2021 BMW M4 Review

　　

2021 BMW M4 Review

byReese CountsVehicle 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 2021 BMW M4 is the coupe variant of the M3 sedan, which has enjoyed a storied history among driving enthusiasts for decades. The M4 (and M3) has been fully redesigned for 2021. The formula is simple and the same as before: Take a 4 Series coupe, stuff a monster turbocharged inline-six under the hood, and beef up the suspension and driveline to help put all that power to the road.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 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) - $71,800 MSRPCompetition 2dr Coupe (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $74,700 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　The new engine produces 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. If a 48-horsepower increase over the previous M4 isn't spicy enough for you, step up to the Competition model with 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. The M4 also gets wider fenders that cover lightweight wheels and a carbon-fiber roof to lower the car's center of gravity. Inside, the new M4 looks similar to the standard 4 Series, though aggressively bolstered sport seats, a M Sport steering wheel and a few other touches let you know you're driving something special.

　　Naturally, there are a few rivals you might also want to consider. Besides fellow German sport coupes such as the Mercedes-AMG C 63 coupe and Audi RS 5, there are more traditional sports cars including the Porsche 718 Cayman, Chevrolet Corvette and top-level versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. What's going to be the best one for you? Read our Expert Rating below to get our take on the new M4's performance, tech features and even the new grille design.

　　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.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? Getting in and out of the M4 can be a pain given the long doors and low seating. But once you're inside, everything seems to come together nicely. The front seats offer lots of adjustment for head- and legroom. Even the rear seat is spacious for adults, at least on short trips. The steering wheel and pedals are perfectly placed for enthusiastic driving. Forward visibility is fine for a coupe, but you'll need the large mirrors and rearview camera to help when backing up because of the blind spots caused by the rear roof pillars.

　　All major controls are easy to see and reach. The plethora of buttons can look overly busy, but we do appreciate BMW sticking with physical buttons and knobs rather than stuffing everything into the touchscreen interface.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The M4 features the latest in-car tech BMW has to offer. The standard navigation system is one of the better systems on the market, though its constant traffic updates get annoying. If you prefer to run things from your phone, the M4 offers Apple CarPlay (with wireless connectivity) and Android Auto integration. The M4 also has both USB-A and USB-C ports for both charging and phone connection. You can also use a decent list of voice commands to do things like change the radio or input an address into the navigation system.

　　The M4 comes with a mix of standard and optional driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and parking sensors. Overall, BMW does a nice job of tuning these features to be helpful without being overly sensitive.

　　

Storage

8.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The M4 offers an impressive amount of storage. The trunk space is pretty roomy, and the opening is wide and tall. The rear seats fold down to open the space up further. It's arguably even more impressive inside, with large door pockets and a large center console bin. Even rear passengers have small storage bins.

　　Got small kids and need to install a child safety seat? That back seat should provide a reasonable amount of room, though the long doors might make getting a kid in and out a bit of a pain. The seat anchors are easy to find and connect to.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The BMW M4 gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg combined (16 city, 23 highway). That's close to the bottom of an already somewhat thirsty class. That said, we saw much better fuel economy during our testing, including an impressive 26.6 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route. That's better than we've seen in nearly all of the competition.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the M4 a good value? This is a real sticky spot. The BMW M4 Competition is priced right on par with direct rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S coupe and Audi RS 5. But our car was loaded with more than $25,000 in extra options. That's a lot of dough and it still didn't have an upgraded audio system or adaptive cruise control. Value drops even further when you consider performance cars such as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.

　　BMW includes a four-year/50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranty, which is average for the class. You do get an excellent four years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance and three years/36,000 miles of service visits.

　　

Wildcard

7.5/10

　　Right, so about the M4's new grille ... Looks are subjective, but that massive twin grille just does not work for us or really anyone we've asked. We even asked BMW, and its reps said M4 buyers want a car that looks different from the non-M models. Well, on that front, the automaker succeeded. If we were buying an M4, we'd get it in a dark color to better blend in the grille. The rest of the car looks like a scaled-down BMW M8, and not in a bad way. There are some excellent paint and interior colors to choose from too.

　　We might be more willing to overlook that face if the M4 was a bit better to drive. While we're big fans of this new engine, the disconnected steering left us wanting more. It's supremely fast and capable, but it doesn't provide quite the same thrills as cars such as the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S coupe, Ford Mustang Mach 1 and Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0.

　　

Which M4 does zzdcar recommend?

Do you have a "save the manuals!" tattoo on your right arm? Well, the standard M4 is the only way to go. But for everyone else there's a good case to be made for the M4 Competition. Although it's only available with an automatic, it gets a significant bump in performance and is available with more optional features. The price jump between the two is relatively small, making the Competition even more appealing. We suggest going with the Executive package no matter which model you're considering.

　　

2021 BMW M4 models

The 2021 BMW M4 Coupe is available in two trim levels: Coupe and Competition. Both models are powered by a new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder that produces 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque in the standard model and 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque in the M4 Competition. Both trims are rear-wheel-drive. (Starting in 2022, BMW will offer all-wheel drive for the first time in the M4.)

　　A six-speed manual transmission, a rarity these days, is standard in the coupe. An eight-speed automatic is optional on the standard model and the only available transmission on the Competition.

　　M4 Coupe

　　Standard features include:

　　18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels with performance tires Adjustable drive modes M Sport rear differential for improved traction Adaptive suspension dampers (adjust to improve ride comfort and handling) LED headlights Keyless entry with push-button start Leather upholstery Power-adjustable, heated front sport seats Automatic climate control Harman Kardon audio system Navigation system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration with wireless connectivity Parking sensorsThe M4 also comes with:

　　Forward collision warning with pedestrian detection (alerts you of a possible collision with the car in front) Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time) Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane) Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)You can further customize your M4 through a handful of options. Notable picks include:

　　Executive package Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield) Adaptive LED headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves) Wireless charging pad Wi-Fi hotspot Heated steering wheel Power-operated trunklid Sunroof (removes lightweight carbon-fiber roof) Ventilated front seats Carbon-fiber bucket front seats Carbon-ceramic brakes M Drive Professional package (includes Track mode as well as other performance displays and settings)Competition

　　The M4 Competition comes standard with the same features as the regular M4, but it ups the ante with the extra power noted above, plus:

　　19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels with performance tires Gloss black exterior trim including spoiler and exhaust tips Different seat beltsAdditionally, the M4 Competition is available with one extra package:

　　Driving Assistance Professional package Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front) Lane keeping assist (steers the M4 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Front and rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is about to cross your vehicle's path)

　　

2021 M4 Highlights

Trim: BaseCompetitionBase

　　

Base MSRP	$71,800
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	19 MPG
Cost to Drive	$247/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	12.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles