2017 BMW 6 Series Review

Comfort, style, quality and performance are prerequisites for luxury coupes and the 2017 BMW 6 Series has those traits in abundance. Inside the sleek and stretched exterior, passengers are well isolated from the sound and imperfections around them, all while being surrounded by top-notch materials.

To further add to its appeal, the 6 Series can be had as a coupe or convertible, with a perfectly capable base engine or a powerful V8 and either rear- or all-wheel drive. Shoppers can take it even further with a four-door Gran Coupe version, a high-performance M6 or an even more powerful and exclusive Alpina B6.

It seems there's a 6 Series for all tastes, as long as you don't regularly transport more than one adult passenger at a time. It's those small rear seats that really present the only significant downside, but among its very small group of rivals it probably won't be a deal-breaker. As far as the competition goes, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class comes the closest, though it is more conservative and less engaging to drive. Although much more expensive, the Mercedes S-Class Coupe could also be cross-shopped and, to a lesser degree, sportier alternatives like the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type.

When framed like this, the 2017 BMW 6 Series emerges as the well-balanced middle ground. It has a strong mix of luxury, performance and prestige that would make it an exceptional everyday driver.

Standard safety features for all 2017 BMW 6 Series include antilock brakes with advanced standby and drying features, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags, front knee airbags and active front head restraints. Also included are the BMW Assist emergency communications system (providing automatic crash notification and on-demand roadside assistance) and BMW Remote Services (including remote access via smartphone app and remote door unlocking via BMW's call center). Auto-deploying roll bars come standard on the convertible.

Optional safety equipment includes active lane departure and blind-spot warning systems, a surround-view camera system and a night vision display. Bundled with the adaptive cruise control option (which requires the Driver Assistance Plus package) is a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking capability.

In Edmunds brake testing, a 650i coupe stopped from 60 mph in 109 feet and the convertible stopped in 111 feet. Both results are about average for this class of car.

The 2017 BMW 6 Series is a four-passenger coupe or convertible that is available in either 640i or 650i trims. Covered in separate reviews are a four-door 6 Series Gran Coupe body style and high-performance M6 versions of each variant.

Standard 640i coupe features include 18-inch wheels, a sport exhaust system, automatic adaptive LED headlights, LED foglights, automatic high beams, adaptive suspension dampers, front and rear parking sensors, heated auto-dimming and power-folding mirrors, automatic wipers, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, a universal garage door opener, ambient interior lighting, heated six-way power front seats (with four-way lumbar adjustments), driver memory functions, leather upholstery, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a rearview camera.

Standard infotainment features include a digital instrument panel, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a wireless charging pad, a W i-F i hotspot, the iDrive interface with a 10.2-inch display and a touchpad-enhanced controller, a navigation system, voice controls, BMW Online, mobile-app integration and a nine-speaker sound system with a CD player, a USB port and satellite and HD radio.

Convertible models come with a power soft top and sun-reflective leather upholstery. Stepping up to the 650i will get you 19-inch wheels, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, 16-way power front seats (with memory settings for both) and upgraded leather upholstery.

The optional Driver Assistance Plus package adds a surround-view camera system, active blind-spot monitoring, active lane departure warning, speed limit information and (for an additional fee) adaptive cruise control and a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking. The Executive package adds the 16-way front seats and Harman Kardon audio system (640i models), power-closing doors, ventilated front seats, ceramic-trimmed knobs, a head-up display and (for coupes only) a power rear sunshade.

The Cold Weather package includes a heated steering wheel and a ski bag designed to utilize the trunk pass-through. The Black Accent package throws in dark exterior trim, unique interior wood trim, 19- or 20-inch wheels and two-tone leather upholstery. The Individual Composition package includes dark exterior trim, a simulated suede headliner and your choice of various interior trim inlays, as well as extended premium leather upholstery in a number of color schemes (optionally with a color-matched headliner).

The M Sport package includes unique 19-inch wheels (or 20-inch at extra cost), dark exterior trim, an aerodynamic body kit, a sport steering wheel and a faux-suede headliner. The M Sport Edition package essentially combines the M Sport package and the Executive package.

Some of the above items are also available as stand alone options.

Additional options include variable-ratio steering and an automated parallel-parking system (both for rear-wheel-drive models only), active roll stabilization, an infrared night vision display with pedestrian detection and a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround-sound audio system.

Powering the 640i is a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that produces 315 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes with paddle shifters and launch control. BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system is available for all models as well.

The EPA rates the 640i coupe at 24 mpg combined (21 mpg city/30 mpg highway) and the convertible at 23 mpg combined (20 city/29 highway). With xDrive all-wheel drive, both coupe and convertibles are estimated at 22 mpg combined (19 city/28 highway).

The 650i increases power output significantly with a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that makes 445 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 20 mpg combined (17 city/25 highway) for both the coupe and convertible. Adding xDrive drops estimates to 19 mpg combined (16 city/24 highway) for the coupe and 18 mpg combined (15 city/24 highway) for the convertible.

BMW estimates that a rear-drive 640i will reach 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and the 650i in 4.5 seconds.