2022 BMW Z4

The volume sDrive30i uses BMW's 2.0L TwinPower turbo four at 255 hp; the M40i's 3.0L turbo six makes 382 hp. 2022 is the fourth, pre-LCI model year of the G29 generation (LCI arrived September 2022), so outputs carry over unchanged.

Broad low-end torque plateau for a 2.0L four (from 1,550 rpm); unchanged for 2022.

The volume sDrive30i is rated at 5.2 s; the M40i is listed at 3.9 s.

The turbo four is responsive with little lag and strong midrange, though its sound is unremarkable; the optional B58 inline-six is widely praised for smoothness and urgency.

The ZF 8-speed Steptronic Sport automatic with paddles is the only gearbox for 2022; it shifts quickly and smoothly, though enthusiasts lament the lack of a manual.

Rear-wheel drive only on both 2022 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 25 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 28 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. The 2022 model year is a carry-over year in the pre-LCI generation, since the LCI arrived in September 2022 for MY2023. The 4.0 is an estimate that reflects a modern BMW structure, with no tested result behind it, and matches the value used for the other G29 years.

IIHS has not tested the 2022 Z4, so it has no TSP/TSP+ award and no individual crash results. There are no known structural concerns, and the Euro NCAP five-star result for the same G29 structure suggests it is sound. It therefore sits at the low end of the mostly-Good band.

On the 2022 US sDrive30i, standard driver assistance covers forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, plus traffic sign recognition and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-departure warning require the $700 Driving Assistance Package, and adaptive cruise is a further option.

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 and rear cross-traffic alert are not standard on the 2022 Z4. Both come in the inexpensive stand-alone Driving Assistance Package, so they are easy to get, but the coverage is alert-focused and optional.

On the US car, lane-departure warning comes in the optional Driving Assistance Package, although some listings describe it as standard. Active lane keeping and steering assistance are not offered on the volume car, which has no lane centering.

Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go is available only as an option. 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.

The 2022 Z4 offers no hands-free driving system in any configuration. BMW's Extended Traffic Jam Assistant was confined to other models.

LED headlights and automatic high beams are standard on the 2022 Z4, and adaptive LED headlights 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, and front/rear parking sensors come in the inexpensive Driving Assistance Package.

The 2022 Z4 (G29, pre-LCI carry-over year) is a strict two-seat roadster in both sDrive30i and M40i form, with no rear bench.

Headroom is generous for a soft-top roadster because the seats sit low. The body is unchanged across the G29 generation.

Front legroom is long for a compact roadster and beats the MX-5 Miata.

The fabric top folds into its own compartment, so the trunk holds the same with the top up or down. That is big 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. For 2022 the wireless charging tray couldn't be ordered at any price because of the chip shortage, so this year's car has fewer storage conveniences than the 2020 car.

The standard 14-way power sport seats in SensaTec are supportive and comfortable on long drives. Power lumbar comes with the $550 Convenience Package. The more heavily bolstered M Sport seating became standard only with the 2023 LCI.

The base sDrive30i suspension (M Sport was still an option in 2022) is firm but composed and fine for cruising. Reviewers find it harsh over broken pavement, especially on larger wheels or with the adaptive M suspension.

It is quiet for a soft-top. The insulated fabric roof beats a Miata's, but highway wind and road noise remain well above fixed-roof cars.

Automatic climate control, a wind deflector and a heated glass rear window are standard. Heated seats require the $2,100 Premium 2 (or $2,900 Premium) Package, the heated steering wheel is a $190 stand-alone option, and ventilated seats aren't offered.

For 2022, the fourth model year of the pre-LCI G29, the sDrive30i rose $200 to $49,900 plus $995 destination. The M40i carried over at $63,700 plus destination.

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 $50,895 base, which lands near $55,700.

Edmunds' True Cost to Own for the 2022 sDrive30i schedules about $9.8k of maintenance over 5 years. CarEdge's model-wide projection is far 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 of scheduled service.

KBB reports a 2022 Z4 lost only about 25% over its first three years, helped by the 2022 used-car price spike. iSeeCars and CarEdge project 5-year resale of about $31.7k–$38.7k, roughly 57–60% retention. That beats the convertible average.

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, the bottom of the 5–10 year band.

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

$55,700 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (58% retained, or about $32,306) leaves about $23,394 in depreciation. Add the projected $9,800 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $33,194 in total.

No J.D. Power Quality & Reliability figure surfaced for the 2022 Z4 specifically; adjacent G29 years bracket it (2020: 75/100 'Average', 2024: 79/100 'Average'), and Consumer Reports has too few Z4 survey responses for a model-specific prediction. 2022 is the last pre-LCI carry-over year of the G29 on the unchanged B48/B58 + ZF 8HP drivetrain, so it sits in the generation's average band — below the Miata and 4 Series Convertible.

Around the 2022 model year BMW placed 15th in J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study at 187 PP100, only slightly better than industry average though ahead of Mercedes and Audi; Consumer Reports ranked BMW among its more reliable brands in that period. Mid-pack-to-good, short of a consistent top-5 standing.

MY2022 carries three NHTSA campaigns, two of them starter-fire related: a corroding starter relay that can short and overheat (25V636, park-outside advisory until remedied) and starter internal wear that can cause a fire (26V056), plus a digital-key window-closing software compliance fix (23V099). Fewer campaigns than the early 2019-2020 cars, but the fire-risk pair keeps it below typical.

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 two starter campaigns covering 2022.

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. 2022 production was disrupted (two-week halt in March 2022 for parts shortages), and BMW's initial quality sat near industry average, which tempers the score.

BMW's roughly 350 US dealers provide dense metro coverage nationwide, and the 2022 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 2022 Z4 has BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a 10.25-inch central display, and no larger screen is offered. On some chip-shortage builds, touch input on that screen was disabled.

iDrive 7 (Operating System 7) is quick and full of features, and the rotary controller and physical climate buttons make it easy to use on the move. On 2022 cars built during the chip shortage, BMW deleted the screen's touch input, leaving only the knob and voice controls.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard on the 2022 Z4 with no subscription, a step up from 2020 when Android Auto wasn't offered.

Standard built-in navigation and the 'Hey BMW' Intelligent Personal Assistant handle natural-language commands well. The voice assistant matters more on the 2022 builds that lost touch input.

The standard 10-speaker system with HD and satellite radio is adequate. The 12-speaker Harman Kardon upgrade is a reasonable $875 stand-alone option, though open-top acoustics limit any system.

A configurable, fully digital 10.25-inch driver display with a map view is standard on every 2022 Z4.

As an Operating System 7 car, the Z4 receives BMW Remote Software Upgrades over the air. These cover infotainment, maps and some vehicle functions rather than the whole vehicle.

The My BMW app covers lock and unlock, vehicle status, location and send-to-car navigation. Remote start needs a Premium package, and the in-car Wi-Fi hotspot was deleted for 2022 because of the chip shortage.

There are only two front USB ports, and wireless charging couldn't be ordered at all for 2022 because of supply-chain shortages.

Push-button start is standard. Comfort Access keyless entry is a cheap $550 Convenience Package option (also in the Premium packages), and remote start comes only with the Premium packages.

A rearview camera is standard. Front and rear parking sensors come in the $700 Driving Assistance Package, and Parking Assistant (automated parking) in the Premium packages. No surround-view camera is offered.

A full-color head-up display is available on the sDrive30i only in the $2,900 Premium Package and isn't standard on the volume trim.

This is a two-seat roadster with no rear seat or rear LATCH positions, so it can't carry children day to day.

Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams and traffic-sign recognition are standard. Blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warning cost $700 extra, adaptive cruise $1,200, and neither IIHS nor NHTSA has crash-tested the Z4. With no rear occupants, family safety barely applies.

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

The 255-hp turbo four and ZF 8-speed are smooth in traffic, and the top opens in about 10 seconds at up to 31 mph. Daily use is hampered by the low seat and wide sills, limited visibility with the top up, rear-wheel drive only, a firm ride over broken pavement, and keyless entry that costs extra.

28 mpg combined is good for a luxury roadster. Premium fuel, run-flat tires and BMW maintenance 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 are a $700 option.

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

Leatherette or leather upholstery and a fabric soft top aren't built for 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, 28 mpg and about 384 miles of range from a 13.7-gallon tank. Adaptive cruise ($1,200) and heated seats are extras, and wind noise plus two seats and a small trunk 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 takes 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 strong grip and body control. The 2022 sDrive30i still came standard with the non-lowered suspension; the M Sport Package was a $1,500 option. It feels more grand tourer than the 718 or MX-5.

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

The pedal is firm and consistent, and stops are short. The volume 2022 sDrive30i uses the standard brakes; the M Sport brakes didn't become standard until the 2023 LCI.

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

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 14-way power seats 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 part of the optional M Sport Package in 2022.

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.

For 2022, navigation became standard on both trims, joining the power soft top, 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital gauges, memory driver's seat and forward collision mitigation. But wireless charging was dropped, ambient lighting moved to an option, and the M Sport package stayed optional until the 2023 LCI, so it is competitive rather than generous.

$50,895 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 with comparable pace. That is fair luxury-roadster value but nowhere near the Miata's or Mustang's bang-for-buck.

There are only two trims (sDrive30i and M40i), both rear-drive with an 8-speed automatic and no manual. Choice comes mainly through option packages, which BMW reshuffled for 2022.

US Z4 sales fell from about 2,400 in 2021 to about 1,600–1,700 in 2022, making it one of the slowest-selling cars in the US that year. Supply disruption contributed, including a two-week Magna Steyr production halt in March 2022.

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.

2022 was the peak of the chip-shortage inventory squeeze, when BMW incentives were thin and most luxury cars sold at or near MSRP. Any Z4 deals were modest loyalty or financing offers rather than meaningful discounts.

2022 is the fourth model year of the G29 generation and the last before the LCI refresh introduced in September 2022 for MY2023, so buyers faced a near-term update. It is still a current platform rather than an aging one.

Reviewers praise the 2022 Z4's balanced handling, strong engines and luxurious cabin. It is consistently ranked behind the Porsche 718 Boxster for performance and purity, so it is well-reviewed rather than the class pick.