BMW Z4 car review

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 80%

If your desire for fun outweighs practical needs a roadster could be the car for you – with the BMW Z4 one of the most eye-catching.

Whether it’s the posing, the engaging drive or simply the top-down fun you’re after, the BMW Z4 can cater for all those needs.

We drove the 2-litre BMW Z4 for a week – read on for our view on the car.

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

1. Looks

You know you like a car’s looks when you get out, take a look back, walk away, and take another look. The BMW Z4 is one of those cars. It combines classic roadster looks with contemporary angles to create a very good-looking car. The long bonnet and tiny rear are well-proportioned. Available as a soft-top or coupe, both look great.

9/10

2. Looks inside

We drove the Sports trim model featuring a satisfyingly substantial three-spoke steering wheel which is good to hold. The gear knob and handbrake are well positioned for the Z4’s low-down, sporty seating position. The speedo and rev counter are easily visible through the spokes with audio and air-controls located in the neat, uncluttered central stack. The dash is split between textured black plastic and brushed aluminium trim. The Sports model we drove also boasted extremely comfortable and easily adjustable M Sport red leather seats.

9/10

3. Practicality

Both seats are comfortable and do not feel cramped. Cabin-space for objects is limited with meaningful storage combined to a vertical bay between the driver and passenger and small spaces behind the front seats. The Z4 is available as a coupe or soft-top with our soft top able to take a respectable 240 litres of luggage – plenty for the weekly shop or a weekend away. Access to that space is compromised by the importance of this car’s looks – and is worth consideration before committing to a purchase.

7/10

4. Ride and Handling

We found the car a joy to drive in town with sharp steering and a stiff chassis putting a smile on our faces within minutes of getting in the car. Even for a roadster the ride in our model – featuring sports suspension trim - was firm but not uncomfortable and motorway driving was fine. However, at higher speeds we found the steering communicated bumps and holes in the road back to the driver through the steering wheel more than we’d have liked.

8/10

5. Performance

BMW offers a choice of five petrol engines to power the Z4. We drove the 150bhp 2-litre model which boasts a 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds, and a top speed of 137mph. This is enough power to enable the BMW Z4 to reveal its fun-loving nature - with the standard six-speed gearbox’s short throws. encouraging enthusiastic driving. However, there is plenty more fun to be had in a model range which also includes a choice of 177bhp and 218bhp 2.5-litre models, a 265bhp 3-litre model and 343bhp performance M model. Go for the M roadster or M Coupe for the best performance: 0-62mph can be completed in five seconds with the top speed taken up to 155mph. 

8/10

6. Running Costs

The insurance bill will hurt, ranging from the Group 17 tariff of our 2-litre model to the full Group 20 at the top end. CO2 emissions range from 176g/km to 292g/km which sees the car’s annual tax bill range from Band E’s £170 to the full Band G £400. Fuel consumption for the 2-litre model averages at a decent 38.2mpg, the figure dropping to 23.3mpg for the M models. The car’s desirability should ensure it holds its value well.

7/10

7. Reliability

No Reliability Index figures are currently available for the Z4 which replaced the Z3 model in 2002 and underwent a facelift in 2006. We found the car was built to a very high standard with everything fitted well, though we had hoped the dash would have felt more robust rather than giving a hollow sound when tapped.

7/10

8. Safety

The Z4 achieved a four star rating following EuroNCAP tests. Safety equipment on the car includes four airbags, and Dynamic Stability Control+ (DSC+) which incorporates stability control, corner brake control and traction control along with hill start assist and brake drying which improves stopping power in wet conditions.

8/10

9. Equipment

The BMW Z4 is available in Exclusive, Sport, SE and M variants. Standard equipment includes light 16-inch alloy wheels, oval exhaust pipe, electric windows, air-conditioning, sports seats and CD/radio. Our Sport trim model added M leather steering wheel, sports seats and sports suspension. M models add a host of M-specific trim including 18-inch wheels, xenon headlights, and nappa leather upholstery.

8/10

10. X-Factor

The BMW Z4 can hold its head high when planted next to any roadster. Looks are a matter of personal taste but we reckon the Z4 is right on the money with its combination of retro and contemporary.

9/10