Is the BMW 4 Series good for families? Here’s our verdict.
Is the BMW 4 Series good for families? Here’s our verdict.
By Farzana Chaumoo
While it is possible to squeeze a child seat into that two-door coupe you’ve been eyeing, we doubt you’d want to do it every day.
When you think of a BMW 428i, think of it as a pair of skinny jeans.
The kind of jeans bought in a spell of optimism because you were feeling fit that day but then they end up in the back of your cupboard as a motivational piece that one day you’ll definitely fit back into.
Now, a sexy BMW coupe on the dealership floor is like that. Then you jump into it, you may even take it for a test drive and it’s got you feeling like you’ve “arrived”. But as certain as fat days that follow skinny ones, a car like this will eventually fail at fitting in with your lifestyle.
If you have a sizable family with children already then realization will hit you within a week of ownership. And if you don’t have kids yet, then the moment will strike when your better half gets pregnant.
But I really want it…
On the dealership floor, the salesman will give you all the passenger seat tips and how to get the most out of the seats flexibility and how conveniently it will move with the handy button on the bolster. It’s all dandy and there’s plenty of space to get your kids in. But you obviously won’t have your child seat in the showroom. Try fitting that contraption into the rear of a coupe while trying to fit yourself into the small rear footwell to do so. Your child will feel physically smothered as you try to not let any swear words slip out of your mouth.
In all fairness, in the beginning, you’ll have the movement down. It’s head down, bum-up, knees-in-chin and then dance in and out of the car’s rear. It’s not that much of a schlepp right? You can overlook it after getting into the driver’s seat and the engagement overcomes you.
and soon you’ll tire of it.
Over time or even in the span of a few weeks, it’s going to wear you down to the point where, when you get out you’re going to want to talk your toddler into waiting in the car for a minute so you can quickly pop in and out to avoid the effort of having to extract them again.
There are people who put up with this and it probably got to do with their eternal pursuit of beauty. Cars with two doors just look more chic than any other. Which is why many automakers began jumping onto the bandwagon of creating four-door coupes which look like they only two doors.
Verdict
If you’re considering a coupe then please think of the children. Not necessarily for them, but for your own sake. There are several other options in the BMW range to consider as a family car such as the 3 Series or any X-model that is a better option than the 4 Series. Actually, any car with back doors will make life easier for you.