BMW 4 Series and i4 refreshed in new tech and design update

The BMW 4 Series and electric BMW i4 have become the latest models in the German brand’s line-up to receive a wide-reaching refresh.

The i4 was the best-selling electric BMW worldwide last year, with more than 83,000 sales, the i4 M50 xDrive cementing its position as the best-selling M model in both 2022 and 2023. 

To help the 4 Series and i4 stand out against an increasing number of rivals such as the new Mercedes-Benz CLE and electric EQE, BMW has added new technology, subtly updated the exterior and made a host of changes inside. 

The exterior changes include a new matt chrome kidney grille surround and silver mesh air intakes. Petrol-engined cars also gain bigger exhausts, which have increased in diameter from 90mm to 100mm.

The i4 gets a similar change, with its closed-off front grille receiving a matt silver honeycomb pattern. In M Sport Specification, both cars receive an updated gloss black rear diffuser. 

The most noticeable changes apply to the lights, which give the 4 Series and i4 a sharper look at the front and rear. The low and high beams now generated from a single LED module. 

Bigger changes appear inside the two cars. BMW has added a smaller gear selector to match that in many of its other EVs, including the iX1 and iX3 crossovers.

It has also reshaped the climate control air vents, swapping the previous side-by-side airflow adjustment system to a more minimalist style, instead utilising smaller rotary switches. 

Both are equipped with BMW's iDrive 8.5 infotainment system, plus an updated steering wheel with illuminated buttons. In the ICE 4 Series, gearshift paddles are included as standard. Cars in M Sport specification get a flat-bottomed steering wheel. 

Set to go on sale in July, the new 4 Series will be priced from £43,830 RRP in the UK, although final on-the-road pricing has yet to be set. The new i4, meanwhile, is set to start at £50,365 RRP.  

The 4 Series comes in two specifications. The 420i opens the range with 181bhp and 48V mild hybrid assistance, followed by the range-topping, six-cylinder M440i xDrive, which packs 368bhp and a 0-62mph sprint of 4.7sec. 

The i4 has three specifications, starting with the i4 eDrive35, which comes with 291bhp and up to 311 miles of range. The mid-range i4 eDrive40 ups power and range to 335bhp and 373 miles respectively.

Then there's the i4 M50 xDrive, which packs 536bhp and 586lb ft of torque, along with a 324-mile range. It also dispatches 0-62mph in just 3.9sec - 0.9sec faster than the range-topping petrol.