2014 BMW 435i xDrive
The German premium car companies have always been good at squeezing everything possible from their cars—and their customers’ bank accounts. While Audi’s A5 was the first, more expensive, coupe spinoff of a sedan in this class, BMW learned its lessons well when it turned the latest 3-series into the sleek 428i and 435i.
As tested in all wheel drive, M Sport form, it makes an intrigue contrast to BMWs of yore, including my own 335i M Sport. The 4’s aggressive, wide-mouthed front and tapering tail give it a much different aesthetic than the four door model’s; it is also lower and wider. This is part of the justification for its price premium. However, its larger size necessitates the optional 19-inch wheel/tire combination to bring things into proper proportion.
Inside it is very close to the latest 3-series, with swooping forms, a boldly placed infotainment screen and many options in color and trim to differentiate the various trim “lines” BMW has come up with. Back seat space is still ahead of that in the Audi, Cadillac and Infiniti competition, and the large trunk and folding rear seatback make it an excellent real-world machine.
This is reflected in the way the 435i goes down the road. Missing is the informative steering feedback of my car’s hydraulic assisted helm; while the new car’s tiller is accurate and precise and makes it easier to place the car than the sedan, it still lacks that critical driver interaction that made the old car so special. What isn’t missed is the old 335i’s ride, which was brittle and often quite harsh, traits exaggerated by the standard runflat tires. The newer machine positively glides in comparison, ironing out almost all the evidence of urban road neglect when the (optional) adjustable damping is set to Comfort mode. Sadly, that also numbs the throttle and steering weight; it would be better if each of these system settings could be manipulated individually, as in “true” M cars and various Audi models.
While few newcomers will complain about the 435i’s back road prowess, and it undoubtedly has high cornering limits, its overall balance has shifted from prior BMWs’ neutral stance to an understeer-led one. While it turns in eagerly enough, it soon washes wide under increasing lateral load. While this can be cancelled out with a judicious throttle lift (or even converted to some tail-led antics with enough room and vroom), I would wish for a more interactive vibe. Ironically, this can now be found in the Cadillac ATS and Lexus IS350, cars from companies until recently known for building machines aimed at AARP members, yet who now seem intent on demoting BMW from being the maker of “The Ultimate Driving Machine.”
Another area where the 435i seems to have become more “mature” is in the way it deploys the prodigious power and torque (conservatively rated at 300hp/300lb-ft) of its inline, turbocharged six. Coupled to what is probably the best transmission in the world at the moment, a ZF-built eight speed unit, it subjectively feels tangibly slower than my own vehicle, which, being a convertible, weighs considerably more and has two fewer gear ratios. The 4 also sounds flat and somewhat anodyne, and the engine is now so smooth and isolated there is little thrill in running it to the redline. Perhaps BMW is making room for a forthcoming “is” model to slot between the M Sport and M4. This also makes me ponder whether the 428i is the better alternative; it certainly handles more adroitly, as it has less mass over the nose, and sounds more authorative.
As it is, the 435i moves into the role of elder statesman of the class: refined, fast and practical, which is probably exactly what the company intended. It also leaves room for the new M235i to fill the hole left by the older car. And while the more mature me thoroughly enjoyed the 4’s refinement and cosseting ride, I eagerly await seat time in the 2, which will happen quite soon.
EPA ratings: 20/30mpg; 24mpg combined
Price as tested: $64,275
Here is what BMW has to say about the 435i.
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