2020 BMW Z4

The volume sDrive30i uses BMW's 2.0L TwinScroll turbo four at 255 hp; the M40i's 3.0L turbo six makes 382 hp. 2020 is the second model year of the G29 generation, a carry-over from 2019.

Strong low-end torque for a 2.0L four, available from 1,550 to 4,400 rpm.

BMW quotes 5.2 s for the sDrive30i and 4.4 s for the 2020 M40i; instrumented tests of the G29 have generally beaten BMW's conservative claims.

The turbo four is responsive with little lag and a broad torque plateau, though reviewers call its sound unremarkable; the optional B58 six is widely praised for its smoothness and urgency.

ZF 8-speed Steptronic Sport automatic with paddles is the only gearbox for 2020; it shifts quickly and smoothly, though enthusiasts lament the lack of a manual.

Rear-wheel drive only on both 2020 trims; no AWD is offered on any Z4, though the M40i gets an electronically controlled M Sport rear differential.

Two gas engines (2.0L turbo four, 3.0L turbo six), both with the same 8-speed automatic; no hybrid, PHEV or EV variant.

EPA combined for the volume 2.0L sDrive30i; the 3.0L M40i rates 26 mpg.

EPA city rating for the volume sDrive30i.

EPA highway rating for the volume sDrive30i.

EPA does not publish a range figure for gas cars; computed from the G29's 52 L (13.7 US gal) tank and the 27 mpg EPA combined rating.

EPA annual fuel cost at 15k mi/yr and current premium-fuel prices, as published by fueleconomy.gov at time of scoring.

Both trims are rated on premium gasoline, with no flex-fuel or plug-in option — a costly single-fuel requirement.

NHTSA has never crash-tested the G29 Z4 (2019 onward). That is typical for low-volume two-seat roadsters. A mid-range estimate reflects a modern BMW structure, with no tested result behind it.

IIHS has not tested the 2020 Z4, so it has no TSP/TSP+ award and no individual crash results. There are no known structural concerns, and the 2019 Euro NCAP five-star result suggests a sound structure. It therefore sits at the low end of the mostly-Good band.

On the 2020 US sDrive30i, standard driver assistance is essentially forward-collision warning with City Collision Mitigation/AEB and pedestrian detection. Blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise are all in option packages.

Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation and pedestrian detection is standard. It uses the same camera-based BMW system as IIHS-tested BMWs of the era, but IIHS has never evaluated the Z4 and there is no night-pedestrian result.

Blind-spot monitoring (Active Blind Spot Detection) and rear cross-traffic alert are option-package items on the 2020 Z4, not standard. When equipped, they provide alerts plus a steering intervention.

Lane-departure warning is optional, and Cars.com lists 'no lane keep assist' as a drawback of the 2020 Z4. No lane-centering function is offered.

Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go is available only as an option (Driving Assistance Professional). When fitted, it is a capable full-speed-range system, but it is not standard on the volume sDrive30i and has no integrated highway assist.

No hands-free driving system is offered on the 2020 Z4 in any configuration. BMW's Extended Traffic Jam Assistant was limited to other models.

LED headlights are standard, and adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beams are available. IIHS has never rated the Z4's headlights, so Good performance across the range is unconfirmed.

Visibility is excellent with the top down. With the soft top up, the thick rear quarters and small rear window limit over-the-shoulder and reversing sightlines. A backup camera is standard, but parking sensors and the Back-Up Assistant are optional.

The 2020 Z4 (G29, second model year) is a strict two-seat roadster on both sDrive30i and M40i, with no rear bench.

There is plenty of headroom for a soft-top roadster because the seats are mounted low. Tall drivers fit with the top raised. The body is unchanged within the G29 generation.

Front legroom is long for a compact roadster, more than the MX-5 Miata offers.

The fabric top folds into its own compartment, so trunk space is the same with the top up or down. It is large for a two-seater (the Miata has 4.6 cu ft) but small next to four-seat convertibles.

Cabin storage is sparse, as in most compact roadsters: small door pockets, a shallow console bin and cupholders. On the 2020 car, wireless charging comes only in the Premium or Executive Package, so the base car doesn't have it.

The standard 14-way power sport seats in SensaTec are supportive and comfortable on long drives. Power lumbar support comes only with the Premium Package. The more heavily bolstered M Sport seats became standard only with the 2023 LCI.

The base sDrive30i suspension (M Sport was optional in 2020) is firm but composed and fine for cruising. Edmunds called the ride harsh on rough surfaces, and with the adaptive M suspension, comfort depends heavily on road quality.

Reviewers call the cabin quiet for a convertible. The insulated soft top beats a Miata's, but wind and road noise at highway speed are still well above fixed-roof cars.

Automatic climate control, a wind deflector and a heated glass rear window are standard. Heated front seats and the heated steering wheel come only in the $3,050 Premium or $5,550 Executive Package, and ventilated seats aren't offered.

In 2020, the second year of the G29, the sDrive30i was priced at $49,700 and the M40i at $63,700, both plus $995 destination. Prices carried over from the 2019 launch.

The sDrive30i is the volume trim. Typical dealer stock adds the Premium Package (head-up display, Harman Kardon, heated seats) and metallic paint on top of the $50,695 base, which lands near $55,500.

Edmunds' True Cost to Own for the 2020 sDrive30i schedules about $8.6k of maintenance over 5 years ($1,170/$506/$3,380/$650/$2,918). CarEdge's model-wide projection is much lower at about $4.7k. The Edmunds figure is used because it is year- and trim-specific. BMW Ultimate Care offsets the first 3 years.

KBB currently values a 2020 sDrive30i at about $28,100 private-party, roughly 51–55% of its original sticker after about 6 years. iSeeCars (56.5%) and CarEdge (60%) model-wide projections run a little higher. About 53% at 5 years splits the realized and projected figures.

BMW's New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 4 years or 50,000 miles. That is the German-luxury norm.

BMW offers no separate, longer powertrain warranty. Powertrain coverage ends with the 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty.

BMW Ultimate Care covers 3 yr / 36,000 mi of scheduled maintenance, plus 4 yr unlimited-mile Roadside Assistance and a BMW ConnectedDrive trial. That is genuine multi-year included maintenance.

$55,500 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (53% retained, or about $29,415) leaves about $26,085 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $34,685 in total.

J.D. Power rates the 2020 Z4 75/100 for Quality & Reliability, in its 'Average' band; Consumer Reports has too few Z4 survey responses for a model-specific prediction. 2020 is the second year of the G29 generation (a carry-over of the 2019 launch car), so early-generation teething issues still weigh on it — a notch below later G29 years and below the Miata.

Around the 2020 model year BMW placed 8th among brands in J.D. Power's 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study — above industry average and the best of the German luxury makes, but outside the consistent top-5 needed for 80+.

MY2020 carries six NHTSA campaigns, two of them fire-related: an insufficiently welded fuel-tank seam that can leak fuel (20V700) and a corroding starter relay that can overheat and short (25V636), plus headlight control-unit failure (19V850), headlamp aim (20V516), rear-camera display (19V684) and engine software that could cut brake assist at start (21V598). Busier than typical for an early-generation car, though no systemic powertrain failure.

The volume sDrive30i uses the B48 2.0L turbo four, a well-regarded improvement on the N20; the M40i's B58 3.0L I6 is among BMW's most durable modern engines. Both pair with the proven ZF 8HP automatic. Deductions for known cooling-system wear items and the 2020-specific engine-software and starter-relay campaigns.

Reviewers consistently praise the G29 cabin's leather, metal-look trim and solid switchgear, with the 10.25-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital cluster running iDrive 7. Class-appropriate for a ~$50-65k luxury roadster, a step below the Boxster's bespoke feel.

Built by Magna Steyr in Graz alongside the GR Supra, a low-volume contract plant with a reputation for tight assembly; reviewers note a stiff structure with little top-down shake. The fuel-tank weld recall on this early run and BMW's near-average initial quality temper the score.

BMW's roughly 350 US dealers provide dense metro coverage nationwide, and the 2020 model came with 3-year/36,000-mile BMW Ultimate Care scheduled maintenance; service satisfaction is mixed. Solid coverage, average service experience.

OEM parts are readily available and the enthusiast aftermarket (shared with the Supra) is large, but maintenance and repair costs are on the expensive end of the segment — cooling-system parts, struts and electronics repairs are costly once out of warranty.

Every 2020 Z4 comes with BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which includes a 10.25-inch central touchscreen. No larger screen is offered.

iDrive 7 (Operating System 7) is fast and full of features. The rotary controller, touchscreen and physical climate buttons make it easy to use on the move. The menus are deep, and the screen washes out in sunlight with the top down.

Wireless Apple CarPlay is included. It came with a one-year trial at launch, and BMW dropped the subscription in late 2019. Android Auto was not offered at the start of the 2020 model year. BMW added wireless Android Auto to iDrive 7 cars only from mid-2020 production and by later update, so many 2020 cars had CarPlay only.

Built-in navigation is standard through Live Cockpit Professional. The 'Hey BMW' Intelligent Personal Assistant handles natural-language commands. This is the first OS 7 version of the assistant.

The standard Hi-Fi system is adequate. The Harman Kardon surround system is the real upgrade, but on the 2020 sDrive30i it is tied to the $5,550 Executive Package. Open-top acoustics limit how good any system can sound.

A configurable, fully digital 10.25-inch driver display with a map view is standard on every 2020 Z4.

As an Operating System 7 car, the 2020 Z4 can receive BMW Remote Software Upgrades over the air. Those updates cover infotainment, maps and some vehicle functions rather than the whole vehicle, and later OS 7 updates added features such as Android Auto.

The BMW Connected / My BMW app covers remote lock and unlock, vehicle status, location and send-to-car navigation. The Wi-Fi hotspot and other connected extras come with the option packages.

A couple of front USB ports are standard. Wireless charging comes only with the Premium or Executive Package, so the base car has no pad.

Push-button start is standard. Comfort Access keyless entry is an option on the sDrive30i, available in the Convenience, Premium or Executive Package, and remote start isn't standard.

A rearview camera is standard. Parking Assistant and Back-up Assistant are package options, and no surround-view camera is offered.

A full-color head-up display is available through the Premium ($3,050) or Executive Package but isn't standard on the volume sDrive30i.

A two-seat roadster with no rear seat and no rear LATCH positions. It cannot carry children day to day.

Frontal collision warning with city braking and pedestrian detection is standard. Blind-spot and lane-departure warning are options, and neither IIHS nor NHTSA has crash-tested the G29 Z4. With no rear occupants, family safety barely applies.

Two seats and a 9.9 cu ft trunk can't carry a family on a road trip.

The 255-hp turbo four and ZF 8-speed are smooth in traffic, and the top opens or closes in about 10 seconds at up to 31 mph. Downsides for daily use: a low seat and wide sills, limited visibility with the top up, rear-wheel drive only, a firm ride on broken pavement, and keyless entry offered only as an option.

27 mpg combined is respectable for a luxury roadster. Premium fuel, run-flat tires and BMW maintenance costs after the warranty push running costs up.

A small footprint (about 171 in long on a 97 in wheelbase) and a 36 ft turning circle make it easy to place in the city. A backup camera is standard, but parking sensors and Parking Assistant are optional.

There is no US tow rating, no bed and only a 9.9 cu ft trunk, so it has essentially no work capability.

SensaTec/leather upholstery and a fabric soft top don't suit hard use, and there is no work or fleet version.

There is no hitch, no roof-rack provision, no cargo-area power outlet and no upfit options.

It works as a two-person highway tourer, with supportive seats, 27 mpg and about 370 miles of range from a 13.7-gal tank. Adaptive cruise and heated seats are options, and wind noise plus the two-seat, small-trunk layout limit long trips.

Rear-wheel drive only, low ground clearance, performance run-flat tires and no rack or hitch make it a pavement-only car.

The 9.9 cu ft trunk holds the same with the top up or down and fits a couple of soft weekend bags. There are no folding seats, pass-through, rails or hitch.

50:50 weight distribution and a multi-link rear on the platform shared with the Supra give the Z4 strong grip and body control. The base 2020 sDrive30i runs the standard rather than the lowered M Sport suspension. It feels more grand tourer than the 718 or MX-5.

The electric steering is quick and precise but short on feedback, which reviewers cite as the Z4's main dynamic weakness against the Boxster and Miata.

The pedal is firm and consistent, and stops are short. The 2020 base car has standard brakes; M Sport brakes came with the optional M Sport Package.

The B48 2.0L turbo (255 hp, 295 lb-ft from 1,550 rpm) with the ZF 8-speed responds crisply with little lag and shifts smoothly. The automatic is the only transmission for 2020.

The four-cylinder is smooth and quiet at a cruise but sounds ordinary when worked hard, especially next to the M40i's inline-six.

The turning circle is tight for a rear-drive roadster, helped by the short 97-inch wheelbase.

The driving position is low and classic, with a 14-way power seat and controls that fall readily to hand. Visibility with the top up is limited, getting in and out means dropping low, and the M steering wheel was optional in 2020.

It is a quick, composed open-top BMW that is genuinely enjoyable. The volume sDrive30i lacks the M40i's six-cylinder character and the feedback of the 718 and Miata.

The pre-LCI 2020 sDrive30i comes with a power soft top, the 10.25-inch Live Cockpit with navigation, LED headlights, Sensatec upholstery and basic active safety. Heated seats, the head-up display, Harman Kardon and the M Sport package stay in packages (M Sport became standard only with the 2023 LCI), so it is competitive but less generous than later years.

$50,695 buys a 255-hp roadster that does 0–60 in about 5 s, and $64,695 buys the 382-hp M40i, which undercuts the Porsche 718 Boxster S by thousands with comparable pace. That is fair luxury-roadster value, though well short of the Miata's bang-for-buck.

There are only two trims (sDrive30i and M40i), both rear-drive with an 8-speed automatic only and no manual. Choice comes mainly through option packages.

The Z4 is a low-volume niche roadster in a shrinking segment. 2020 was its first full sales year after the March 2019 launch, but pandemic-hit volume stayed in the low thousands, well behind the Miata.

BMW is one of the most aspirational premium brands, with deep enthusiast equity in its Z roadsters. Brand image helps the Z4's satisfaction and resale.

During 2020 BMW backed the Z4 with a $1,500 BMW Financial Services credit and 0.9% APR for up to 60 months on 2019–2020 models. These were meaningful pandemic-era incentives that buyers could readily use.

2020 is the second model year of the all-new G29 generation (launched for MY2019 on the shared Toyota-BMW platform), with current iDrive 7 tech and no redesign on the horizon.

Reviewers praised the 2020 Z4's strong engines, especially the M40i's 382-hp six, and its upscale cabin, but criticized the harsh ride on rough roads and the missing manual. It is consistently ranked behind the Porsche 718 on steering and purity, so it is well-reviewed rather than the class pick.