BMW Model 435i xDrive Tested, with AWD, Six-cylinders and two-doors, not for the speed inclined

Evaluation of BMW model 435i xDrive coupe with the all-wheel-drive can be ticked off with a jocular comment that the lineup of 3 and 4 series have already grown to comical levels, but we are already aware of it. Here we are actually testing an actual two-door coupe of the four series fitted with the excellent inline-six turbocharged engine of BMW and all-wheel-drive.

Earlier we have explained the 435i coupe with rear-wheel-drive as an unreasonable deal owing to the robust engine, and we classify the xDrive in the same category. But it’s all-weather practicality is a tad bit more in exchange for a little more cash. For fair weather fans it may look strange that the 435i with all-wheel-drive produces a little more than 300-hp of a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe, but the AWD is a pre-requisite for all luxury cars in the Snow Belt zones. Jaguar went to the trouble to retrofit its existing XF-sedan with AWD so that it moves in the cold weather months without obstruction and the British maker even fitted their F-type sports model with the AWD.

The good news is that the  435i is rear-wheel biased torque distribution hence can operate much like its two-wheel drive colleagues during dry weather. At the limit, we only experienced mild understeer and observed a skidpad figure of 0.87g. Due to the weight distribution of the chassis the 435i turned out to be a balanced mover on the road.

In the straight-line performance, the 435i has added bite via the xDrive, and it is seen in the blistering launch to the 0-60mph timing of 4.5 seconds. In the contemporary BMW cars, the automatic fitted examples are always faster over the manual-equipped ones, and this 4.5i with an eight- speed automatic and Xdrive absolutely defeats the manual by 0.7 seconds at the 0-60mph race.

The 435i would seem to be a high performer objectively, but the figures of 0.90g on skid pad and the 4.5 seconds timing of 0-60mph is nothing to holler about. The mediocre 70-0mph stopping of 184-feet and also the governor limited top speed of 127mph are huge let downs. But these were done obviously to keep the economy as BMW has fitted the car with Pirelli all-season tires.

You always feel detached while driving a BMW and the test car equipped with the Dynamic Handling Package worth $1000 brought adaptive suspension damping, and the annoying Variable Sport steering choice which is unsatisfactory with its functioning ways. It is meant to speed up the ratio at slower velocities and reduce it at high speeds, but the steering gets twitchy encountered with tight corners and quite irritating on highways.

Our suggestion is to drop this option and go for the standard fixed-ration electric powered steering though it still lacks feedback. Well, if you are a speed lover then you can go for the 435i or the 4-door 435i Gran Coupe and the costlier convertible.  But in fact, BMW has something for everyone’s taste in its stable of 3 and four series.