BMW i4 review: Four-door Tesla rival is one of the best electric cars on the road

The BMW i4 is one of the best electric car all-rounders out there. Derived from the petrol-powered BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, it shares that car’s four-door layout and rear hatchback, but transforms it into an EV using BMW’s leading-edge electrical gubbins and battery.

It’s a stylish-looking car, available with a huge range of colours and alloy wheel options (Tesla certainly can’t match this). Our choice is to go for the sportier-looking M Sport, rather than standard Sport trim – and it seems most customers agree.

Even the most affordable BMW i4 has a range of over 300 miles, and the biggest battery takes it up to nearly 370 miles. There’s all the performance you need, and dynamically it’s a dream. Definitely one of the best-handling EVs you can buy for the money.

Add in surprising practicality, brilliant BMW quality, and the firm’s standard-setting infotainment technology, and it’s clear to see why the BMW i4 is now such a popular EV here in the UK.

I reset the sat nav during my time with the BMW i4, to largely avoid motorways and take the back roads instead. That’s how much I enjoyed driving it, thanks to its transformational handling and impeccable driving dynamics.

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Independent rating: 9/10

The BMW i4 range opens with the eDrive35. The number doesn’t refer to its size, fortunately; it has a 67.1kWh capacity, which is enough for a range of up to 306 miles. With 286PS, this rear-wheel drive model accelerates swiftly from 0-62mph in 6.0 seconds.

The BMW i4 eDrive40 is the alternative mainstream version. It has an 81.3kWh battery, for a strong range of up to 368 miles. It too has punchy performance, with 0-62mph taking 5.6 seconds. Then there’s the range-topping M50 xDrive, which uses the same 81.3kWh battery and has two electric motors producing 544PS. Performance is potent, with 0-62mph taking just 3.9 seconds – and it still has a 315-mile range.

Even the eDrive35’s 67.1kW battery can rapid-charge at speeds of up to 180kW. The 81.3kWh battery is even better, with a maximum DC rate of 205kW. The BMW i4 is ready to use app-free Plug & Charge connectivity as well.

The BMW i4 has a real finesse about the way it drives. The traditional well-balanced BMW confidence is there, and mounting the battery underneath the seats means it actually has a lower centre of gravity than the acclaimed BMW 3 Series. The driver really feels this. It rides surprisingly well too, even M Sport models with larger 18-inch alloys. An optional M Sport Pro pack brings clever adaptive suspension, which is little short of brilliant.

The BMW i4 may be labelled ‘Gran Coupe’ but it’s pretty practical inside as well. The driving position is low-slung and sporty, but getting in and out is still fairly straightforward, and the seats are excellent, especially the M Sport chairs. The steering wheel in the M Sport is gorgeous, too.

Fantastic BMW quality is fully evident inside. The good-looking dashboard is made from tactile materials and feels built to last. Some of the detailing is truly premium-grade. The impressive infotainment system, which comprises two screens beneath a single curved piece of glass, also makes a statement.

There’s a decent amount of headroom in the rear, but the shape of the seat means it’s ideally suited to just two people, not three. Because it’s a hatchback, the BMW i4 has a practical and easily-accessible boot. It measures 470 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1,290 litres with them folded flat. There’s a standard 40/20/40 split rear seat, to balance passenger capacity with extra boot space.

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The BMW i4’s ‘Curved Display’ infotainment layout is first rate. It runs the very latest BMW Operating System 8.5, which gives a more smartphone-like user experience. This includes a clever quick access function, shortcut widgets and some snazzy live animations. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are seamlessly integrated into it, too. The only grumble is that it also sees the heater controls relegated to the bottom of the screen, rather than retaining physical buttons.

BMW is big on connected car technology. The BMW smartphone app is one of the best out there. If you use it to log in to the car (easily done by scanning a QR code), your favourite settings will automatically be applied – even your favourite ambient lighting colours and screen backgrounds.

The BMW i4 has a pretty good stereo as standard, but we really like the optional 17-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound setup. While you’re looking at the options list, other high-tech goodies include ultra-bright laser headlights and the distinctive ‘BMW IconicSounds’ EV alert system, created by Hans Zimmer.

The BMW i4 costs more than a Tesla Model 3, but is more comparable on price with rivals such as the Polestar 2 and Volkswagen ID.7. Introducing the eDrive35 battery helped enormously with affordability. While Sport is the entry-level version, M Sport is just £1,500 more, which strikes us as the deal of the century. The bigger wheels mean overall range drops, but only slightly – from 306 miles to 298 miles in the eDrive35.

The BMW i4 is an efficient electric car too. Indeed, the eDrive35 battery is marginally more efficient than the bigger eDrive40, so you’ll go a little further for every kWh of electricity you pay for. Even insurance isn’t bad, with the eDrive35 coming in at group 34, and the eDrive40 in group 36. These are significantly lower than a Tesla Model 3.

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The BMW i4 can use speedy 205kW DC rapid chargers, which will take it from 10-80 per cent in around half an hour.

Compared to the revised Tesla Model 3, the BMW i4 still looks a bit pricey, but the eDrive35 version has helped make it more accessible – and the premium dynamics are definitely worth it.

BMW guarantees the high-voltage battery for up to eight years or 100,000 miles.

The BMW i4 was a bit of a revelation at launch. The Tesla Model 3 defined this sector, yet the BMW drove so much better than its US rival. A big update has seen Tesla catch up – but we’re still awaiting rivals from competitor brands Audi and Mercedes-Benz.