2019 BMW Z4

Pros: Nice ride/handling balance; good interior room for a sports car

Cons: No manual transmission; trunk bigger than previous Z4, but still small

CG Says: After skipping the 2017 and 2018 model years, the BMW Z4 two-seat convertible sports car returns for 2019 with an all-new design. The new car is 3.3 inches longer, 2.9 inches wider, and has a 50 percent bigger trunk than the previous-generation Z4, and the previous retractable hardtop is replaced by a conventional soft top that weighs less and doesn’t reduce cargo space when folded. The sole powertrain for now is a 255-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (a 15-hp increase over the previous four) paired with an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters—a manual transmission is no longer offered. A 382-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line 6-cylinder will be available for 2020 model year. Available features include forward collision warning, city braking function, daytime pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, blind-spot alert, and rear cross-traffic alert. Note that the new Z4 shares its basic powertrain and underbody structure with the revived-for-2020 Toyota Supra (unlike the Z4, the new Supra comes solely as a two-seat coupe). Diehard sports-car enthusiasts will be sorely disappointed that the new BMW Z4 doesn’t offer a manual transmission, and that it might not offer the at-the-limits agility of some rivals, since BMW focused on grand-touring panache as much as hard-edged performance. If its driving personality fits what you’re looking for in a sporting car, the 2019 Z4 is a delightful droptop that is relatively affordable when compared to its class competition and other high-end BMW offerings.