BMW 4 Series G22 used: which engine and year to buy

A BMW 4 Series G22 used coupe is now one of the smarter premium two-doors on the UK market, with clean 2021 cars from around £23,000 and the right engine making all the difference. The pick is a 430i in B48 petrol form or, if you want the noise, the M440i straight-six. The grille still splits opinion, but it has not punished values. Buy on history and electrical health, not on badge.

Which engine and year to buy in a BMW 4 Series G22 used coupe

The G22 launched in late 2020 and the range is refreshingly simple. Petrol buyers get the 2.0-litre four-cylinder B48 in the 420i (181hp) and 430i (255hp); the 420d uses the 2.0-litre B47 diesel four; the 430d and M440d run the 3.0-litre B57 straight-six diesel; and the M440i tops the lot with the 3.0-litre B58 petrol six, around 369 to 374hp with a 48-volt mild-hybrid starter-generator. The same units sit in the closely related BMW 3 Series G20 used buyer’s guide, so the engine reliability story is shared and well understood.

Our pick for most buyers is a 2021 or 2022 430i M Sport. It has the meaningful power, the cheaper four-cylinder running costs, and avoids the diesel particulate and AdBlue admin that short-mileage drivers regret. If you do big motorway miles, the 420d is the sweet diesel; the 430d six is smoother but pricier to insure and service. The M440i is the heart pick: a genuinely quick, refined six with all-wheel drive, but treat it as a performance car for budgeting, closer in spirit to the cars in our BMW M and Audi RS insurance guide.

The big grille: does it actually hurt used values?

The vertical kidney grille was the most talked-about car design of 2020, and BMW’s own design chief Domagoj Dukec admitted the reaction was brutal. Five years on, the honest answer is that it has not dented resale in any measurable way. The G22 depreciates broadly in line with its premium-coupe rivals and its own 3 Series sibling, not below them. If anything, the styling that once divided forums now reads as distinctive, and a colour like Arctic Race Blue or San Remo Green carries it better than plain white.

For a UK buyer that means two things. First, do not expect a bargain just because you personally dislike the face: the market has priced the grille in and moved on. Second, spec matters more than styling for residuals. Cars with a sunroof, Comfort Pack, adaptive M suspension and a sensible colour hold money better than a stripped-out base 420i. If you want a cleaner-nosed alternative entirely, the larger BMW 8 Series used buyer’s guide covers the softer grand-tourer route.

Common faults and the pre-purchase checks that matter

The G22’s B-series engines have largely moved past the timing-chain anxiety that haunted older BMW fours, but it is still worth listening for any rattle on a cold start and confirming oil services were done on time. The far more common owner complaint is electrical: parking sensors, cameras and the iDrive central display can throw faults that need a dealer to clear, as the What Car used review flags. On a viewing, work every screen, every camera, the head-up display, the electric seats and the wireless charging pad before you part with a deposit.

Three checks separate a good G22 from a money pit. One, demand full BMW or specialist service history and match it to the digital service record. Two, inspect the run-flat tyres: they are expensive, wear unevenly if the car has sat, and a mismatched set hints at neglect. Three, run the registration through the free DVSA vehicle recall checker on gov.uk and the BMW VIN tool, because the G22 is caught up in the wider BMW Takata airbag recall covering UK cars. A car with the airbag work already completed is one less job for you.

Running costs: insurance group, servicing, road tax and depreciation

Running a G22 is predictable if you go in with your eyes open. Honest John lists the 4 Series in insurance groups 34 to 35 for the mainstream four-cylinder cars, with the M440i higher again; servicing runs on BMW’s condition-based system at roughly 10,000 to 15,000 mile intervals, and a BMW service plan or a trusted independent keeps the bills sane. Real-world economy from owner data spans about 32mpg for a hard-driven petrol to the high-50s for a steady 420d. Most G22s sit in the standard VED band plus the £40,000-plus premium-car supplement for the first five years if specced above that list price when new.

For cover over a repair bill, weigh an approved-used warranty against an aftermarket policy: our BMW, Audi and Mercedes approved used warranty comparison sets out what each actually covers. The cited specs table below pulls the headline numbers together with sources.

Coupe, convertible or Gran Coupe: which body to chase

The G22 coupe is the core car, but the range splits three ways. The G23 convertible swaps the old folding hard-top for a fabric roof, which cuts weight and boot intrusion but adds scuttle shake and a pricier service item to inspect. The G26 Gran Coupe is the five-door liftback: more practical, more usable rear space, and arguably the easiest to live with day to day. All three share engines and electronics, so the buying advice is identical; pick the body that fits your life and check the convertible’s roof mechanism cycles fully on a viewing.

If practicality is creeping up your priority list, it is worth cross-shopping a small premium SUV on the same running gear; the BMW X3 G01 used buyer’s guide covers the same B48 and B47 engines in a taller, family-friendlier shell. Buyers wanting a saloon with more rear room should also read the BMW 5 Series G30 used buyer’s guide before settling on a two-door.

What to budget and where to look before you buy

Set your budget by intent. Around £23,000 to £26,000 buys a clean 2021 four-cylinder with sensible miles; £27,000 to £32,000 puts you into early M440i territory or a low-mileage 430i; and £30,000-plus reaches 2023 to 2024 cars with the latest tech. Start with BMW Approved Used stock for the manufacturer warranty and inspection, then compare against well-documented independent cars to gauge whether the approved premium is worth it for the car in front of you. Always view in daylight, drive from cold, and walk away from any car with an unexplained service gap or warning lights the seller cannot clear.

For wider context on premium two-doors and SUVs, our used car buying guides hub collects the model-by-model checks we apply to every car CDE recommends.

Our take

A BMW 4 Series G22 used coupe is an easy car to recommend with one condition: buy the history, not the badge. The drivetrains are proven, the cabin ages well, and the much-mocked grille has quietly become a non-issue for values. Our money goes on a 2021 or 2022 430i M Sport with full BMW history, a sunroof and a sensible colour, bought at £24,000 to £27,000. It has the pace to feel special, the four-cylinder economy to make sense in the UK, and the broadest buyer pool when you sell. Step up to the M440i only if you will use the extra performance and can absorb the higher insurance and tyre bills. Step down to a 420i only if budget is tight, because the gap to a 430i is small for a lot more car. Whatever you choose, run the recall check and work every screen before you pay; the faults that bite a G22 are electrical, and they show up in five minutes if you look.