BMWM4

　　

2024 BMW M4 Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　, rating written byMichael CantuVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　The M4 is the coupe or convertible version of BMW's long-running M3 sedan. It's engineered to provide both an exhilarating driving experience and plenty of luxury and technology. Few premium brands offer a coupe and convertible with the power and performance of the M4. Changes for 2024 are limited to tech upgrades. BMW modernized the M4's interior with dual display screens that sit side by side (they were previously separate) behind one large curved screen. The infotainment system has also been upgraded to the brand's latest iDrive 8 interface.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 BMW M4 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$247/mo  for M4 Base

　　M4 Base

　　2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 6M) - $78,100 MSRPCompetition 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) - $82,200 MSRPCompetition xDrive 2dr Coupe AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $86,300 MSRPCompetition xDrive 2dr Convertible AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) - $93,300 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　

zzdcar spotlight: Configurations and track options

Unlike many high-performance luxury cars, the M4 gives drivers multiple configurations to choose from. The base model features a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, but if rowing gears isn't your thing, opt for the more powerful Competition model with an eight-speed automatic. And if all-wheel drive is needed, the Competition xDrive model has you covered. The standard M4 includes a multitude of performance upgrades, but if you plan on enjoying track days, the fade-resistant M carbon-ceramic brakes are a worthy upgrade. The M Drive Professional package is also a must for track days. It adds a Track mode, lap timer and the Drift Analyzer, a feature that tells drivers how well they are drifting.

　　

Competitors to consider

If you're set on having two doors, consider the highly capable Chevrolet Corvette. It's quicker to 60 mph, and it has better steering feel, a more comfortable ride and a lower starting price than the M4. The better-handling Porsche Cayman and more sophisticated Audi RS 5 coupe are two other alternatives. To help you decide if the M4 is right for you, check out our test team's thorough review in the zzdcar Expert Rating below. 

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the M4 drive? The new BMW M4 packs one magnificent engine. There's copious amounts of power from just off idle until redline, and turbo lag is fairly minimal. Competition models like our test vehicle get a slight bump in power along with some other small upgrades. In zzdcar' testing, the M4 Competition blasted from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 122.7 mph. That's on par with the latest Chevrolet Corvette and Mercedes-AMG C 63 coupe.

　　Our test car had the automatic transmission. It shifts crisply and reacts quickly when you need a downshift during aggressive driving, but it also works great for commuting around town too. The optional carbon-ceramic brakes (also on our test car) are fade-free even under hard driving. Our test car stopped from 60 mph in 106 feet, which is a little shorter than average for this class.

　　The standard adaptive suspension does a good job of keeping the car planted when you're hammering around turns, but we found the firmest setting to be a bit too stiff on the street. Our main complaint is the steering. While it's an improvement over the last M4, it lacks the level of feedback and precision you'll find elsewhere.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the M4? As with any performance car, comfort is a relative term. The M4 Competition's ride is firm, but it's better tuned and more compliant than some of BMW's other M Competition models. The standard adaptive suspension manages most situations well, absorbing impacts without rattling your teeth. Its stiffest setting is too much for public roads, but it's easy to dial it back. Noise and vibration are low for a performance car. It's not whisper-quiet, but the M4 is more refined than its burbly exhaust might suggest.

　　Our test vehicle had the optional carbon-fiber bucket front seats. These snug, lightweight seats are thin on padding and have a small bump in the seat bottom that fits between the driver's legs. BMW's designers presumably added it to boost lateral support when cornering, or maybe because they just thought it would look cool. But our shorter drivers (under 6 feet tall) found it bothersome. Consider sticking with the standard M4 seats.

　　The climate control system works fairly well, though we found it runs a bit on the warm side. The controls are mostly easy to use, though the lack of a dedicated sync button to equalize both sizes of the dual-zone system seems like an oversight.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below