I will not be cunning if I say that BMW is loved in Russia with special love. Here it is worth saying thanks to popular culture, which awarded the Bavarian brand with an entourage of coolness on the verge of the illegal sphere. Video games also added fuel to the fire, where the German brand has always been well represented and especially well tuned. And BMW itself promotes excitement and vigorous driving.
All the more interesting was my meeting with the hero of this review – BMW 420d. After all, this is the most basic “four” in the lineup.
Specifications
- Engine: in-line internal combustion engine, 4 cylinders, 2 liters, turbo, diesel.
- Power: 190 hp sec., 400 Nm.
- Eight-speed automatic.
- Rear drive.
- Average fuel consumption during the test drive is 7 liters per 100 km.
- I drove 825 km.
Acquaintance
In the premiere photos, she looked more controversial.
The current “four” is one of the most daring decisions of the Bavarians in terms of design. The huge “nostrils” of this model, an invariable attribute of all BMWs, even shocked. There was a lot of talk about them when the BMW Concept 4 was first shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. By the way, those nostrils are homage to the pre-war 328.
And this is the case when, as for me, the car looks more interesting in person than in the photo. Look at him on the street when you see him. Here I can only offer you my pictures.
The pleasant wideness of the forms combined with the complex geometry makes the silhouette of this coupé strikingly impetuous even in static conditions. This is a pleasant and interesting design achievement. I also note that the “four” is white, although it makes many cars unnecessarily large. Again, appearance is a matter of taste, but here for me is the case when I changed my impressions of the car, getting to know him better.
Before getting into the salon, you need to consider an important thing: all coupes have very large doors and you need to be careful not to hurt other cars in the parking lot and other objects on the street. The landing here is of course low, but at the same time I would not call it uncomfortable. Fully adjustable chair, including adjustable lateral support. Likewise for the front passenger. Immediately, I note that there is a heated steering wheel and seats, so it will be comfortable in cold weather. And the second row has its own climate control.
The first thought when examining the salon is minimalism. The number of physical buttons is minimized. But the key here is the long-proven iDrive multimedia control interface, in the form of a washer in the center. You can get used to the system quickly and blindly. No wonder, when this washer appeared, everyone praised it.
There is an interesting moment for a technologist and an amateur to consider everything in detail. Almost all physical buttons are not split, that is, they are a common block and this block is also squeezed as a whole. Yes, it looks a little strange, but it does not affect the use in any way.
But the screen of the multimedia itself is small here. And looking ahead, I will say that there are not as many settings as you would expect. BMW also has an older version of multimedia, but I’ll tell you about it next time, how I can get to know it better. It is also worth noting that everything works very quickly and is nicely visualized.
From the interesting: an assessment of the economy of driving in Eco Pro mode and visualization of power with overloads. Why the Eco Pro mode in a particular model is even more interesting than Sport, I’ll tell you further in the text. And also a block of buttons with numbers. It reminded me of the days of sit-changers in cars (yes, I’m a dinosaur). But in fact, you can hang different functions on these keys. For example, fast switching between smartphones paired via Bluetooth.
The main tidy here is combined, with analog devices and a screen in the middle. I note that there is an interesting stylistic solution here, the arrows are analog, but hidden behind the glass, and the numbers are visible only when you start the car. And in the dark, the backlight changes to calm orange semi-antique indicators.
What is your impression of the interior? Somewhat minimalistic, but at the same time comfortable and there are plenty of physical keys here. Moreover, visibility as a whole can be praised, not counting the rear-view mirror. And it’s also great that looking around you do not see the door pillars, since they are shifted strongly back. The cabin is quiet and no engine sound can be heard. Here it is generally imperceptible that this is a diesel, and this is definitely a praise.
Here it would be possible to go already, but there is one more gadget in the kit – a key fob. And he’s with a screen. I can’t say for sure if it’s cool or not. It was convenient for me to make sure that the car is closed, and also to choose by what time to warm up the interior and the engine (you can just turn on the heating immediately). It’s nice that the system works regardless of the distance. Of complaints: there is no wireless charging of the key fob itself (although the machine itself has it), you have to charge it with a wire.
Let’s hit the road
This car is closer to a gran turismo than a sports car
First you need to look under the hood. It’s a four-row turbo diesel. BMW has been installing this engine (B47) in various modifications on its cars since 2014. In a duet with the internal combustion engine, the Steptronic proprietary box. It is controlled by a small knob and has an emulation of a manual mode, in which the car can gain increased revs.
And here there are 190 forces. Sounds like a sentence? For someone who perceives BMW cars only as a car to “pop”, yes. But if you look from the other side, this is the very optimal power to immerse and keep confidently in the stream. At the same time, the diesel engine shows a very pleasant consumption of 7 liters per hundred.
I agree that the coupe, and even with such an appearance, pushes for a dynamic ride … but since this equipment is more conducive to a leisurely promenade, it was precisely such a scenario that it was decided to choose. And you know what? From this side, the junior “four” is very good. Moreover, not in sport mode, it is still quite smooth and with a comfortable suspension. What is relevant on our imperfect asphalt.
The steering wheel is worth noting. The Bavarians focus on driving pleasure and do not dissemble. Yes, here, as elsewhere, there is an electric booster, but at the same time the steering wheel is very sharp and moderately tight. There may not be as much information from the road as we would like, but taxiing has its own character, and this is one of the best electric power steering that I have come across. Well, the steering wheel itself is comfortable and pleasant to the touch. Although, I want to scold him a little. First, the block on the right “spoke”. It has a convenient joystick, and it would be responsible for the volume of the sound, but no. Also, although this is already a nitpick, the selection of fonts on the buttons looks very sad. But you will rarely notice it.
During the trips, a few more points became clear. The first is that you have to put your smartphone in a niche (which has wireless charging), but it’s not very convenient to reach there, it’s too much recessed into the console. More of the everyday moments in the cabin: the climate on the keys, hurray, it is convenient for them to use on the road and excellent visualization of parking sensors. And with such a low seating position and a generally low car, this, believe me, is a very important point.
So, this is BMW. You, of course, ask, what about the sport mode? It is available, and in order to get the maximum sensations, it is necessary not only to press the “Sport” button, but also to switch the gearshift knob to manual mode. In addition to the obvious ability to change gears with the same knob, the box itself will go into sport mode, as indicated by the “S” icon on the instrument screen. Everything, you can have fun. A vigorous pickup, a minimum of thoughtfulness, a stiffer suspension and a tighter steering wheel. The car is also rear-wheel drive (sometimes with xDrive, all-wheel drive from BMW), so you are guaranteed a pleasant feeling.
And that, 190 liters is enough. with.? Yes, in the city, for sure, if you get her out on the track, then, probably, it will be hard for her there, and this is clearly not her scenario. But she will be able to arrange a vigorous drive along empty country roads and will give pleasant sensations.
Review
Surprisingly, this car is pleasant to drive slowly on empty roads, as well as to submerge
And this is a good combination. In general, the BMW 420d is a good illustration of how far modern technologies have come in the automotive industry. By pressing a few keys, you can change the character of the car quite dramatically. It’s definitely enjoyable and practical.
Yes, the motor dictates its own conditions and, in general, the character of the car. I was once again convinced of this on the example of a car on the test. And yet there is a dissonance in her between her appearance, which is very aggressive, and her general habits, which are very relaxed. Is it a minus? For me, definitely not. This is a modern, comfortable car, adjusted for not the most practical type of body, but they do not buy a coupe to carry apples from the dacha? Although the trunk allows, but the second row is generally comfortable.
Summary? The Bavarian coupe is perfect both for the role of a car for every day, and for the role of a weekend car. On it, you can even safely go on a short trip, the power reserve on one tank is very decent, under proper conditions, you can drive 800-900 kilometers. But if you want a car faster, pay attention to other engine options in the “four”. Minuses? I don’t want to concentrate on them, because a coupe is obviously not the most practical car body from the outset. Is it worth mentioning here the difficulties with getting into the second row and the low ground clearance with the body kit as a whole? I think these are obvious moments and it is also silly to complain about them, like the spiciness of a very hot sauce. By analogy, though, the BMW 420d is a bit lacking in sharpness.
Pros:
- looks uncommon even in the BMW lineup;
- combines the habits of a calm car and a very vigorous unit;
- pleasant fuel consumption.
May not like:
- the difficulty of getting to the second row.
In conclusion, a few “cinematic” shots.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
