- The 2025 BMW 4-series receives modest visual changes, with new LED headlights and a black grille surround for the M440i.
- A 48-volt hybrid system will be standard on both the four-cylinder 430i and the six-cylinder M440i.
- Prices start from $51,695 for the 430i coupe and run to $75,245 for the M440i xDrive convertible.
Back in the 1990s and 2000s, BMW’s mid-cycle facelifts were often marked by nothing more than a change in turn signal lens color. Against that modest benchmark, the 2025 BMW 4-series coupe and convertible have received more substantial makeovers featuring new grille designs, revised headlights and taillights, and also a powertrain upgrade that means hybrid assistance will now be standard on both 430i and M440i variants.
The new headlights are slimmer than before and have standard LED internals. BMW describes a “sophisticated, progressive appearance,” although we suspect only the 4-series’ biggest fans are likely to immediately notice the change. The shape of the taillights hasn’t changed, but BMW will be offering what it calls “Laserlight” units in place of the standard LEDs. These use illuminated glass fiber bundles to produce a three-dimensional effect. Laserlight will be standard on the M440i, and part of the optional Shadowline package on the 430i.
Buyers of the M440i will also get a new high-gloss black finish for the grille surround with horizontal strakes. To judge from the pictures these should reduce the apparent size of the aperture compared to the previous version. But we still think that BMW’s design team gave insufficient consideration to how the 4-series would look without a Euro-spec front license plate to break up its uber-nostril front-end graphic. Buyers will also get to choose between two new optional 19-inch wheel designs and two new paint colors, with Cape York Green and Vegas Red added to the palette.
Inside the cabin the 4-series gets a redesigned steering wheel, with what is described as a polygonal rim that comes standard on the 430i. The 430i also has an optional flat-bottomed M-branded wheel, while that comes standard on the M440i. Both wheels now incorporate illuminated multifunction buttons and gearshift paddles. The 4-series has also been upgraded to the latest 8.5 version of BMW’s iDrive OS, with climate functions now controllable by either the curved central touchscreen or voice command. The Live Cockpit Plus option will add an augmented view system to overlay information over a camera feed to help with the navigation of tricky junctions.
Under the hood, both the four- and six-cylinder engines now work with 48-volt hybrid assistance, and although this won’t improve top end power we anticipate some fuel-economy benefits. For the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six in the M440i, BMW claims that the 48-volt starter-generator can add up to 11 horsepower of assistance, with the peak rising to 386 horsepower compared to 382 horsepower for the previous nonhybrid version. Maximum torque is up 34 pound-feet to 398 pound-feet. The entry-level 430i’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four has redesigned intake ports and combustion chambers and can now operate on the Miller cycle for improved efficiency; its peaks of 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet remain unchanged. An eight-speed auto will remain the only transmission choice, although buyers can choose the optional xDrive all-wheel-drive system with both engines.
To no surprise, prices have risen for the 2025 cars with the entry-level 430i Coupe now carrying an MSRP of $51,695 and the 430i Convertible moving to $59,695—increases of $800 and $600. The M440i Coupe’s MSRP is now $65,245, a chunky $2800 increase, although with more standard equipment, and the M440i Convertible is now $73,245, or $3025 more. The $2000 to upgrade to xDrive across the board hasn’t increased. The new 4-series will be reaching the U.S. later in the year, and we’d expect similar upgrades for the four-door 4-series Gran Coupe to be revealed soon.
Our man on the other side of the pond, Mike Duff lives in Britain but reports from across Europe, sometimes beyond. He has previously held staff roles on U.K. titles including CAR, Autocar, and evo, but his own automotive tastes tend toward the Germanic: he owns both a troublesome 987-generation Porsche Cayman S and a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16.