BMW i4 Review 2024

BMW looked to be at the forefront of desirable electric cars way back in 2013/2014 when it launched the truly innovative BMW i3 and the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 sports car. Things have all gone quiet since then – but now it's back, and it's very serious about attracting customers away from upstarts like Tesla and Polestar. Find out more in our BMW i4 review.

Alongside the love-it-or-loathe-it BMW iX – a slightly garish electric SUV that's attracting more than its fair share of flack online – you can now buy an electric version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. It's badged the BMW i4 and we think it's one of the most desirable electric vehicles on sale today.

Aimed at the kind of buyer that would have traditionally bought a BMW 3 Series, the BMW i4 doesn't have a great deal in the way of direct competition. There's the extremely popular Tesla Model 3, of course, while you might also be considering it alongside electric SUV competitors like the Audi Q4 e-tron or Mercedes EQA.

There are two key BMW i4 models available: the entry-level eDrive40 (which is available in Sport or M Sport derivatives), or the flagship BMW i4 M50. We rate the BMW i4 eDrive40, which produces a healthy-enough 340PS and 430Nm of torque.

Perhaps more significantly, the BMW i4 eDrive40 can cover up to 367 miles between charges, while the M50 has a 316-mile range. Both these figures are impressive, while 200kW charging means you get a significant boost in range in just 20 minutes or so.

Electric cars don't tend to be cheap and, when you're considering one with a BMW badge on the bonnet, you're at the opposite end of the market to a Renault Zoe. The BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport starts at £51,905, while the M Sport version is £53,405. You'll pay nearly £64,000 for a BMW i4 M50.

Still, it's clear where your money goes. As well as being one of the most entertaining electric cars to drive, the BMW i4's interior is simply brilliant. It feels every bit worth the cash, while its new dual-screen infotainment setup is pure brilliance.

The BMW i4 scores highly for practicality, too. It has a bigger boot than most rivals, while you can squeeze a pair of adults in the back without too much discomfort.

As an electric all-rounder, we reckon the BMW i4 is impressive enough to tempt many buyers away from their traditional premium cars. Read our full review to find out whether it should be on your new car shortlist.

Looking for a second opinion? Read heycar's BMW i4 review.

The BMW i4's boot can carry 470 litres of luggage, which makes it a very versatile electric car. The batteries are positioned under the floor of the cabin, which means boot space isn't affecte, and it can carry more than the Tesla Model 3. Unlike the Tesla, there isn't a useful 'frunk' at the front of the car, but there is an area underneath the boot floor for stowing away your charging leads.

Space for rear-seat passengers is fine if little more – headroom is on the tight side and a lump in the floor will get in the way of anyone using the middle seat. Things are better in the front, where you'll find loads of space and plenty of adjustment in the seats. You do sit rather low down, but that adds to the BMW i4's rather sporting vibe.

Electric cars traditionally had rather poor interiors – all the development budget had clearly been spent elsewhere. The i4's interior is typical BMW, though, with lots of soft finishes and a feeling of general upmarketness. You won't feel disappointed if you're trading in your BMW 3 Series – while it's on another level compared to anything ever produced by Tesla.

With eighth-generation iDrive, the BMW i4's infotainment is really impressive. You get a large curved display made up of a 14.9-inch media system combined with 12.3-inch digital dials. The graphics are super sharp, while it's fast to respond, although it'll take a bit of time to get used to the various sub-menus.

Unlike most modern infotainment systems, it's not totally reliant on touchscreen operation. You can also navigate using the rotary controller conveniently positioned next to the gear selector. Alternatively, there's a voice-activated personal assistant which responds to 'hey BMW' (a bit like Siri but in your car).

If you want to cut out the faff, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both on hand to mirror apps from your phone. This means you can use Google Maps on the move, or access your favourite Spotify playlists.

There are a lot of things going for the BMW i4 but value for money isn't one of them. At the time of writing, a new BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport is £51,905, while an M Sport is £53,405. The BMW i4 M50 is a hefty £63,905.

For comparison, you'll get change from £43,000 for an entry-level Tesla Model 3, while a Polestar 2 can be picked up for less than £40,000. The Porsche Taycan starts from £72,850, which is likely to be on your mind if you're looking at the top-spec BMW i4 M50.

Residual values are likely to be strong, too, which means you won't pick up a bargain if you wait for the BMW i4 to feed onto the used market. The flip side of that is PCP and lease deals ought to be competitive.

The BMW i4 can charge at a rate of up to 200kW, which is rapid enough to add 102 miles of range in just 10 minutes in the eDrive40 model. The BMW i4 M50 will be boosted by 87 miles during the same period. That's if you can find a quick enough charger – not all public chargers can provide electricity at such a rate.

At home, the BMW i4's 80.7kWh battery will charge from empty to 100 per cent in around eight and a half hours. Depending on your home electricity tariff, a full charge will cost you around £14.

While the BMW i4 will clearly save you money on fuel, you'll make savings in other areas, too. You won't pay any VED (vehicle excise duty – car tax), while the lack of a conventional engine means it ought to be very reliable. You might pay a little more on insurance compared to a petrol car (insurance groups range from 35 to 43) – as ever, we'd recommend shopping around for quotes.

BMW has form for making everyday cars that are excellent to drive and the i4 remains true to that. By positioning the batteries low down, the centre of gravity is lower than in the current 3 Series, which means it remains very flat during cornering. Combine this with slick, communicative steering and the BMW i4 is genuinely one of the most enjoyable electric cars to drive this side of a Porsche Taycan.

There are some slight differences in the handling stakes between the i4 eDrive40 and the M50. The lower-powered model sends power exclusively to the rear wheels, which means it feels a smidgen more nimble than the four-wheel-drive M50. That said, we'd have to drive both cars back-to-back to notice a huge amount of difference – and the way the M50 shuffles power between wheels is mightily impressive.

What's equally impressive is the ride quality. With air suspension at the back, the BMW i4 soaks up bumpy road surfaces surprisingly well for a car weighing more than 2000kg.

There are two different flavours of i4: the BMW i4 eDrive40 and BMW i4 M50. Both use a 83.9kWh battery pack to power an electric motor (two in the case of the M50).

No one will find the standard BMW i4 eDrive40 to be lacking. It produces 340PS and a punchy 430Nm of torque (instantaneous, of course), which means it'll surge to 62mph in just 5.7 seconds. It actually feels even quicker than that.

For the ultimate Tesla-baiter, the BMW i4 M50 is the brand's first M-badged electric vehicle. It packs 544PS and a hilarious 795Nm of torque, which means it can cover 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds.

While performance is impressive, we were even more surprised by how refined the BMW i4 is. You might think that's a given for a car that uses electric motors rather than an engine, but many EVs manage to be surprisingly noisy with high levels or wind and road noise, not to mention clonks from the suspension. The BMW i4 is ultra cosseting, doing a superb job of shielding you from the outside world.

Although the BMW i4 is yet to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP, there's no shortage of systems on hand to help you avoid a crash. These include the Driving Assistant, which uses cameras and radars to operate things like an Approach Control Warning, rear Crossing-traffic Warning, Lane Change Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Collision Prevention and Speed Limit Info.

The optional Driving Assistant Professional builds on that with Automatic Speed Limit Assist, Crossroads Warning with City Braking Function, Emergency Stop Assistant, Evasion Assistant, Front Crossing-traffic Warning, Lane Change Assistant, Lane Keeping Assistant with Active Side Collision Protection, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Steering and Lane Control Assistant with Active Navigation Guidance, Traffic Light Detection and Wrong-way Warning.

The BMW i4 eDrive 40 is available in two trim levels: Sport and M Sport. Standard equipment on the BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport includes a reversing camera, Parking Assistant, automatic air conditioning, ambient lighting and LED lights front and back. Customers can choose either 17-inch aerodynamic alloy wheels or 18-inch alloy wheels with a double spoke design. Live Cockpit Plus is also included on all models and the interior is set off with a Sport leather steering wheel, High-Gloss Black interior trim and Black Alcantara/Sensatec.

Highlights of the BMW i4 eDrive40 M Sport include 18-inch M aerodynamic wheels with mixed tyres, Live Cockpit Plus and Black Alcantara/Sensatec. It also shares the same M Sport Exterior Styling, M Sport Spoiler and Aluminium Rhombicle Anthracite Trim of the flagship BMW i4 M50.

Topping the range, the BMW i4 M50 features 19-inch alloy wheels, M Sport exterior styling, metallic paintwork and an automatic tailgate. Inside, you'll find ambient interior lighting, electric leather memory seats (heated in the front) and an M Sport leather steering wheel. There's a 14.9-inch infotainment system (with sat-nav), a 12.3-inch instrument display and a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system. BMW's Parking Assistant is standard, as well as a reversing camera, cruise control and LED front/rear lights.