Tempo can also come in a fine dress. Race with body and soul, so to speak. Just like the new BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupé does. Six-cylinder petrol engine under the hood, all-wheel drive, coupé in the basic form, four doors, large tailgate – somehow different and elegant. And the M440i is not even a lone wolf in its classy extravagance.
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There are more of its kind. The Kia Stinger GT 3.3 T-GDI AWD for example. He also wears the hatchback suit that has become rare, lets a six-cylinder have its say and pushes a similar amount of power into its automatic transmission – namely 366 hp; the BMW has 374 horsepower. The Peugeot 508 Hybrid4 360 PSE e-EAT8 weighs only 360 hp.
Peugeot 508: hatchback with hybrid. In addition, black trimmings and the self-confident fins on the aprons.
In a slightly different way than BMW and Kia, but in very appetizing packaging. We even think: The 508 with its sharp look and the concise strip of lights at the rear is one of the classiest sedan cuts in the middle class. The 508 PSE generates its power from a typical plug-in hybrid package. Light electric fare meets heavy turbo supplement in the form of a 1.6 four-cylinder petrol engine. Makes at least 520 Newton meters of system torque.
Peugeot reacts nervously and angularly to steering commands
In fact, this engine does not suit him as well as the paper values would suggest. Because despite the help of the electric motor, the 1.6er has to struggle under load and at high speeds. He confirms this with a crackling noise behavior and a typical four-cylinder vibration around 5000 rpm. In addition, the automatic transmission reacts hectically to kickdown commands and may not make the translation transitions as smooth as one might expect nowadays.
The Peugeot reacts to steering commands somehow nervously and angularly – despite its sleek shape and modern plug-in attitude, it is ultimately not a casual glider. Especially since the suspension works rather brittle. It only reluctantly filters away edges in the asphalt.
The 3.3-liter V6 in the Stinger sounds good, drives well, but unfortunately also drinks well.
Despite the small horsepower disadvantage, the Peugeot is not slow. Our measured values show that the Frenchman can outperform the slightly heavier and more powerful Kia in the intermediate sprint from 80 to 120 km/h. And: Its drive concept works perfectly when it comes to saving fuel. The 508 gets by with 5.5 liters of Super (plus power consumption) per 100 kilometers. Converted into euros and cents, that would be a little bit more efficient than the BMW.
Kia with 11.6 liters average consumption
The Kia pennant flies at the other end of this flagpole. 11.6 liters of average consumption per 100 kilometers are untimely. 3.3 liters just want to be filled with fuel, which does not inhibit the thickest charge. In any case, you can clearly feel the turbo character here. However, the car copes very well with the strong use of power.
engine type
Charging/Propulsion Type
displacement
kW (hp) system power
kW (hp) b. 1/min (combustion engine)
kW (hp) electric motor(s)
transmission
drive type
Dimensions L/W/H
Tank/trunk volume
base price
test car price
Turbo/petrol, mild hybrid
8-speed automatic converter
8-speed automatic converter
Turbo/petrol, plug-in hybrid
81 (110); 83 (112)(front/rear)
8-speed automatic converter
60 659 (Price after deducting the environmental premium (5981.25 € incl. VAT)
The all-wheel drive – primarily fed with forces at the rear – doesn’t let a Newton meter go through. However, the rear axle differential lock occasionally tugs rudely in the drive train, noticeable as a jerky turn under a stronger steering angle. Otherwise: great! The V6 walks, revs, sounds and puts a mighty punch in both casual cruising and furious wringing out. This fits the binding steering with well-adapted power assistance.
That’s exactly what we would wish for from BMW. But there isn’t. Instead: typical synthetics around the middle position and little tension on the first few degrees of steering angle. Gross motorists hardly feel it, fine drivers’s annoying enormously. But: That is basically our only point of criticism. The rest: a party. The M440i plays glider and athlete in one, bewitched by the silky six-cylinder. The twin-scroll charged 3.0 can hum cultivated, hit hard under juicy boost pressure, rev out finely and get back to business diligently and quickly from the overrun mode.
Pretty? We don’t judge. One thing is certain: the M440i is both a driving machine and a travel companion.
In addition, a 48-volt network with at least 11 hp helps to relieve the petrol engine. In addition, the transmission is impressively versatile. The BMW may drop off gracefully when starting off and imperceptibly mix in further translations or get edgy in the slippers (in the Sport plus driving program), while perceptibly crunching through the gears. That’s the way it has to be. We also count the chassis among the best in its class. Surefooted, comfortable in the suspension (in Comfort) to fit-trained for tension (in the S levels), blessed with clear traction – the 4 Series Gran Coupé truly has plenty of BMW driving competence. Too bad: Despite the grandiose engine, consumption is high.
M440i with the bulging technology package in this league
The BMW’s 48-volt mild hybrid system doesn’t help much here either. Consolation: The M440i probably has the most powerful technology package in this league. Extensive online networking (e.g. smartphone mirroring via radio), the maximum in driving assistance (including an absolutely suitable emergency assistant) or even a very understandable voice control support the occupants on request. In addition, the driver quickly finds a simple way through the operating structure of the 4 Series.
Schluckpechte: Behind large hatchback flaps Kia, BMW and Peugeot offer a lot of cargo space. Stinger to 1114, 4 to 1290 and 508 to 1537 liters.
It looks darker in the Kia. Apart from the “preselection keys”, the driver only has one chance of successfully working his way through the operating levels if he taps the pictograms on the touch screen with his arm outstretched. The climate controls are also very low, the temperature displays far above on the screen. It’s similar in the Peugeot – the touchscreen is the key experience. You quickly get used to the sloping displays that you aim for above the steering wheel. In addition, the 508 compensates for feudal comfort equipment ex works. Also fits perfectly to the fine appearance.
