BMW has traditionally done a great job of putting the breeze in your Barnet. Does its latest 4 Series Convertible continue that trend? We've driven one in the UK to find out.

PROS:

+ Good fun to drive

+ Superb infotainment system

+ Surprisingly spacious

CONS:

- Feels firm

- Rears seats fold as one piece

- Divisive looks

Verdict: If you love roof-down driving and need rear seats, it doesn't get much better than the BMW 4 Series. It's great to drive, has great infotainment and is surprisingly roomy. You'll just need to like the way it looks and put up with its fairly firm suspension.

2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible review: the five-minute read

There was a time when driving a convertible with the roof up felt like you were in a tent perched on a Cornish hillside in the depths of winter. Not any more – now roof technology is so good you can happily use them every day. This BMW 4 Series Convertible is proof of just that.

However, interestingly, BMW has swapped the metal folding roof on the last 4 Series for a fabric one on this latest model. That's the same as its closest competition the Mercedes C-Class and Audi A5 Cabriolets, but does it make less sense as a daily driver as a result?

Of course, before all that, you'll have to decide whether or not you like the way the 4 Series looks. That gaping grille has divided opinion more than any car of late, but aside from that, the car's sleek LED light front and back and sculpted lines look genuinely purposeful – roof up or down, and especially from the back.

The 4 Series Convertible's dashboard layout is much the same as you'll find in the 4 Series coupe and also BMW 3 Series saloon. A Mercedes C-Class is more dramatically designed, but there's no denying the 4 Series is superbly put together and features plenty of premium materials.

It also has one of the best infotainment systems currently on sale as standard, BMW's Drive. It looks great on-screen, is simple to use even when driving and comes with all the built-in tech you need including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 4 Series Convertible is also surprisingly spacious. Adults in the front can stretch out, the driver gets a sporty, low-slung driving position and you'll even get a couple of adults in the back providing they aren't too far beyond six-foot tall. Behind all of this is a useful 385-litre boot with the roof up or 300 litres with it down.

There's lots of choice when it comes to engines. Petrols come in the form of two turbocharged 2.0-litres, a 184hp 20i or 258hp 30i, or a range-topping twin-turbo straight-six M440i with 374hp. The diesels start with two 2.0-litre units, one with 190hp called the 20d and a 286hp 30d. At the top sits the straight-six diesel M440d. All cars get an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while only the M models get all-wheel drive.

Sport suspension comes as standard on all cars, so the 4 Series Convertible can feel a little firm over bumps at low speeds in town, but also means it feels much sharper than the equivalent Audi or Mercedes on country roads, thanks also to its predictable steering and huge amount of grip, especially in the all-wheel-drive M models.

Lowering the 4 Series' roof takes just 18 seconds up to 31mph, and once down those onboard are very well protected from buffeting – even sat in the back at higher speeds. And, back up, it does a good job of keeping the cabin quiet on the motorway, despite now being made from fabric.

So, if you can live with the 4 Series Convertible's looks and will happily live with its fairly firm suspension given its decent agility, it's an extremely competent open-top that's well worth investigating if you're researching options.

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Extended read…

2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible interior and infotainment

As a general rule, Audi's interiors are very well put together but are fairly conservative, while Mercedes has the most dramatic design but comes third for build quality.

BMW is somewhere in between – the 4 Series Convertible's dash is attractively designed with lots of silvers and blacks, but isn't over the top, plus it feels extremely solid everywhere you touch.

It also has one of the best infotainment systems currently on sale as standard, BMW's Drive. It all looks great on the standard 10.25-inch screen, is simple to use even when driving and comes with all the built-in tech you need including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

BMW's 12.3-inch digital dials also come as standard on all models. they're clear and easy to understand, but less configurable and colourful than the ones you get in an A5 or C-Class Cabriolet.

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2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible practicality and boot space

The BMW 4 Series Convertible is surprisingly practical as open-tops go. OK, so this is hardly an MPV, but its four seats and boot will handle more than you'd assume.

Tall adults in the fronts seats will be able to stretch out without issue, while the driver gets plenty of adjustment at the seat and steering wheel to find the perfect driving position. It's a fairly low-slung driving position, which adds to the sense of sportiness.

In the back, a couple of adults will be able to sit in relative comfort, as long as they aren't basketball players. There are even Isofix points on each of the two rear seats and getting child seats in and fixed in place isn't too arduous a task.

The 4 Series Convertible's boot is 385 litres in size with its roof up, or 300 litres once you've pulled down an internal flap and the roof is in place taking up some space. It's a pretty shallow space in either configuration, with saloon-like access, but as long as your luggage is a normal shape you'll be surprised how much will slot inside. More than enough for a weekend away.

The rear seats do fold down if you need to slide things through from the boot to the cabin, but it'd be nice if they split 50:50 – they actually just fold down as one large piece.

2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible engine

There's lots of choice when it comes to engines. Petrols come in the form of two turbocharged 2.0-litres, a 184hp 20i or 258hp 30i, or a range-topping twin-turbo straight-six M440i with 374hp.

The diesels start with two 2.0-litre units, one with 190hp called the 20d and a 286hp 30d. At the top sits the straight-six diesel M440d.

All cars get a superb eight-speed automatic gearbox that's as good in auto mode as it is selecting gears manually via paddles, while only the M models get all-wheel drive – the rest are rear-wheel drive.

If you just want to slink about town, the 20i will be absolutely fine, or if you regularly do lots of motorway miles, the 420d diesel will prove the most fuel-efficient. For the best noise and performance, it can only be the M440i, which feel extremely quick from the driver's seat but will cost the most to run at the same time.

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2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible driving

All 4 Series Convertibles come with BMW's M Sport suspension, which means they're all fairly firm at low speeds in town over bumps. You can pay extra to add adaptive suspension, but even then the 4 Series feels firmer than the equivalent A5 or C-Class. Otherwise, the 4 Series Convertible is easy to drive and park in town, especially given its standard parking sensors and rear camera.

And that stiffness translates to agility when the mood takes you on the right country road. Together with the BMW's predictable steering and huge grip, you have real confidence in placing and pushing it through bends. Even more so in the M models with their trick differentials shuffling the power and all-wheel-drive reassurance.

Lowering the 4 Series' roof takes just 18 seconds up to 31mph, and once down those onboard are very well protected from buffeting – even sat in the back at higher speeds. An optional windbreak can be added for even better isolation in the front, although it does eliminate the rear seats.

And, roof back up, it does a good job of keeping the cabin quiet on the motorway, despite now being made from fabric. Plus, BMW's optional adaptive cruise control and lane-keep tech is some of the best in the business, so is worth adding if you're often covering big motorway miles.

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