most passengers, and the wide tailgate opening makes loading luggage straightforward. This is a car you'd willingly take on a long weekend away in the Cotswolds or down to Cornwall without feeling like you've made a compromise.

Top Gear noted that nothing in the BMW range "stretches a band across the three legs of drivability, style and practicality" quite like the 4 Series Gran Coupé — and it's hard to argue with that.

Electric Alternative: The BMW i4

It's worth knowing that the Gran Coupé shares its body with the fully electric i4, which uses the same body but rides on a different platform with a large underfloor battery. The i4 M50 produces 544hp and covers up to 318 miles — a compelling option for those committed to electric motoring who still want the Gran Coupé's proportions.

The Avant Drive Angle

The 4 Series Gran Coupé sits in the compact executive class, a step below our BMW 520i M Sport — which is the car to hire when you want the full G60-generation executive saloon experience. Our BMW 520i M Sport is available for self-drive from £160 per day from Bristol, or with nationwide delivery to your door. For corporate events, airport transfers or a weekend escape, it delivers everything the 4 Series Gran Coupé points towards — with more rear space and a larger presence on the road. Browse our full fleet to find the right car for your journey.