Instrumented Test
It would be too easy to kick off this evaluation of the all-wheel-drive BMW 435i xDrive coupe with a snarky quip about how the 3- and 4-series lineups have ballooned to comically crowded levels, but then you already knew that. There are sedans, sedans that pretend to be coupes, wagons, hatchbacks that look like SUVs, and convertibles. This test is of a 4-series coupe—an actual two-door—equipped with all-wheel drive and BMW’s excellent turbocharged inline-six. We have described the rear-drive, 435i coupe as an illogical purchase redeemed by its lusty engine, and the 435i xDrive falls under the same header—only with a smidge more all-weather practicality in return for a slightly higher price.
The notion that all-wheel drive actually nudges the 435i toward something above a mere 300-hp, rear-drive sports coupe might seem strange to fair-weather readers. But in Snow Belt states, all-wheel drive is a prerequisite for selling luxury cars. (Jaguar recently went through the expense and trouble to retrofit its outgoing XF sedan with all-wheel drive to keep metal moving in the winter months, and the maker even added AWD to its F-type sports car.) Happily, as with all xDrive-equipped BMWs, the 435i torque bias is to the rear axle, meaning that in the dry, the coupe handles much like its two-wheel-drive counterpart. We noted 0.87 g of grip on the skidpad with only mild understeer at the limit, and the chassis’ weight distribution makes the 435i a balanced dancer on sinusoidal blacktop.
And when it comes to straight-line shenanigans, hold on—xDrive’s added traction adds bite to the 435i’s launches, resulting in a blistering 4.5-second zero-to-60-mph time. In modern BMWs, automatic-equipped cars tend to be quicker than their stick-shift counterparts, and that’s the case here. The only other 435i coupe we’ve tested came with a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, and this eight-speed-automatic xDrive model thoroughly trounces it to 60 mph by 0.7 second.
Objectively, then, it would seem as though the 435i is a high performer; nearly 0.90 g on the skidpad is nothing to sniff at, nor is 4.5 seconds to 60. The letdowns are a mediocre 184-foot stop from 70 mph, as well as the xDrive’s un-BMW-like top speed that’s governed to 127 mph. Both results are attributable to BMW’s fitment of economy-minded, all-season Pirelli tires.
And as with most BMWs today, you, the driver, are somewhat removed from the action. Our test car came equipped with the $1000 Dynamic Handling package, which brings adaptive suspension damping and BMW’s infuriating Variable Sport steering option, which plays around with the steering ratio in unsatisfying ways. Intended to quicken the ratio at low speeds and dull it down at higher velocities, the funky steering instead makes the 435i twitchy in tight corners and annoying on the highway. We’d suggest skipping it for the more linear—but sadly still feedback-free—standard fixed-ratio electric-steering rack.
Motoring in the 435i is more a grand-touring experience than a pulse-quickening one as in BMWs of yore. But even here, the 435i stumbles. On the freeway, wind whistles and rushes around the A-pillars, and a surprising amount of tire noise enters the cabin, quibbles we’ve also noted with the latest 3-series. Partial redemption is found in the serene ride with the softest suspension setting selected; the $3000 M Sport package’s body-hugging front sport seats; a palatial-feeling front cabin; and better-than-expected knee room for back-seat riders. Still, the low seat cushion and encroaching back window ensure that rear-seat occupation should remain short-lived. Once again, if it’s full-service practicality that you’re after, the nearly identical 3-series sedan and wagon still exist.
Sacrificing a pair of doors for that sultry bodywork demands a $2500 premium over the 335i xDrive sedan, and our test car’s ask was further bloated by the $2150 navigation system, $1450 Venetian Beige Dakota leather, $950 Driver Assistance package (backup camera, parking sensors), $700 Cold Weather package (heated seats and steering wheel, plus headlight washers), and $550 Glacier Silver paint. We can’t help but scratch our heads over heated seats, a backup camera, and leather upholstery not being standard in a car that’s nearly $50,000 to start with. Our test example didn’t even have proximity-key entry or satellite radio, either, as they’re additional options. These prices come with the territory, however, with a similarly equipped Audi S5 (which beat the 435i in a recent comparison test) and all-wheel-drive Cadillac ATS ringing in near the same high-$50,000 range.
For those who need style and speed, the 435i is there, but then so is the ($450 cheaper!) four-door 435i Gran Coupe, as well as the pricier 435i convertible. Come to think of it, BMW has a 3- or 4-series for practically anyone. We only wish any of them included more of the old BMW magic that entranced us so.
