Used 2019 BMW Z4

The BMW Z4 is all-new for 2019, a 2-seat roadster that returns after a 2-year hiatus with a fabric top and a rigid chassis shared with the new Toyota Supra. Although it’s a spiritual successor to the simple little Z3 roadster of the 1990s, a “BMW Miata” of sorts, the new Z4 is a much more of a GT car, a luxuriously equipped roadster that pampers its driver with loads of luxury, safety and connectivity.

But the Z4 is by no means a boulevardier along the lines of a Lexus SC430. Although the Z4 is a very comfortable daily driver, it comes alive when driven hard, particularly when the Sport+ driving mode is engaged. This is an excellent sports car that accommodates taller drivers, and although it’s not quite as immediately responsive as a Porsche 718 Boxster, it can stay close to its fellow German roadster on a twisty road.

Although its wheelbase has been shortened by about an inch, the Z4 has grown in every other significant dimension. It’s 3.3 inches longer, 2.9 inches wider and slightly taller than the last Z4, with front and rear tracks that have grown by a substantial 3.9 inches and 2.5 inches, respectively. Curb weight of the 2019 Z4 sDrive30i is 3,287 pounds.

While we wish BMW sold the Z4 in the U.S. with a manual transmission, that omission detracts only slightly from an otherwise thoroughly entertaining car that deftly blends plenty of new technology and luxury with some good old-fashioned roadster fun.

The 2019 BMW Z4 has a dual character. At small throttle openings, such as when you’re trundling about town, this 2-seat BMW roadster is as easy as an Accord or a Camry to drive, with light-effort steering and a remarkably comfortable ride. Our only complaint in this city driving environment is this: Its brakes can be a touch grabby, making it difficult to stop the Z4 smoothly in parking lots and the like. We suspect the optional M Sport brakes, fitted to our car, had soft but aggressive front-brake pads.

Which is good, because at larger throttle openings the Z4 comes alive and feels plenty fast, especially when the Sport+ driving mode is engaged. In Sport+, the Z4 is transformed into a serious sports car, one with firmer suspension, quicker steering and a transmission that shifts super crisply, even when you’re not using the standard paddles. We particularly like how the crisp, automatic-blip downshifts in Sport+ make it sound like there’s a pro driver at the wheel.

Overall grip in the Z4 is excellent, which enables the Z4 to track through corners with an enviable composure. In these dynamic situations, the Z4 also is aided by its 50/50 weight balance and its M Sport differential, which is part of the optional Track Handling Package.

All told, the new Z4 is a deft blend of comfort and sport, and the quiet 2-seat cabin remains remarkably tranquil during top-down cruising, allowing for easy conversation, aided by a removable mesh wind-blocker panel. On a recent cold December night, the Z4 worked great as a mobile platform for viewing the Christmas lights. Seat heaters on, of course.

One minor nit: The new Z4’s lane-keep program is overly aggressive, pulling the car back into its lane with very little finesse whenever you begin to cross a lane-marker line without signaling. Our solution: We simply shut the system off every time we drove the Z4.

Taller folks fit well inside the new Z4, thanks to long seat travel and a well-lined convertible top that allows for more headroom than you might expect. The white leather interior (Ivory White Vernasca) of the KBB test car is complemented nicely by the Z4’s Misano Blue paint, and the dash has a handsome but thoroughly modern look.

The Z4’s center stack is capped by a large horizontal multifunction screen controlled by BMW’s familiar knurled aluminum iDrive rotary dial on the center console. This is the seventh generation of iDrive, and we’re pleased to report that it has matured into one of the better multifunction controllers on the market. With an assortment of nudges, twists, clicks and the occasional push of a button, iDrive allows for quick and easy navigation in and amongst the Z4’s multiple systems and apps.

For its instrument panel, the Z4’s has what BMW calls its “Live Cockpit,” a 12.3-inch digital high-resolution screen behind the steering wheel. The speedometer and tachometer are on the outer edges of the display, leaving space in the middle for navigational instructions. The style of the display changes with the selected driving mode, and more information is provided by the Z4’s head-up display (HUD), which is part of a $1,600 Premium Package that also includes heated seats, wireless charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Neat little detail: The digital speed readout in the Z4’s HUD turns from black to red whenever the speed limit is exceeded. (Don’t ask how we know this.)

BMW says the new 2019 Z4 represents a distinctive take on a sporting roadster. We agree. It does look like a classic roadster, but with a decidedly modern bent. It’s a good-looking car, and its wide but squat twin-kidney grilles leave no doubt this is a BMW.

Two neat details can be seen when you view the new Z4 from the front. Two arrow-shaped contours are neatly sculpted into the hood, pointing right at the honeycomb grilles. Also, the Z4 headlights, in a first for the BMW, feature two light sources, one above the other, and they’re capped by a vertical accent strip with an integral directional signal.

When the Z4 is viewed from the rear, the extra width of the car is immediately apparent, and you can surmise that the trunk is larger than before (9.9 cubic feet versus 8.0). Dual exhaust outlets add a sporting flair that’s complemented by a rear diffuser and a trunk with an integrated spoiler.

TRACK-HANDLING PACKAGE
This expensive ($2,450) option is well worth it if you drive aggressively or plan to exercise your Z4 at racetracks on weekends. The M Sport Brakes are sized to handle grueling track conditions, while the M Sport differential lets you power out of turns with improved control.

DRIVING DYNAMICS CONTROL
With this standard system, the 2019 Z4 driver can select driving modes that include Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. Major differences in power delivery and suspension tuning are felt among these modes, which are selectable via a rocker on the center console.

Standard features on the 2019 BMW Z4 sDrive30i include the 255-horsepower engine, the ZF 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and a power fabric top with a heated glass rear window. Inside, automatic climate control is standard, as are a leather-covered steering wheel, ambient lighting, a wind deflector and an engine stop/start button.

One year of Apple CarPlay is standard, as are a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch central information display and the seventh generation of BMW’s multifunction iDrive controller. Moreover, the new Z4 has two USB ports and 20GB of multimedia storage, and the map data for the navigation system is updated over-the-air (OTA) four times a year.

Standard safety hardware on the 2019 BMW Z4 includes a forward-collision-warning system with automatic braking, plus a pedestrian-protection system and a lane-departure warning.

For the most part, Z4 options come in packages. The Driving Assistance Package includes active cruise control (with stop-and-go), blind-spot detection and a rear cross-traffic alert. The Z4 also is available with Back-up Assistant, which allows the Z4 to back itself out of tight parking spots in which there’s little or no margin for error. BMW says all the driver has to do is operate the gas and brake while keeping an eye on the area around the Z4.

Other option packages on the Z4 include the M Sport Package (keyless entry, lumbar support, Active Driving Assistant, and SiriusXM radio), a Premium Package (heated front seats, head-up display, wireless charging, onboard Wi-Fi), an Executive Package (ambient interior lighting, LED headlights, automatic high-beam headlights, Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo) and the Track Handling Package (M Sport brakes, M Sport differential).

Active cruise control is available as a stand-alone $1,200 option.

The 2019 BMW Z4 sDrive30i is available with one engine, a direct-injected 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boosted by a single twin-scroll turbocharger to produce 255 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a 295 lb-ft plateau of torque from 1,500 rpm to 4,400 rpm. While that’s good for a respectable 0-60-mph sprint of 5.2 seconds, remember that a 382-horsepower 6-cylinder engine will power the 2020 BMW Z4 sDrive M40i. BMW says that potent Z4 will hit 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
255 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/32 mpg