Our cars Positives and negatives
Five months in, it’s time to reflect on what Martyn like and dislikes about his i4. Martyn Collins
As I write I’ve got just under a month left with our i4 40 M Sport, so with almost 4,000 miles in my care I think it’s time to highlight my likes and dislikes of this mid-size premium hatch.
Firstly, let’s start with the looks. BMW’s current big grille family look might not appeal to all, but the i4 and 4 Series Grand Coupe on which it is based, must be two of the best looking from the current crop. The fact the i4 is so closely related to its ICE brother means it’s hard to tell them apart – which is a good thing, if like me you don’t want to shout about the fact, you’re driving an electric car.
San Remo green paint at £695, is one of the few options fitted to this car, but it looks stunning (especially when clean) and has received many positive comments throughout my time with this car. The standard 19in ‘Y-Spoke’ wheels are a modest size but suit the car and have equalled a comfortable and composed ride – even if they are difficult to clean. My only minor dislikes are the standard LED headlights which are nothing special and I’ve found BMW’s flush-fitting door handles difficult to open at times.
Inside, the i4 isn’t as spacious as it could be admittedly. Rear and boot space are the most compromised, but I’ve got two growing children and have had no moans from them throughout my time with this car. And apart from not being
BMW i4 eDrive 40
P11D price £57,630 As tested £63,475 Official consumption 365 miles Our average consumption 2.9 miles/kWh Mileage 3997
Standard equipment on the M Sport trim: M Sport body styling, 18in M Sport wheels, Shadow Line exterior trim, leather upholstery, M Sport leather steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, LED lights front and back.
“It is not a cheap option, but in my view, the i4 must be one of the best EVs on sale today.”
able to fit a roof lining from one of my MINIs in the boot, there have been no issues with stowage. The i4’s curved display, made up of screens for the infotainment and instruments, didn’t take long to get used to, as BMW’s iDrive remains one of the best on the market in my opinion – it has let me down only once so far and has got me out of many fixes on navigation routes. Although the instrument graphics are sometimes hard to read and the lack of physical buttons for the air conditioning leads to unsightly fingerprints on the bottom of the screen. On the positive side, the driving position and the sport seats that are part of the M Sport trim are very comfortable – even on long drives and the Vernasca leather has proved hard-wearing. The standard fit Harman Kardon sound system delivers excellent sound quality. I have no complaints about the way this i4 drives, either. I don’t know how BMW have done it, but unlike many EV rivals, they’ve cleverly managed to hide this
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car’s two-tonne plus weight. As such, it’s great fun to drive, but especially in the corners, where you can make the most of the high grip levels and precise steering. With 335hp and 430Nm from the rear-mounted electric motor, I‘ve never felt the i4’s been short of power and the refined and composed ride has also impressed.
With the recent warm weather, we’ve regularly seen 300+ mile charges, but even when we’ve not, it’s been far more predictable than other EVs I’ve run - making it far less stressful day-to-day. It is not a cheap option, but in my view, the i4 must be one of the best EVs on sale today and fully deserving of its Business Car Award last year – I’m really going to miss it when it’s gone.
Why we’re running it
To see if the i4 is the perfect EV company car choice.
www.businesscar.co.uk | June 2023 | 43
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