The rest of the cockpit experience is a very pleasant one. Rear seat passengers will sacrifice some headroom in the 428i versus the sedan counterpart, but legroom is decent for a compact coupe. Up front, the sport seats fitted to all Sport-trimmed cars are as magnificent as they have always been. With the ability to extend under-thigh support and squeeze side bolsters to an individual driver’s specific body type, these perches are not only great at keeping bodies in place, they’re remarkably comfortable too.
  2014 BMW 428i xDrive. Click image to enlarge |
Sound isolation in the cabin is quite good, not only from engine noise, as mentioned earlier but also road and wind noise – completely appropriate for a car at this price point. One of the biggest improvements of the 428 over the previous generation 3 Series coupe is the ride. Without giving up its handling prowess, the ride, while still firm, takes the sharpness off the hardest of bumps – ones that would’ve caused cringe-worthy crashes in the older cars. Well done here, BMW.
Driving a personal luxury vehicle such as BMW’s 428i makes an owner feel good about him or herself in the same way a sleek, finely tailored suit does. What’s even better though is that simply looking good doesn’t hamper an enthusiast’s driving enjoyment with such a capable and fun machine. Having a larger number on the back of a 4 Series won’t make a bit of difference to the purists who have always enjoyed BMW’s compact coupes, but if the digits matter to you, you can at least feel confident that spending more for fewer doors does get you a more engaging driver’s car.
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Pricing: 2014 BMW 428i xDrive
Base Price (428i): $44,900
Base Price (428i xDrive): $49,000
Options: Premium Package (Alarm, Comfort Access, Heated Steering Wheel, Park Distance Control, Navigation, XM Satellite Radio, Rear View Camera) $4,600; Executive Package (Lumbar Support, Head-Up Display, Harmon/Kardon Sound System) $2,000; Driver Assistance Package (Active Blind Spot Detection; Lane Departure and Collision Warning, Surround View) $1,250; Connected Drive Package (BMW Online, Traffic Information; Concierge Services; BMW Apps; Smartphone Connectivity) $850
Destination: $2,095
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $60,595
Competitors:
Audi A5
Lexus IS
Infiniti Q60 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
