Incremental updates for 2025 have reworked the 2025 BMW i4 from a superb electrical sedan right into a class-leading one, and it begins with the appears to be like. To the untrained eye, it’d look precisely just like the final i4 however the entrance grill has been tinkered with in order that the underside half is black and fades into the decrease splitter. This slims down the initially controversial grill and offers the entrance finish a cleaner and extra subtle look together with the brand new headlights. There are additionally new wheel designs and paint finishes such because the Cape York Inexperienced paint on our check automobile.
It’s the inside that has acquired the lion’s share of upgrades. The steering wheel is essentially the most noticeable, now in a slimmer, flat-bottom form. Many have complained earlier than that BMW steering wheels are too thick such as you’re attempting to wrestle an anaconda round a racetrack. This new wheel rim continues to be porky on the edges however the prime and backside grips are thinner and simpler to understand, and the 9- and 3-o’clock grips are deeper so your thumbs have a better time curling across the indents. The built-in buttons and dials have a superb really feel to them and elicit optimistic suggestions however for some purpose, they don’t really feel as premium as those within the latest MINI Countryman.
BMW iDrive was the gold customary of infotainment usability with its intuitive rotary dial unit however not too long ago, that dial has been tough to make use of, providing inconsistent inputs with its painfully brief clicks and mushy rotational journey. It will even fail to register inputs at occasions. For this new i4, they’ve gone again and made their rotary dial function just like the last-generation fashions that we couldn’t cease praising. And for the higher. This new (or previous let’s assume) dial seems like assembly up with an previous pal. It rotates with sufficient journey and registers clicks and presses immediately and extra importantly, reliably. It’s our favoured system once more, particularly over the considerably convoluted and overly stimulating Mercedes Hyperscreen unit within the Mercedes EQE.
The remainder of the inside is carried over from final yr’s mannequin, together with the tight rear cabin that I can nearly squeeze into, behind my six-foot seating place. The largest hurdle nevertheless is ingress and egress. The slanted roof, cramped door entry portal, and low seat cushion imply that it takes some persistence and memorized choreography to get in gracefully and with out dirtying your pant bottoms on a snow day. Of word, there is no such thing as a separate sunroof panel for the rear cabin both so it could actually really feel notably cramped. At the very least this restricted sunroof opens, although. The hatchback liftgate means cargo storage is outstanding and provides to the i4’s highway journey functionality. However there is no such thing as a entrance trunk storage, so what you see within the cabin is what you get.
BMW powertrain nomenclature isn’t straightforward and it doesn’t get higher right here. The i4 is accessible in 4 totally different flavours however simply do not forget that eDrive means single-motor RWD, and xDrive means dual-motor AWD.
It begins with the bottom mannequin eDrive35 which makes use of a single electrical motor for 282 hp, and the ability ramps as much as 335 hp and 317 lb-ft on our eDrive40 mannequin, sufficient to hit 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. Then comes the xDrive40 with 396 hp from its two motors, and the range-topping M50 with its prodigious 536 hp output. Each i4 is powered by the identical 84.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and every powertrain will provide various ranges of vary.
BMW claims that the i4 eDrive40 will attain 484 km on a single battery cost, which is spectacular on paper. However our expertise was considerably hampered by a blast of arctic air hovering over our skies, and the below-zero temperatures forcing our cabin heaters to remain on full blast, understandably. This knocked our precise EV vary all the way down to 277 km. Lower than very best however entry to house charging remedied this problem for us.
Vary apart, the i4 continues to be one of many extra participating and playful EV sedans, particularly in opposition to the considerably disconnected Mercedes-AMG EQE and anesthetized Tesla Mannequin 3. As with most EVs, the i4 darts immediately off the road however there’s extra bandwidth to play with in between, and far enjoyable available as you discover its various ranges of pace and mechanical grip, all backed up by spaceship noises piped in by way of the cabin audio system, audio notes that wouldn’t sound misplaced in a Star Wars pod racer film.
The trip is safe and grounded however non-adaptive, so there’s a layer of underlying firmness to concentrate on however the automotive is lighter and extra related in consequence. You may trim your cornering line with simply the gasoline pedal because of the RWD setup and whereas the steering is numb and devoid of any suggestions, it’s extremely correct, faithfully weighted, and is simple to position the place you need.
BMW has made minor however efficient enhancements to the i4, from its cleaner exterior look to the brand new steering wheel and the resurrection of the previous rotary dial. We proceed to reward this electrical sedan’s excessive stage of grip and highway management, even in icy situations with this RWD mannequin. And though the general driving vary takes an anticipated hit in chilly climates, that shouldn’t be trigger for concern you probably have entry to public or non-public charging infrastructure.
Specs:
Mannequin: 2025 BMW i4 eDrive40
Paint Kind: Cape York Inexperienced
Base Value: $63,990
Value as Examined: $80,040
Wheelbase(mm): 2,856
Size/Width/Top (mm): 4,787 / 1,886 / 1,448
Powertrain: 84.3 kWh lithium-ion battery, electrical motor
Horsepower: 335 hp
Torque: 317 lb-ft
Transmission: Single-speed computerized
Engine & Drive Configuration: Entrance and rear electrical motors, AWD
Claimed Vary: 484 km
Noticed Vary: 277 km
Tires: Goodyear Extremely Grip Winter
