If most non-enthusiasts wonder why enthusiasts buy roadsters in the Philippines despite the pollution, the heat, and the traffic, it’s because they want to feel connected to the world outside them.

When everything lines up (the perfect weather, time, and conditions), there is a certain bliss—an automotive nirvana that only these can deliver.

And if you’re looking at snagging one brand-new, your cheapest option would be the venerable Mazda MX-5. But what if you wanted something a little more luxurious and grown-up?

Enter the BMW Z4. The Zukunft has been a mainstay in the brand’s product lineup, and is one of the more affordable mass-market offerings that you can get today (especially in this sDrive20i trim).

But is it a sporty roadster or a comfy cruiser?

With the sharp, sleek lines and the aggressive styling elements, it has the looks of the former, especially in Portimao Blue with this M Sport package. What it isn’t is a tiny sports car. It may be low-slung, but it dwarfs the likes of the MX-5 or the GR86/BRZ twins.

This means more interior space for the two lucky occupants.

The sports seats are well-bolstered, and it’s easy to find the perfect driving position with great forward visibility, but your rear view will be slightly hampered with the roof up.

You won’t be rubbing shoulders with each other the entire trip, and there’s enough legroom to recline and lie back. Taller occupants may brush the headliner with their hair, but it’s thick enough to be an excellent respite from the heat and the rain.

Operating the roof takes around 10 seconds both ways. While you must hold the button down during the entire movement—which can get annoying—at least it can be safely done at speeds of up to 50km/h.

The top-down driving experience is excellent. With the roof down, the windows up, and the wind deflector in place, you can easily hold a conversation at highway speeds. Otherwise, the traditional roadster pitfalls of so-so NVH performance and wind noise with the roof up are present.

With the roof down, you can understand the choice of hard-wearing black Vernasca leather upholstery and the familiar last-generation iDrive 7-based dashboard layout.

With everything exposed to the elements, the last thing you want is your only touch controls acting up due to dust or water ingress. Oddly enough, I don’t understand the choice of putting piano-black trim, which would obviously hold up well with all the cleaning you’ll do with al fresco driving.

The unbranded audio system sounds great regardless of roof state, and the two 10.25-inch screens are crisp, bright, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is a bonus, but there’s no wireless charger.

In-cabin storage is a weak point—minuscule door bins, a small glove box with a net underneath, a center console cubby that houses a single 12V socket and a USB-A port, and confusing armrest storage.

It has to stay open if you want to use either of the two cupholders or the only USB-C port to charge. The tiny partition in the middle is only enough to hold the key fob or a wallet.

My recommendation? Just chuck everything on the shelf behind the seats. It houses the rest of the speakers, a net, and a ski hatch that allows you to load longer items from the generous 281L trunk.

Perfect for easy, long-distance touring. It’s easy to feel comfortable in this car, especially on the highway. But also, you can tell that the car wants to be driven harder.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged, mild-hybrid four-banger (B48B20) is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW calls this the Steptronic Sport, meaning it has been purposefully tuned for powerful, jerky shifts (regardless of drive mode) that will make you feel all the 197hp and 320Nm going to the rear wheels. Great for spirited driving, but can be disconcerting in the city.

You will also hear that power, as the exhaust has been tuned (in Sport mode) to tastefully burble and crackle upon shifting. Despite all of that, it’s very frugal. Fuel figures of 14km/L on the expressway and 9km/L in the city are very easy to attain.

Remember the M Sport package mentioned earlier? It includes the M Sport suspension. It’s a stiffer, sportier ride that does wonders for handling, allowing you to carve corners with confidence, which works great with BMW’s renowned chassis tuning.

As a side effect of the 10mm reduction in ride height, navigating the city becomes a stressful ordeal as ground clearance sits at a supercar-low 114mm.

The brakes are grabby and produce a lot of dust (typical of a European car), but it’s very confidence-inspiring. The staggered 18-inch M Light Alloy wheels are also shod in sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.

It even has the bare minimum of driver-assistance systems, including automatic headlights, manual cruise control, a speed limiter, and a reverse camera with parking sensors. Very driver-focused indeed.

In fact, it can be just as engaging to drive as its Toyota sibling despite not having a six-speed manual or as much power and the exalted B58 six-cylinder.

This is the most BMW-feeling BMW that I have driven, as its siblings have traded some driving feel for the pursuit of luxury and electrification. Its price tag of P4,890,000 for the sDrive20i is a good deal for the experience it offers.