BMW i4 is basically an electric version of the four-door 4 Series, so it’s an ICE vehicle that has been repurposed and turned into an EV. This has several effects on the vehicle and while it doesn’t make it bad, the i4 isn’t quite the most impressive new EV out there.
Mat Watson from Carwow tried it out at its launch in Germany and he had some quite predictable things to say about it. Firstly, in terms of the way it looks, it’s just another BMW on the outside, while inside its only distinguishing features are blue details and the curved twin-screen display, otherwise it’s identical to any 4 Series Gran Coupe.
This doesn’t necessarily make the vehicle bad, but in some areas it is slightly compromised. For instance, you don’t get a flat floor, so the third passenger in the back won’t really have a choice but to sit straddle the transmission tunnel. Then there’s the vehicle’s weight which renders it not quite as fun as a gas-burning 4 Series around a twisty road.
Mat does have a generally positive view of the i4, though, praising it for its straight line performance (he tests it and it’s exactly as quick as an M3, dipping below the 3.9-second claimed sprint time), it’s actually pretty good to look at if you don’t mind the grille and even though it’s not quite as fun as a typical ICE BMW, it should still handle better than most other electric vehicles.
It is known that the Bavarian automaker really puts a lot of work into making its vehicles handling leaders – we’ll have to see if this hold true when we get to spend more time with the i4 ourselves and we’ll have time to show it a properly twisty road, which should highlight its handling balance.
Mat also casts an opinion on the i4’s claimed versus real world range, he tries out the new infotainment (only available on the i4 and iX), he sits in the back to gauge space and he tries out (and isn’t really impressed) by the sounds designed for the vehicle by composer Hans Zimmer.
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