BMW M4 Review: The Everyday Supercar That Wants to Be Your Daily Driver

BMW M4 turns the daily commute into something you actually look forward to. It’s fast, loud, tech-heavy, and – crucially – usable every single day. But is this high-performance coupe the right balance of thrill and practicality for you?

Rush-hour traffic. Stoplights. The same gray stretch of highway you’ve driven a thousand times. Your current car does the job, sure, but it never makes your heart race. It doesn’t make you leave the house ten minutes early just so you can take the long way.

If you love driving, that becomes a real problem. You start to feel like youre wasting your time in something that never talks back, never surprises you, never feels alive under your right foot.

Thats exactly the itch the BMW M4 is built to scratch.

BMW M4 is BMWs unapologetically focused performance coupe  a car designed to turn every boring stretch of asphalt into an event, without forcing you to give up the comforts, safety tech, and daily usability you actually need. Sitting in the middle of BMWs high-performance M lineup, the M4 Competition Coupe9 in particular is the sharpest expression of that idea: more power, more grip, more drama.

Why this specific model?

The current BMW M4 Competition Coupe9 takes BMWs familiar 4 Series coupe shell and turns it into something far more serious. Under the hood is a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six (the S58 engine) producing around 375 kW (503 hp) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque, paired with an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic. Depending on configuration and market, you can have it with rear-wheel drive or BMWs M xDrive all-wheel drive system.

On paper, those are big numbers. In reality, they translate into one thing you can feel every single time you drive it: instant, addictive shove. Real-world reviews and owner reports consistently talk about how the M4s torque wallops you from low revs and just keeps pulling, whether youre merging on the freeway or blasting down a back road. 0100 km/h (062 mph) can dip into the low 3-second range with xDrive, putting it firmly into supercar territory.

But power without control is just chaos. The M4 counters that with:

• M-specific chassis tuning with adaptive suspension that can float over rough city streets in Comfort mode, then tense up for track work in Sport and Sport Plus.
• M xDrive (on the Competition xDrive model), which lets you choose from all-wheel-drive modes for maximum grip or even a rear-biased setup that mimics the feel of a classic RWD M car.
• Massive M compound brakes (and optional M carbon ceramics) that owners on forums rave about for repeated high-speed stops with minimal fade.

The tech layer matches the performance. Depending on model year, youll see BMWs iDrive 7 or newer iDrive 8 system with a curved display, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display and a full suite of driver-assistance features like adaptive cruise, lane keeping support, and parking assistance. Enthusiasts might debate the screen-heavy cabin, but most daily drivers appreciate that the M4 feels thoroughly modern without giving up the physical M mode buttons on the steering wheel that matter when you want to play.

Where the M4 stands out against rivals is in that dual personality. Owners on Reddit and BMW forums repeatedly mention the same thing: you can drive it to the office, sit in traffic with a quiet cabin and comfortable seats, then on the weekend dial everything to max and it feels like a track toy. That split character is a big part of its unique selling point versus sharper, more compromised options.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
3.0L twin-turbo inline-six (approx. 503 hp / 375 kW in Competition)	Explosive acceleration on demand, whether youre overtaking on a two-lane road or launching from a stop.
Up to 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque	Strong low-end pull makes the car feel effortless in everyday driving  you dont need to wring it out to enjoy it.
M xDrive all-wheel drive (model dependent)	Confidence in all weather with the option of a rear-biased, playful feel when you want more excitement.
Adaptive M suspension	Comfortable ride during commutes; stiff, controlled dynamics for spirited driving or track days at the touch of a button.
High-performance M brakes (optional carbon ceramics)	Serious stopping power and better fade resistance when driving hard, improving safety and consistency.
BMW iDrive infotainment with large curved display	Modern, connected cockpit with intuitive navigation, media, and smartphone integration.
Sport seats with bolstering and available carbon buckets	Supportive on fast corners yet comfortable enough for long highway trips.

What Users Are Saying

Across Reddit threads, owner groups and enthusiast forums, sentiment toward the BMW M4 skews strongly positive, but there are some recurring criticisms you should know about.

The love:

• Performance that feels "unreasonably fast" on the street. Owners talk about needing real self-control because the car reaches illegal speeds effortlessly.
• Brutal yet usable daily driver. Many M4 drivers commute in the car every day and highlight how livable it is in Comfort mode, even with big wheels and performance tires.
• Engine and exhaust character. While purists still pine for past naturally aspirated M engines, the S58 is praised for its punch, tuning potential, and deep, aggressive sound, especially with aftermarket exhausts.
• Interior quality and tech. Most users like the materials, driving position and digital features, particularly wireless phone integration and the head-up display.

The complaints:

• The grille design is polarizing. The large vertical kidney grilles remain the biggest aesthetic controversy. Some buyers grow to love it; others never do.
• Steering feel is good, but not "old-school M" great. A consistent comment is that feedback is better than many competitors, but still not as communicative as hydraulic setups from older M3/M4 generations.
• Price climbs quickly. Once you start adding must-have options (carbon buckets, premium packages, xDrive), the M4 pushes deep into premium territory, especially in markets with higher taxes.
• Ride firmness in Sport modes. Enthusiasts love it, but if you live in an area with terrible roads, you may find yourself living in Comfort mode more than expected.

Overall, community sentiment suggests a car that fully delivers on its promise: a brutally quick, highly capable coupe that you can realistically live with every day.

Behind the M4 sits BMW AG, a global automotive heavyweight listed under ISIN: DE0005190003. That matters if you care about long-term brand stability, residual values, and a wide dealer and service network  all things that affect ownership beyond the first test drive.

Alternatives vs. BMW M4

The performance coupe space has never been more competitive, and if youre cross-shopping the BMW M4, youre likely also looking at:

• Audi RS5: All-weather speed with a more understated design and a V6 turbo engine. Its quick and composed, but generally seen as less playful and less adjustable than the M4, with a bit more understeer at the limit.
• Mercedes-AMG C63 (previous V8 generation and newer hybrid models): The older V8 C63s win on sound and raw character, while future and new-gen models shift to hybridized four-cylinder power. The M4 tends to offer a more balanced chassis and better track manners.
• Porsche 911 (base and Carrera models, as a stretch): The 911 is a benchmark sports car with iconic appeal and sublime dynamics, but its typically more expensive and less practical as a daily, especially in the rear seat and trunk department.
• Lexus RC F: Naturally aspirated V8 charm and reliability, but heavier and less razor-sharp than the M4, and with older infotainment tech in many model years.

What makes the BMW M4 stand out is how completely it blends adjustable personality with everyday practicality. It seats four, has a usable trunk, supports modern digital life, and then still has the nerve to feel like a track refugee when you press the red M buttons on the steering wheel.

If you want something louder and rawer, a used V8 AMG might speak to you. If you live for surgical precision and will actually track the car regularly, a Porsche 911 is tough to beat. But if you want one car to do it all  commute, road-trip, carve mountain passes and even do occasional track days  the M4 sits right at the sweet spot.

Final Verdict

The BMW M4 is not a rational choice. You dont buy one because you need it; you buy one because youre tired of driving something that doesnt make you feel anything.

Yet what makes the current M4 so compelling is how well it hides that irrational heart under a layer of rational usability. Four seats. A comfortable driving position. Advanced safety and driver assistance. Big screens, apps, and connectivity. Real-world fuel consumption that, while not frugal, isnt insane for the performance on tap.

Then you point it at an open road, switch everything to Sport Plus, and the car transforms. The exhaust wakes up. The gearbox snaps off crisp shifts. The steering weights up. You remember exactly why you fell in love with driving in the first place.

If you can live with the bold grille and the price of admission, the BMW M4 delivers one of the most complete performance-car experiences on sale today: savage speed when you want it, surprising civility when you need it, and the kind of everyday drama that makes even the mundane parts of life feel a little more cinematic.

For the driver who refuses to separate "practical car" from "dream car", the BMW M4 might just be the perfect compromise  by refusing to feel like a compromise at all.