BMW i4 eDrive35 M Sport LCI Review.

Featured, Rides

by Sean Loo, December 15, 2024

The middle-of-the-pack BMW i4 eDrive35 is arguably the best i4 to buy on the market.

While it’s easy to mistake it for a 4 Series Gran Coupe with a battery, the i4 is so much more than a mere EV conversion.

Beneath its sleek silhouette lies a purpose-built electric platform that stakes its claim as a true driver’s car.

does it drive like a BMW?

BMW went back to the drawing board for the i4, tweaking the floor, suspension, and even the seats to fit the electric drivetrain seamlessly.

The eDrive35 comes with 282bhp and 400Nm of torque, giving you a century sprint time of six seconds flat.

It’s quick, and the steering is accurate, but it’s also a bit too… sterile. Even switching to the sportier settings doesn’t add the kind of visceral connection BMW enthusiasts might crave.

You will definitely round the corner the same way a 4 Series can, but will you have a smile on your face afterwards?

BMW’s one-pedal driving system is a mixed bag too. While the regenerative braking system delivers up to 265bhp of deceleration, it puts a lot of responsibility on your right foot. You can switch to the brake pedal, but the pedal itself is sharp and lacks progressive feedback.

Ironically, sticking to one-pedal mode often feels smoother and more intuitive, even if it takes some getting used to.

something about its range…

The i4 eDrive35 has an interesting range conundrum. On paper BMW claims it can do 483km, but in my testing I could only irk out a theoretical maximum of 320km, even with careful driving. Once you drop past 70%, the range plummets quite drastically, so have a charger handy on your commute route.

On that note, the i4 supports up to 180kW charging, meaning you can go from flat to 80% in about 35 minutes. Just enough time for a coffee and a sandwich.

modern, but not overwhelming.

The BMW i4 greets you with a cabin that’s unmistakably BMW; refined, snug, and generally well built.

The frameless doors are a lovely touch, adding a hint of coupe elegance. The dual curved screens offer crisp graphics and deep integration with your smartphone.

However, BMW has ditched many of its physical shortcut buttons in favour of touch controls, so adjusting driver aids or other settings on the fly can feel more distracting than intuitive.

The seats are another area where function slightly outweighs form. They’re comfortable and supportive, but the leather feels a bit too firm, and you might wish for bigger bolsters when taking on sharp corners.

Despite its coupe-like silhouette, the i4 offers a 470-litre boot, expandable to 1,290 litres with the seats folded flat.

It beats the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 in sheer cargo space, but don’t expect luxury for rear-seat passengers.

The floor isn’t flat, thanks to the central tunnel housing the EV’s cabling, and foot space can feel a little tight.

the sweet spot of electric driving.

The BMW i4 eDrive35 might not have the headline-grabbing performance of the M50, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a car that excels where it matters most – everyday usability, driving pleasure, and that quintessential BMW charm.

It’s not trying to be a spaceship; it’s just a proper BMW with an electric heart.

technical specifications.