This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. The EPA rates 2 separate variants of this car (different engine, transmission, or drivetrain combinations), and you can compare them side by side in the trims table. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Two Seaters class for the 2014 model year is the smart fortwo electric drive convertible at 107 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car costs around $2,500 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
  • Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

When the EPA tests several variants of the same nameplate (for example, a front-wheel-drive version and an all-wheel-drive version), each gets its own rating. The figures shown here are the headline variant, taken as the configuration with the best combined MPG. The trims table further down covers all 2 variants side by side.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 26 MPG
City MPG 22 MPG
Highway MPG 32 MPG
Annual fuel cost $2,650
Tailpipe CO₂ 345 g/mi
Fuel type Premium

How the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i compares

The 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i returns 26 combined MPG. Cars in the Two Seaters class for the same model year average 23.2 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 12%.

The most efficient car in the Two Seaters class for the 2014 model year is the smart fortwo electric drive convertible at 107 MPG. The bar chart below puts the BMW Z4 sDrive28i alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2014 model year (across all classes) returns 23.8 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2014 model year is on its own page.

2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
26 MPG
Class average, 2014
23.2 MPG
Class best, 2014
107 MPG
Average new car, 2014
23.8 MPG

Trim variants rated for 2014

The EPA rates 2 separate variants of the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i. The differences come from the engine size, transmission type, and drivetrain (front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and so on). The same nameplate can land several MPG apart depending on the configuration you actually buy.

Engine and transmission Drive Combined City Highway Annual cost
2L, 4-cyl, turbo, Automatic (S8) Rear-Wheel Drive 26 MPG 22 MPG 32 MPG $2,650
2L, 4-cyl, turbo, Manual 6-spd Rear-Wheel Drive 26 MPG 22 MPG 33 MPG $2,650

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 576.9 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $1,325
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $2,650
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $4,417

Year-over-year MPG for the BMW Z4 sDrive28i

The EPA has rated the BMW Z4 sDrive28i across 5 model years, from 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i through 2016 BMW Z4 sDrive28i. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 26 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2016 26 MPG 2016 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
2015 26 MPG 2015 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
2014 26 MPG this page
2013 26 MPG 2013 BMW Z4 sDrive28i
2012 27 MPG 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

Compare against other Two Seaters for 2014

If you are cross-shopping the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Two Seaters class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The smart fortwo electric drive convertible leads this group at 107 MPG, 81 MPG ahead of the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i.

Specifications

The 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i runs a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (s8), sending power through rear-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Two Seaters
Engine
2L 4-cylinder turbocharged
Transmission
Automatic (S8)
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Premium
Annual petroleum use
11.4 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i.

  • Is the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i fuel efficient?
    Yes. The 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i returns 26 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Two Seaters class for the same model year by about 12%.
  • What MPG does the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i get?
    The EPA rates the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i at 26 combined MPG, 22 MPG in city driving, and 32 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,650 for the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • Does the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i require premium gas?
    Yes. The EPA lists the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump.
  • Has the BMW Z4 sDrive28i become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28i, 27 MPG) and most recent (2016 BMW Z4 sDrive28i, 26 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 345 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 5,175 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i?
    City driving returns 22 MPG and highway driving returns 32 MPG, a gap of 10 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
  • What engine is in the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i?
    The 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i has a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement.
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i have?
    The 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i comes with a automatic (s8) transmission and rear-wheel drive.
  • How does the 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Two Seaters class for the 2014 model year is the smart fortwo electric drive convertible at 107 combined MPG. The BMW Z4 sDrive28i returns 26 MPG, a gap of 81 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.