2017 BMW 4 Series

Elegant, sleek, and desirable, BMW's family of 4 Series enters 2017 refreshed and ready to take on a barrage of new and upcoming rivals including the Infiniti Q60, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and the next-generation Audi A5 which is set to land on Canadian shores for model year 2018. The 4 Series must also fend off competition from Cadillac's ATS Coupe and the Lexus RC.

The 4 Series is available in coupe, convertible and Gran Coupe forms. The convertible is the only model in the entry luxury segment to offer a folding hardtop roof, providing all-weather security and protection. The Gran Coupe isn't so much a coupe as a good-looking sedan with frameless doors.

Unlike the 3 Series, which just received a visual update, the 4 Series carries over unchanged in the looks department. Given that the car debuted just three years ago, expect another year to pass before any design changes are made. Nonetheless, the 4 Series is still a very handsome machine with elegant curves; the coupe has a fastback-like roofline, while the Gran Coupe is an actual fastback with a power-operated rear hatch.

New for 2017, all 4 Series can be had in Sparkling Brown metallic paint, while models fitted with the optional M Package get a leather-wrapped wheel with blue contrast stitching. M Package cars can also be fitted with new grey-pained 18-inch V-spoke wheels as opposed to the standard silver finish wheels.

From a neat gadgetry standpoint, the 4 Series also gains wireless device charging for 2017, plus an on-board wi-fi hotspot. The 4 Series also gets BMW's latest iDrive 5.0 which features new menu designs and improved graphics. Unfortunately, it doesn't yet offer gesture control as with the 7 Series.

But the real news is what's under the hood. For 2017 all 4 Series get new engines that are built on BMW's modular engine design.

From here on in, the 428i is now known as the 430i. While the displacement of the engine is the same (2.0 litres), the 430i's engine produces 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. That's eight horsepower and three lb-ft of torque more.

Those desiring more power can opt for BMW's turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Though still 3.0 litres in displacement, it's now dubbed 340i and develops 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque, a substantial hike up from the 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque from before. When fitted with all-wheel drive, the 340i xDrive can hit 100 km/h in as little as 4.9 seconds - very quick indeed.

Convertible and Gran Coupe models come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive. The 430i Coupe comes standard with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive; there's more choice for the 440i, though. A six-speed manual transmission can be selected as a no-cost option, and both self-shift and automatic 440is can be had with rear or all-wheel drive.

When it comes to the 4 Series, there's plenty of choice for equipment and customization. The Individual package offers custom premium-finish paints and exclusive leather upholstery, including leather-wrapped dashboard and door trims, while various degrees of sportiness can be obtained through M Performance packages. Ever-ready to compete with the most advanced cars on the market, 4s can be optioned with full-speed radar cruise control with road sign detection, automatic parking function, active blind-spot detection, lane-departure, and collision warning, and a 360-degree parking camera.

Pricing for the 430i xDrive Coupe and Gran Coupe start at $50,950, while the 430i xDrive Convertible starts at $61,250. The 440i Coupe starts at $56,350, with the xDrive Coupe and xDrive Gran Coupe variants selling for $57,050. The 440i xDrive Convertible costs $70,550.