Back in 1995, a 430i badge would have meant that BMW had a 3.0 L engine. But this 430i makes do with just 2.0 L and four cylinders under the hood, albeit with a turbocharger. Output is 255 hp (190 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), which in this case is sent to all the wheels—xDrive in BMW-speak—via an eight-speed transmission.
In the frosty and below-freezing winter temperatures, I averaged 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km), one down on the car’s official EPA combined economy. Perhaps the engine’s 48 V mild hybrid system helped minimize the loss due to cold weather, which, yes, affects gasoline-powered cars, too.
Another downside to a diet that’s mostly electric cars is that you very quickly get used to that immediate throttle response. Even the best naturally aspirated engines can’t quite replicate that—not even the ones BMW has made in the past. Even though the turbocharger’s torque plateau arrives at just 1,600 rpm, it’s better to just be a bit relaxed about the whole thing. I found the automatic eight-speed a little too jerky in Sport mode, anyway.
Among other minor grumbles, the brake pedal had too little bite for the first half-inch of travel and then too much bite for the next. And the steering wheel rim is too fat, a problem that has afflicted BMW for far too long. But they are minor complaints, and ones that hardly ruin the driving experience. While it’s more of a cruiser than a canyon carver, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No one said that “ultimate driving machine” had to mean the fastest thing around a track, and for day-to-day driving, being in the 430i was a pleasant place to have to sit.
At $51,200, the 430i xDrive Gran Coupe looks relatively well-priced by the standards of 2025. But unlike the Korean or Japanese luxury brands, you will be expected to pay more if you want all the bells and whistles—our test car came in at $61,125 with options and delivery fee. Some might be superfluous—I’m not sure I’d spend $1,700 on the driving assists, or $2,500 on the M Sport package, but the top-down, 360-degree parking cameras are worth the $700 option, and the driver and infotainment display (part of the $1,650 premium package) lifts the in-car experience.
If all that sounds interesting but the internal combustion engine is a deal-breaker, check back tomorrow when we review the very closely related and even longer-named BMW i4 xDrive40 Gran Coupe (19-inch wheels).
