2018 (181) BMW 4 Series

The Gran Coupe is a car aimed at those who wish for the practicality of the 5 series but the luscious styling of the 4 series. It has novel practical features such as rear doors and a hatchback-style boot lid while keeping the sleek design of the standard 4 series. On the inside the differences are more subtle still, which is no bad thing when you consider the excellence of BMW's interior layout and switchgear, the epicentre of which is BMW's idrive touchpad with infotainment screen. The rear doors make it a far more practical proposition than the standard 4 series on which it is based. The hatchback tailgate also creates a much larger opening in the boot which rises to a capacity of 1300 litres with the seats folded down flat. Pick of the engines is arguably the two-litre diesel 418d which produces 143bhp and just over 60 miles per gallon, but both petrol and diesel variants found favour in Ireland. The car feels nicely balanced to drive with nicely weighted steering and a few thrills to keep you entertained.