Test Drive: 2014 BMW 435i xDrive

2014 BMW 435i xDrive. Click image to enlarge

Review and photos by Haney Louka

Car buyers need to be a savvy bunch. With words like “all-new” and “best this” and “most that” being tossed around to describe pretty much every vehicle on the market, it’s important to find out how realistic such claims are before taking the plunge and signing on the dotted line.

So it was with some skepticism (accompanied by a much healthier dose of enthusiasm) I accepted the opportunity to drive this new 435i from BMW for the round trip between Toronto’s Pearson airport and Niagara Falls, ON. For those familiar with BMW’s model range, you will note that indeed this is, as the company’s marketing machine is happy to point out, the first-ever 4 Series BMW.

But what does that mean? Until now, the popular 3 Series BMW has been offered in several variants, including sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons. But for 2014, the 3 Series is offered only in sedan, wagon, and Gran Turismo layouts (and please don’t get me started on that GT model). And the two-door models shall henceforth be known as the 4 Series.

The question, though, is this: is this car really new enough to justify this changed identity, or are we looking at BMW’s version of, say, the Infiniti Q60? The Q60, some will note, was called the G37 Coupe last year, but some minds at Infiniti’s camp saw fit to rename the entire lineup, even if the products themselves haven’t changed.

But that’s not the case here. Along with its new name, BMW’s popular coupe has entirely new sheetmetal. While based on the current 3 Series sedan (code-named F30) that was introduced last year, the new “F32” coupe shares its wheelbase with the four door but is lower, wider, and longer. The differences are subtle enough that many will mistake this car for a 3 Series for years to come. And who could blame them: the 3 coupe has been a fixture of the automotive landscape since the mid-‘70s.

This also marks the end of the two-door high-performance M3, to be replaced by the M4. Gosh, I hope those marketing people know what they’re doing.

But what we really want to know about the 4 Series is how well it continues the spirit of its predecessor regardless of its name.

Most notable when comparing its looks to those of the sedan (and previous two-doors) is the 4’s sleek roofline that ensures this won’t be confused with the four-door. BMW’s coupes, whether in 4 or 6 Series trim, have become much easier on the eyes in recent years. There’s an upscale look to this car, particularly in rear three-quarter view, that encourages a prolonged look just to take it all in.

2014 BMW 435i xDrive. Click image to enlarge

In this day of increasingly rare manual gearboxes, one of the first things I do when approaching a seriously sporting machine like this is peek through the window and find out how many pedals the car has. Happily, I saw an honest-to-goodness six-speed stick poking out of the centre console. I would like to think that the majority of 4 Series cars will be ordered so equipped, but the reality is that most of these will come with the eight-speed automatic. That the slushbox is standard equipment while the manual is a no-cost option speaks volumes.

And that’s a shame, really, because the 4 Series has one sweetheart of a stick. Some journalists at last October’s AJAC TestFest lamented the gearbox’s long throws, but I found the unit to be classic BMW, and that’s a good thing. It’s a slick-shifting affair that glides effortlessly between gears through well defined gates. Sounds simple, but few manufacturers (Honda, BMW, and Porsche come to mind) manage it so consistently.

And in our 435i xDrive tester, motive force was provided by another BMW classic, the inline six. For my dollars, I would not have a Bimmer any other way. The twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0L unit churns out 300 buttery horses and a broad plateau of 300 lb-ft through nearly the entire usable rev range. What that means is drivers can enjoy instantaneous response and silky power delivery no matter where the tachometer needle is pointed.

2014 BMW 435i xDrive. Click image to enlarge

The base 428i model comes with BMW’s turbocharged 241 hp four-banger; this is an engine I don’t think is worthy of the car. There’s nothing wrong with its stout power delivery and broad torque plateau, but don’t expect the silky smoothness or addictive soundtrack that the six provides, because neither of these is there.

The xDrive designation signifies that this is an all-wheel drive model; try finding all-wheel drive and a manual gearbox in this class and you’ll quickly realize that your options are extremely limited. Besides this 4 Series, there’s the Audi S5 and, well, that’s it. While BMW’s xDrive hasn’t been around as long as Audi’s Quattro system, it’s a very competent system that sends most of the power rearward under normal driving conditions. Only when traction or lateral forces dictate do the front wheels see significant action. This is the way all-wheel drive should be.

During the five days I had with this car, it became apparent to me that this is the kind of personal coupe that will pamper its driver such that getting in and driving will be a treat every single day. That would include even those days when all that’s happening is a routine commute. Find some twisties, though, and the car’s electric power steering and front strut/rear multilink suspenders do a fine job of translating their pilot’s wishes into action.

2014 BMW 435i xDrive. Click image to enlarge

When considering a three-pedal car, I’ll argue that the relationship between clutch and throttle pedals and shift lever are of utmost importance in determining driving enjoyment on a daily basis. The 4 is one car that felt natural from the moment I pushed the start button. Clutch takeup is smooth and easy to modulate, and the pedal pushes back with the right amount of force. Throttle response is intuitive. And I already sang the praises of that shifter.

One anomaly though: disengaging the clutch does not cancel the cruise control. I sometimes use the clutch for this purpose when a downshift will be required anyway; however, even though the throttle did cut off during the downshift, I was surprised by the surge of power when re-engaging the clutch as the cruise control headed toward the previously-set speed. You only need to do that once before learning not to do it ever again.

Even though the new electric steering has lost some of its sparkle in terms of feedback, effort and response are as good as ever, particularly on public roads. We had limited time in the 4 Series on the TestFest handling course, so I would reserve judgment on near-the-limit handling until a more involved track session takes place.

The 4’s driving environment is another major contributor to the daily satisfaction of getting behind the wheel. Of particular note is the screen that sits proudly atop the dash; at first I thought it looked out of place but I quickly took a liking to this layout. Stylistically it beats the previous BMW approach of having an overbearing second hood above the centre stack. The new setup won’t protect the screen from glare as well, but that did not become an issue during my test drive. From the driver’s seat, the screen does not obstruct any views and it’s placed just right.

While the screen is not of the touch variety, BMW’s iDrive user interface includes an important new feature: a new touchpad integrated into the console-mounted control knob takes away many of the disadvantages I associate with non-touchscreen systems. Tracing letters and numbers and pinching to zoom on maps speeds up many of the functions that typically have control knobs twisting and turning through menus. Most importantly, it works well. This is a major advancement in the state of this art.

2014 BMW 435i xDrive. Click image to enlarge

The 4 Series starts at $44,900 for the 428i; major standard equipment includes a 2.0-litre turbo four, dynamic cruise control, keyless start, Xenon and LED lights, rain-sensing wipers, heated Dakota leather seats, dual-zone climate control, nine-speaker audio, iDrive user interface, and a bunch more goodies. This is not a car that screams to have thousands of dollars in options added to it right out of the gate. But of course, there are always ways to spend more money on the car.

Make that car an xDrive and you can add $4,100 to the price, and let it be known that a 428i xDrive cannot be had with the stick. The $54,900 435i loses the turbo four and adds that force-fed six that I have been known to drool over. A 435i xDrive stickers at $55,600.

Overall

Comfort

3.5/5

Performance

4.5/5

Fuel Economy

3/5

Interior

4/5

Exterior Styling

4/5

Our tester had the no-charge stick, but it also had a few extras for which BMW is more than happy to charge: metallic paint, the M Performance package (adaptive suspension and variable-ratio steering), and the Premium (adaptive lights, navigation) and Executive (heads-up display, surround view monitor) packages. Including freight and the other fees listed on BMW’s website, our car tipped the scales at $68,201 as tested.

Manufacturer’s Website:
BMW Canada

Photo Gallery:
2014 BMW 435i xDrive

Regardless of whether the car’s name starts with a 3 or a 4, that’s a lot of coin. But be a bit less liberal with the options, and that sum can be $10,000 less with no sacrifice in performance. And make no mistake about it: this new 4 is much more than an old 3.

Pricing: 2014 BMW 435i xDrive
Base price (428i): $44,900
Base price (435i xDrive): $55,600
Options: $9,700 (Black sapphire metallic paint, $800; M Performance Package, $1,500; Executive Package, $2,500; Premium Package, $4,900)
A/C tax: $100
Destination: $2,095
Other fees: $706
Price as tested: $68,201 plus taxes