I placed an order for the BMW i4 eDrive40 back in March. Including the federal tax incentive, it came in at a relatively reasonable $53K, excluding tax and tags. The dealer here in Virginia Beach was excellent, by the way. No markups, no gimmicks, no unwanted options all added up to a surprisingly good buying experience. I had two other EV's on my short list, a Tesla Model Y and a Kia EV-6. I assigned a single, compelling reason as to why I would buy each of them. For the BMW it was the quality of the driving experience and that ultimately helped win the race. The Kia was on the list because it was the best value for the money, however, the dealer ruined all that when he slapped a $5K markup + $4K in unnecessary options on the hood. I can't believe dealers are still pushing etched glass as a useful thing. The Tesla Y literally went up $3K in price.....overnight......to $63k. Its position as leader in EV tech wasn't worth that kind of premium. And the overnight $3k price hike didn't help, either. As for passing on the M50/dual motor version, several European reviews pointed to a better balanced chassis with the cheaper RWD version. Given the improved range and $10K lower price, that was an easy choice. I was told my BMW will be delivered as a 2023 model sometime towards the back end of the this year. Thank you Tom. Great review, as always.
I looked at the Kia EV 6 initially, put passed when i saw the handling wa inferior, decided it looked like an old Citrien, and the height made it a CUV. Went with the M50 for AWD.
Hi: I think it depends what your needs in a car. The i4 was the first car I was looking at until it didn’t need my needs - and you mentioned everything I was checking out (RWD) plus 7.5k tax credit. After driving the Polestar 2, Y, and checking out the Mach E, Kia EV6, Ioniq 5, etc, I went for the Y. It’s the most efficient and nobody can match the space in the inside - especially the rear seats and storage. I wanted Tom to discuss about preconditioning the battery to a DC Fast charger. That would be interesting to know. Some cars do not. Good luck with the new car!
The i4, configured for either 270 or 300 miles or range, seems like a solid alternative to the Tesla Model 3. Although the range and performance may be lower, in return you get a much nicer interior. I priced out a base i4 with just a few options and, assuming no dealer gouging, it seemed like a solid deal for the money.
Another great review Tom. I’ve seen many reviews on the i4, still learned new stuff from yours. Always great to look at and listen to. Nice touch simulating the volume change in the background music using gesture control. It is the little things also I love about your videos. Keep up the great work!
Tom, your power of observation is among the best, plus your have a skillful way of sharing your observations. You always shed new light in your vehicle reviews, revealing features and driving characteristics other reviewers miss. For electric cars, BMW's i4 could be the sweet spot. Not too much and not too little, the perfect balance of EV features. I must admit, watching the rolling footage of the BMW i4 gaining on the camera car kinda gives me that "Project UFO" vibe. Thank you for another fun and interesting review, Tom.
Great to hear about you getting popular now! Hands down my favorite car reviewer. This is the exact spec that I have on pre-order. Still debating on whether or not I trade my Tesla Model Y Performance. Just happy to see someone else bring a great EV with performance to the game that is relatively attainable. Nice job, thanks for sharing this one!
I have a Mode Y performance which is a great vehicle. I've had lots of BMWs. I won't get the I4 M50 unless Tesla opens their very good Supercharging Network to Non-Teslas as they are doing in Europe. Electrify America is horrible with few chargers at a very limited number of locations and they are more expensive to use than Tesla's and they are poorly maintained.
@@Toro-fz9il Have to say, I've noticed things getting better at EA locations. Chatted up a tech working on a dispenser and he says there's a new commitment to making sure things are up and running. We'll see..
@@Toro-fz9il yeah I agree with you on the concern, but I'm a home charger and my car hasn't left my city in the past 8 months. We have another ICE vehicle is we need to road trip, but I thought about that as well. I won't go forward with the I4 if the numbers aren't right.
re: "Still debating on whether or not I trade my Tesla Model Y Performance." do it. re: "Just happy to see someone else bring a great EV with performance to the game that is relatively attainable." do it.
i believe your reviews are the gold standard on RUclips; however, I would like to see you put more emphasis on driving controls. With the increase in "driving by screen," driver distraction has been steadily increasing and driving safety, as a result has been decreasing. My view is defrost, heat/AC mode and temp; and sound system volume are the minimum functions that should remain "on the knob" and be able to be adjusted without taking eyes off the road. Manufacturers have sadly found a place to compete that has significantly decreased driving safety. Some studies show that many of these necessary driving adjustments now require a 30-40 second gap in driver attention while searching for just the right menu and icon to press! Thanks for listening and please continue your great work! (P.S. I sure do miss my SAABs, that all had excellent cockpit design.)
Just got mine, had an M6 and I thought i'd really miss it. But no, the fun, the savings on petrol, the tech, the ride, the sound, the instant acceleration. Not looking back now.
Hey Tom, I drive the very funky BMW i3 but it is our in-town car and I love it. It works really well with just a 110 charge from home giving us about 100 miles. The down side is that we live in Denver ( former Seattlite 50 years ago) so winters put a drain on the battery. It would be useful to folks like us if you would include how the electric cars you are now reviewing, produce their heat - ie. heat pumps vs ?. Keep up the premium reviews. They are the best.
i3 represent👍 Bought used 2017 as a skeptic. Zero problems in 2 years and 48k miles. Lovin it. Not sure if yours is REx, but we wouldn't have it any other way: We aren't afraid to use all the battery's range, and then, if needed, continue on endlessly with the 2cyl gas engine keeping the battery topped. "Recharges" on road trips take 90 seconds, and are available everywhere. Despite the ICE onboard, we only use 25 gallons per year to cover 24,000 miles. Fueling costs per mile are 1/8 of our V6 4runner's cost.
Great review as always, and thanks for mentioning that fun fact. I did a consulting gig at one of the Detroit Big 3 sometime back, where I saw their Mexico production first-hand. Many friends and family wouldn’t believe me when I pointed to those cars in the road and told them they were made in Mexico, NOT the US like they all think. Sigh
One of my fav stories- I was at an Explorer event out of town shooting with a fellow writer and this guy comes up angry that we're shooting on his property (that honestly looked very public). Once we apologized and he calms down and says "I'll let you go but only because you're driving a Ford, we only buy American made. My wife just bought an EcoSport and only Americans can make cars that good". My partner and I avoided eye contact until we were well out of sight of the guy and then bust a gut. No way we were going to tell him where it was made.
My older son has a Model 3, nice car but.... fit and finish, not so great. If you want a commuter electric car with gimmicks and you are not interested or know how a car feels, then get the Model 3. My younger son has on order the i4 e40, he likes to DRIVE a car and understands the physics. The i4 is build around a REAL car. For me, I have driven the Model 3 and just last week had the chance to drive the i4 m50 on a track. All I can say is the difference in car feel and performance fit and finish between the two cars are on opposite ends. It's a true performance car. After driving the BMW myself I had my BMW Performance instructor dive it, all I can say it's M car category. The next Ultimate driving Machine. Drive one yourself. Good review.
I love that the Germans (BMW, Audi, Mercedes) are making fully electric cars that look like normal cars. I’m not looking to advertise my eco consciousness, nor do I want to drive a blender. Now why didn’t BMW do the i treatment on the X5 & X7 instead of the monstrosity that is the iX and the worst of both worlds hybrids? I ordered a Y performance as a stop gap, but I don’t love how plain Tesla interiors are. Great review as always Tom, I never miss a Driven review.
By far, the best i4 M50 review IMO! I placed my order a couple of months ago without really knowing much more than what the website described. You hit all of my concerns and then some. Great job!!
Great points about the auto industry. I live in central NC. VinFast, a Vietnamese electric car company, is building a plant 15 minutes from me. Toyota is building an EV battery plant 40 minutes from me. Charleston, SC also has Volvo. Times are a changin’.
The best BMW reviews can be found on this channel. Pity there aren't more BMW reviews. 😕 Btw, the kidney grills don't bother me. I love the uniqueness and the link to the past.
Great video! Awesome car! I actually configured and ordered an i4 M50 after selling my Tesla Model 3 Performance. Got good money for the M3 and I was happy to get out of the Tesla cult. Received it in October and absolutely loved it!.. My husband likes SUVs and with 3 dogs, we need a bit more room. After a month, I traded the i4, a “me” car, in for an iX for the family . It’s great! As for me, you know.. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…” In a few years, after paying down the iX, I’ll get another i4. Maybe the quad Moyer version will be available by then? 😉
Hi, Tom. I've enjoyed watching your reviews for some time. I'm particularly interested in EV's so I appreciate this review very much. I do have a suggestion though: would it be possible to include the vehicle's turning radius in your reviews? This is especially important for those of us who need to navigate through some tight spaces. Thanks again!
Not all of the manufacturers provide that information. And even when they do, sometimes the hairs on the back of my neck don't think it's right. But I will consider it.
Hey Tom awesome video as aways! The gesture control seems cool, reminds me of that movie “Minority Report”. I can’t help but think that anyone not in the vehicle with you might think your making angry gestures at them LOL!
And BMW's Spartanburg plant, as I have been told. manufactures more BMW's than any other of its plants around the world. On the down side (and these are old numbers), I took a tour of the plant almost ten years ago. At that time, the starting wage was $14/hour. The starting wage in Germany's BMW plants was much higher, $33/hour. I'm not sure where the health care component is valued in that equation, but you can quickly understand why all their SUV models are assembled there.
Hooligan is right. I test drove an i4 M50 at the electrify expo in Seattle this past summer. They had a guy whose sole job was to wip the fingerprints off the screen between drivers. Anyway, it was my first performance EV experience. Incredible car that boots you in the ass if you boot the accelerator. Especially the rolling punch. Far more than I felt in a Taycan GTS. Mach E GT also had this punch. Anyway, I wish I could afford it.
"Why does fun, always cost?" Lol 😆 Because Mr V! It just does. Just be thankful we live in a country where if someone wants one, with a little work odds are they can get it? Also, I really like Hans Zimmer's work. I would leave that sport mode, turned on.
I love this car...it's just its 100k canadian in my driveway...even without the track package...maybe I'm showing my age but I expect to be in a full sizer or something "bepoke" for 100k...
Thanks, Tom - great review! You've got me thinking more seriously about an EV with every electric car you drive, and this BMW seems great. I agree with Rob, I still love my manual, but I'll have to replace it at some point!
I'm not a fan of the screen, and if Hans Zimmer can make the sound, there's no reason they can't give me the sound of an LFA. That said, I really like this. This is one I would really consider buying. It looks like a regular car, and has a great interior. It has plenty of range for me, charges quickly, and has plenty of power. I like it.
Did you say “door handles”?!? 😢 Ah, the nostalgia… 🤧 I saw the i4 at my dealer the other day, ironically while I was picking up Dino fluid for my car, and I was very pleased with the look! Not so much the sticker price however (Canadian pesos as we say) 😱
I’ve had many BMWs before converting to Electric. Build quality is the best, and their engineering is fantastic, I am surprised they couldn’t reorganize the engine bay into a small frunk. Other than the fugly front end, and lexus looking tail lights, it looks nice 👍🏻
I am about to go full EV soon - now I have long distance GT and a compact EV for the city. This can be the choice, or the iX, or the EQS, or upcoming Audis...
As a quick reminder, the $7500 tax credit only applies if you OWE $7500 or more on your taxes. The IRS is NOT going to send you a refund for anything beyond that. So if you owe nothing on your taxes, you get no credit and it doesn't apply. Also, at least according to my accountant, the credit phases out at incomes over $125k, and you should not be considering this vehicle if you make less than that. So go into buying something like this expecting to get NO tax credit. Also, as you mentioned the Model 3 is not a luxury vehicle, and it's nice to have something that actually does luxury in this space. Great review as always Tom!
Without getting into the particulars, that's among the many reasons people have accountants. How to figure these things out. Why do you think Warren Buffets laments the fact that his secretary is in a higher tax bracket than he is!
@@DrivenCarReviews Really? Darnit. That would have really helped my tax situation last year when we got the Volvo XC40 Recharge. I just think it's good to remind people about the difference every time we can, because taxes are confusing. Thanks!
In canada there is no tesla trash ! All charger works flawlessly without having a private company trying to buy the market to then screw peoples up. There is multiple apps used to monitor and use a charger, and all of them do a nice job.
EVs are coming into their own. There is so much now to choose from and not all of them are SUVs... which is great, and we need more of them. It will be a while before the infrastructure is sufficient enough to be convenient for all drivers, so that needs to be considered. Also, the tech in cars these days is getting too complicated, needless and trendy. How much do we really use? I know several new car owners that still have no idea (or any daily need for) all the different features they have at their fingertips. Anywho, love wherever you filmed, looked a lot like some bucolic countryside setting in Germany, so great choice there. Another great review.
If so I'm glad my M50 will be a '22. The grill is boss. I have been waiting for ten years for a car like this and that is under $100K. I think the 19" tires will be great, not that I am worried about range with >90% of my miles will be home charged. Easy exchange of petrol-guilt for very little range-anxiety. With the laser cannons on the front, I just need some orange LED panels to go in the diffusers - exhaust vents for the warp drives. 8 months of waiting and probably 3-4 more it seems. In the meantime I survive on great reviews like this. Thanks. Quite nourishing.
BMWs have problems too. Just because they are good at making internal combustion engine cars, does not mean they make good EVs. After all, the only EV they built prior to this was the horrid i3, lucky to get 100 miles! This one is built this one on a 3 series frame.. drive shaft hump and all- but i'm sure it's better than the i3 (even the Bolt is better). Tesla is a much better car in many ways... 1. Performance: The i4 M50 has a bit more torque and HP and can keep up with the Model 3 Performance- even possibly beating it to 1/4 mile by the narrowest of margins... but will lose in a track race due to its excessive weight of 2250kgs vs. Model 3 P's 1850kgs 2. efficiency: due to years of R&D, Tesla has found ways to make the Model 3 the most efficient EV on the planet, without sacrificing performance. 3. practicality: if you drive more than 200 miles from your home, you will DREAD buying ANY EV other than Tesla. The lvl3 charging infrastructure is spotty, and there is a high probability that the charger you arrive at will not work! I personally have had 2 issues out of the 4 times charging my wife's LEAF at a lvl 3 charger.. first time, I had to call customer service after wasting 20 minutes for them to reboot the charger and the second was just yesterday- due to the touchscreen on the charger not functioning, I had to waste time downloading the app, finding the charger, paying via the app - but the worse part was when it was time to go: I could not unplug the CHADEMO charging cable because of said broken touchscreen.. I had to waste another 5 minutes calling customer service for them to unlock the cable 🤮. Not so with Tesla. I have owned a Tesla since 2017, and out of the 100+ times supercharging, not ONE SINGLE ISSUE. Just plug in and immediate charging.. ZERO wasting time. 4. tech: the Autopilot feature is standard on all Teslas and doesn't cost an additional 3500 dollars or more that BMW offers it for. The Tesla has the most advanced and user-friendly UI I know of, with intuitive functionality and purpose. No sliding through menus trying to hunt for an app.. no junk apps that just clutter the screen. And, the most ubiquitous tool one cannot overlook when making a decision: the Mobile APP. I have owned a BMW, and it's app is spotty and can take up to a minute to unlock doors remotely (if not in BT range of the vehicle). Tesla's works ANYWHERE. IF the car is in deep sleep, the app will take up to 30 seconds to allow interface.. otherwise everything is INSTANTANEOUS. You can even view one of the four cameras on your car to see if anyone parked close to you - you can send a beep if you suspect someone is too close, (the car automatically records anyone too close) and you can even speak through the app to tell them! You can control when you want your car to charge, you can see how much money spent (and saved vs. comparable ICE cars) based upon your local electricity costs... you can purchase upgrades seamlessly, open your front and rear trunks, set A/C, set valet mode, set speed limiter, schedule service, check location, summon, open the garage door (if close by) ALL FROM THE APP. BMW may win with build quality and fit and finish, but these aforementioned things, IMO, greatly outweigh that benefit.
I like the i4, but I agree with the one guy. The ONLY thing that I like with ICE vehicles is having a manual transmission 3 pedal driving experience, or the dynamics of a high performance DCT/PDK transmission. When comparing an ICE vehicle with a torque converter automatic to an EV, the EV always wins!
I can't see spending all this money on a car that dosen't seat 4 people in the vehicle comfortably. It's a really nice ride for an electric car made on a modified ICE vehicle platform. And you won't have to worry about the maintenance of the BMW when the warranty runs out unlike their Internal Combustion Engine counterparts. Excellent review!!!
Is this a modified ICE platform? Tom referred to the carbon fiber in the vehicle structure which is something BMW introduced with the i electric brand. I wouldn’t count on not worrying about maintenance. My big ticket items on BMWs were mostly related to engine (leaking gaskets and oil filter housing, coolant expansion tank, failed coils, failed sensors) and transmission, but there’s still plenty of things to go wrong in a modern car, most of which requires a dealer or brand specialist to diagnose and fix. I’m uneasy about the heat pump, coolant system for the motors and battery cells, as well as all the sensors. I also hate BMWs 12 volt battery programming and registration requirements, which turn a 10 minute job that anyone can do into a $500 dealer visit. I first experienced that with an E92 328i, I hope it’s not still a thing.
Looks spiffy. But my sense is that a really loud car is a key selling point these days (Thanks Fast and Furious movies! You have ruined my neighborhood.) I assume there will be a big aftermarket business in adding massive noisemakers to these things.
Too bad local BMW dealer has no order allotments and has NO IDEA when they would get ANY or how long to deliver once the order is accepted and approved. The only one they just sold showed up on announced randomly. VERY VERY sad way to market a product when they can’t tell a possible customer when they’re $65K product would be delivered …. AND VERY sad they expect and assume folks will spend $65K on something they’ve not seen or test driven in person…
I wonder how the drive dynamic, confort and pleasure compares to the Jaguar i-Pace, which some reviewer have described as the best driver EV behind nr 1 Porsche Taycan. It is also shorter while much roomier insider. In fact the only downside I see with the Jaguar is the slow DC charging speed (although my understanding is that in ideal condition the BMW would only be 30 minutes vs 45 (which is still 50% more time at the charging station with the Jaguar). Price wise in Europe it’s moreless in the same ballpark.
Not going to buy any other EV than Tesla. I am frustrated to no end with all the charging mishaps and time wasted at fast chargers! My wife has a Nissan LEAF, and we had to fast charge it even while driving around our city, and two out of the four times we had issues. 1. first time at EV Go, had to download their crummy app and then create an account, then enter my credit card number, and FINALLY: I had to call customer service so they could restart the charging station because it wasn't working. Second and third times were relatively painless... #4.. just last night, my wife had to stop at a Chargepoint quickcharger on the way home from work.. I met her there in my Model 3P, and although it had the option of bypassing sign-in and just use credit card, the TOUCH SCREEN DIDNT WORK. I had to waste time downloading their app, finding the charger (it first defualted me to a lvl2 charger nearby) then starting the charging using Apple Pay via the app... okay, car was charging- at 27.5kW.. 😑. After talking with my wife about her WHOLE day, I went to unplug and... couldn't! Becuase the friggin touchscreen was non-functional, I had to call the customer service and spend another 5 minutes having her find the charger and turning it off for me!! NEVER AGAIN!!!! My wife has an order for a Model 3 Standard range and I cannot wait for delivery... I live in NC Charlotte area and the EV charging infrastructure is extremely lacking (except Tesla).
The only good thing about the "performance sound" is that you can turn it off. That front grille is a no-go for me. $70k and 5,000 lbs? Too much for me.
Definitely better looking then the teslas but bmw have not invested millions into researching batteries and the tesla charging network is the biggest in the market. From experience of BMW batteries having such a short life span I am swaying towards tesla. Great looking car though
How does your electric get generated? Unless you're in the very few countries that can generate green electricity, then your probably using fossil fuels to generate. Even when you do generate it with green methods it takes 90000 miles before you off set the carbon footprint that the EV makes from production.
BMW is already using Green Energy to built the Cars upto 90%, at least in Germany...including the ICE Cars. The VW IDs are built CO2 neutral in Zwickau already, too...as another sample. There is always this lie with the CO2 from ICEs lovers, since they want to keep any Argument for the old tech. Any tech was replaced in history...by Anything Else...
Tesla model 3 performance isn’t faster… Tesla 0-60 is based on a rolling start a foot over the line. And their miles are seriously over stated. Once you watch a few videos doing comparisons you will realize this quickly.
All new cars have really large carbon footprints, simply due to the energy and materials involved in their production. If you really want to be "green," you'll buy something used. Even a used ICE vehicle has less impact than a new EV.
Engineering explained did a comparison between getting a new car vs keeping your current car (which i guess is similar to getting a used car), you can go see his graph for when it's better to go with which
As I mentioned in a previous post, I have my i4 on order. Two months ago, we had a 10.5K solar system installed on our roof that will more than offset the energy requirement of the BMW. By a lot.
@@joemartino6976 Yes... but you also have to factor the energy required and CO2 released to BUILD your i4. Which is a lot. When your i4 arrives to you brand new, you will have greatly RAISED your carbon footprint. It evens out over time, but buying a new EV is not necessarily "good" for the planet.
All I can say is wow, those Germans can make a car. I just have one question for ya, what is it about a car that moves our soul? They sure move mine. You rock Tom!
Bit of a mistake you made here regarding "rare earth metals" not being present in the car -- that's impossible. Those elements are needed to produce this machine. What this car doesn't have is a permanent magnet, and the rare earth metals used to produce the car are sourced responsibly and ethically, from countries that don't use slave labor to produce the metals.
Pretty sure I specifically said motors. In the press info, BMW claims the motor has no rare earth metals. There might be rare earth metals in other parts of the car, but not in the motors, according to BMW. And it has said it's trying to eliminate all REMs in its cars.
Wouldn’t buy another BMW, too fugly these days, the grill, it’s hideous. Anyway that’s a personal thing, I would get no “JOY” from spending money on something I hated the look of.
I have already watch lots of reviews of i4. However, that does not stop me from watching this review.
Happy to support Tom Voelk
Thanks Sandras.
I placed an order for the BMW i4 eDrive40 back in March. Including the federal tax incentive, it came in at a relatively reasonable $53K, excluding tax and tags. The dealer here in Virginia Beach was excellent, by the way. No markups, no gimmicks, no unwanted options all added up to a surprisingly good buying experience. I had two other EV's on my short list, a Tesla Model Y and a Kia EV-6. I assigned a single, compelling reason as to why I would buy each of them. For the BMW it was the quality of the driving experience and that ultimately helped win the race. The Kia was on the list because it was the best value for the money, however, the dealer ruined all that when he slapped a $5K markup + $4K in unnecessary options on the hood. I can't believe dealers are still pushing etched glass as a useful thing. The Tesla Y literally went up $3K in price.....overnight......to $63k. Its position as leader in EV tech wasn't worth that kind of premium. And the overnight $3k price hike didn't help, either.
As for passing on the M50/dual motor version, several European reviews pointed to a better balanced chassis with the cheaper RWD version. Given the improved range and $10K lower price, that was an easy choice. I was told my BMW will be delivered as a 2023 model sometime towards the back end of the this year.
Thank you Tom. Great review, as always.
I looked at the Kia EV 6 initially, put passed when i saw the handling wa inferior, decided it looked like an old Citrien, and the height made it a CUV. Went with the M50 for AWD.
Hi:
I think it depends what your needs in a car. The i4 was the first car I was looking at until it didn’t need my needs - and you mentioned everything I was checking out (RWD) plus 7.5k tax credit. After driving the Polestar 2, Y, and checking out the Mach E, Kia EV6, Ioniq 5, etc, I went for the Y. It’s the most efficient and nobody can match the space in the inside - especially the rear seats and storage. I wanted Tom to discuss about preconditioning the battery to a DC Fast charger. That would be interesting to know. Some cars do not. Good luck with the new car!
You ordered it in March and won’t get it until the end of the year?
I agree, the i4 eDrive40 is the sweet spot!
@@Klash716 Ys are November to February if you ordered it in April (app.) - if the question was to me. :)
The i4, configured for either 270 or 300 miles or range, seems like a solid alternative to the Tesla Model 3. Although the range and performance may be lower, in return you get a much nicer interior. I priced out a base i4 with just a few options and, assuming no dealer gouging, it seemed like a solid deal for the money.
Totally agree, the interior and tax incentives make this very appealing. Especially since even IONIQ5's are getting marked up.
Not an alternative, it’s a much much better car than any Tesla.
Let's not forget Tesla's range is typically overstated.
This is an very ugly alternative for sure. Ioniq 5 destroys this german garbage.
@@DrivenCarReviews Great improvement with adding timestamps to your videos!
This is like an advert not a critical word in the whole thing
Thorough review, Tom. I always enjoy the extra outtakes at the end and fun facts. Thanks as well to Martin and Rob for helping out as much as they do.
I absolutely LOVE the "electronic performance tones"! I would drive this car just to hear that sound!
Another great review Tom. I’ve seen many reviews on the i4, still learned new stuff from yours. Always great to look at and listen to. Nice touch simulating the volume change in the background music using gesture control. It is the little things also I love about your videos. Keep up the great work!
Love your reviews and the quality of photography is great 👍
Tom, your power of observation is among the best, plus your have a skillful way of sharing your observations. You always shed new light in your vehicle reviews, revealing features and driving characteristics other reviewers miss. For electric cars, BMW's i4 could be the sweet spot. Not too much and not too little, the perfect balance of EV features. I must admit, watching the rolling footage of the BMW i4 gaining on the camera car kinda gives me that "Project UFO" vibe. Thank you for another fun and interesting review, Tom.
Great to hear about you getting popular now! Hands down my favorite car reviewer. This is the exact spec that I have on pre-order. Still debating on whether or not I trade my Tesla Model Y Performance. Just happy to see someone else bring a great EV with performance to the game that is relatively attainable. Nice job, thanks for sharing this one!
I have a Mode Y performance which is a great vehicle. I've had lots of BMWs. I won't get the I4 M50 unless Tesla opens their very good Supercharging Network to Non-Teslas as they are doing in Europe. Electrify America is horrible with few chargers at a very limited number of locations and they are more expensive to use than Tesla's and they are poorly maintained.
@@Toro-fz9il Have to say, I've noticed things getting better at EA locations. Chatted up a tech working on a dispenser and he says there's a new commitment to making sure things are up and running. We'll see..
@@Toro-fz9il yeah I agree with you on the concern, but I'm a home charger and my car hasn't left my city in the past 8 months. We have another ICE vehicle is we need to road trip, but I thought about that as well. I won't go forward with the I4 if the numbers aren't right.
re: "Still debating on whether or not I trade my Tesla Model Y Performance." do it.
re: "Just happy to see someone else bring a great EV with performance to the game that is relatively attainable." do it.
i believe your reviews are the gold standard on RUclips; however, I would like to see you put more emphasis on driving controls. With the increase in "driving by screen," driver distraction has been steadily increasing and driving safety, as a result has been decreasing. My view is defrost, heat/AC mode and temp; and sound system volume are the minimum functions that should remain "on the knob" and be able to be adjusted without taking eyes off the road. Manufacturers have sadly found a place to compete that has significantly decreased driving safety. Some studies show that many of these necessary driving adjustments now require a 30-40 second gap in driver attention while searching for just the right menu and icon to press! Thanks for listening and please continue your great work! (P.S. I sure do miss my SAABs, that all had excellent cockpit design.)
I finally get to see what my M440i looks like in white before I actually get it delivered in a couple weeks! Thank you!
Looks great in white I have to say. Congrats on your M440 👍🏼
Yup, Hatchbacks Rule!! Love this thing. Ethically sourced battery! Quality interior. Quiet. Sold!
Just got mine, had an M6 and I thought i'd really miss it. But no, the fun, the savings on petrol, the tech, the ride, the sound, the instant acceleration. Not looking back now.
Yup. Kinda fun, huh?
Great review, the wheels and that interior are stunning !
Hey Tom, I drive the very funky BMW i3 but it is our in-town car and I love it. It works really well with just a 110 charge from home giving us about 100 miles. The down side is that we live in Denver ( former Seattlite 50 years ago) so winters put a drain on the battery. It would be useful to folks like us if you would include how the electric cars you are now reviewing, produce their heat - ie. heat pumps vs ?. Keep up the premium reviews. They are the best.
i3 represent👍
Bought used 2017 as a skeptic. Zero problems in 2 years and 48k miles. Lovin it.
Not sure if yours is REx, but we wouldn't have it any other way:
We aren't afraid to use all the battery's range, and then, if needed, continue on endlessly with the 2cyl gas engine keeping the battery topped.
"Recharges" on road trips take 90 seconds, and are available everywhere.
Despite the ICE onboard, we only use 25 gallons per year to cover 24,000 miles.
Fueling costs per mile are 1/8 of our V6 4runner's cost.
I watched 20+ I4 reviews - this is the best one 👍
Great review as always, and thanks for mentioning that fun fact. I did a consulting gig at one of the Detroit Big 3 sometime back, where I saw their Mexico production first-hand. Many friends and family wouldn’t believe me when I pointed to those cars in the road and told them they were made in Mexico, NOT the US like they all think. Sigh
One of my fav stories- I was at an Explorer event out of town shooting with a fellow writer and this guy comes up angry that we're shooting on his property (that honestly looked very public). Once we apologized and he calms down and says "I'll let you go but only because you're driving a Ford, we only buy American made. My wife just bought an EcoSport and only Americans can make cars that good". My partner and I avoided eye contact until we were well out of sight of the guy and then bust a gut. No way we were going to tell him where it was made.
My older son has a Model 3, nice car but.... fit and finish, not so great. If you want a commuter electric car with gimmicks and you are not interested or know how a car feels, then get the Model 3.
My younger son has on order the i4 e40, he likes to DRIVE a car and understands the physics. The i4 is build around a REAL car.
For me, I have driven the Model 3 and just last week had the chance to drive the i4 m50 on a track.
All I can say is the difference in car feel and performance fit and finish between the two cars are on opposite ends. It's a true performance car.
After driving the BMW myself I had my BMW Performance instructor dive it, all I can say it's M car category.
The next Ultimate driving Machine. Drive one yourself.
Good review.
I love that the Germans (BMW, Audi, Mercedes) are making fully electric cars that look like normal cars. I’m not looking to advertise my eco consciousness, nor do I want to drive a blender. Now why didn’t BMW do the i treatment on the X5 & X7 instead of the monstrosity that is the iX and the worst of both worlds hybrids? I ordered a Y performance as a stop gap, but I don’t love how plain Tesla interiors are. Great review as always Tom, I never miss a Driven review.
Love the way you increased the volume of your video when you gestured with your hands. Nice touch. ;-)
By far, the best i4 M50
review IMO! I placed my order a couple of months ago without really knowing much more than what the website described. You hit all of my concerns and then some. Great job!!
Great to hear, Felix.
Very slick with the demonstration of the gesture control integrating the stock music, impressive little touch you did there!
Ha! Figured someone would get that. Can't use pop music due to copyrights.
Great points about the auto industry. I live in central NC. VinFast, a Vietnamese electric car company, is building a plant 15 minutes from me. Toyota is building an EV battery plant 40 minutes from me. Charleston, SC also has Volvo. Times are a changin’.
Very excited for this review. BMW put together an incredible package at an enticing price. Too bad the inventory is a bottleneck.
Favorite car reviewer since 10 years ago!
A man with taste. You'll go far.
The best BMW reviews can be found on this channel. Pity there aren't more BMW reviews. 😕
Btw, the kidney grills don't bother me. I love the uniqueness and the link to the past.
Caption issue @7:41 , audio says the sport sound CAN be turned off while the captions say it cannot.
Thanks. Will address. BMW says it can be turned off. I didn't find the way to do it.
That was a great quality video, thank you. I'm still years away from owning an i4 but one day I'll have one !
Was also very excited for Mr Volks opinion and awesome visuals. Keep it up sir
I ordered a BMW IX. The small back seat in the I4 was too small for me. Plus, the door openings were also on the small side.
Great video! Awesome car!
I actually configured and ordered an i4 M50 after selling my Tesla Model 3 Performance. Got good money for the M3 and I was happy to get out of the Tesla cult.
Received it in October and absolutely loved it!.. My husband likes SUVs and with 3 dogs, we need a bit more room. After a month, I traded the i4, a “me” car, in for an iX for the family . It’s great! As for me, you know.. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…” In a few years, after paying down the iX, I’ll get another i4. Maybe the quad Moyer version will be available by then? 😉
Hi, Tom. I've enjoyed watching your reviews for some time. I'm particularly interested in EV's so I appreciate this review very much. I do have a suggestion though: would it be possible to include the vehicle's turning radius in your reviews? This is especially important for those of us who need to navigate through some tight spaces. Thanks again!
Not all of the manufacturers provide that information. And even when they do, sometimes the hairs on the back of my neck don't think it's right. But I will consider it.
Hey Tom awesome video as aways! The gesture control seems cool, reminds me of that movie “Minority Report”. I can’t help but think that anyone not in the vehicle with you might think your making angry gestures at them LOL!
The gestures just don't work consistently, for me anyhow.
I'd consider one of these. (I never see you three at coffee. You must have found a different place.) I finally believe Rob
The coffee upsets my stomach. Every single time. So there's that. Hope the Miata is doing well.
Great and enjoyable video. Thank you!!
To your fun fact, the largest exporter of cars from the US is BMW at $10B per year.
And BMW's Spartanburg plant, as I have been told. manufactures more BMW's than any other of its plants around the world. On the down side (and these are old numbers), I took a tour of the plant almost ten years ago. At that time, the starting wage was $14/hour. The starting wage in Germany's BMW plants was much higher, $33/hour. I'm not sure where the health care component is valued in that equation, but you can quickly understand why all their SUV models are assembled there.
13:10 I still want to know why USA don't have that POWER HINCH OPTION!
Hooligan is right. I test drove an i4 M50 at the electrify expo in Seattle this past summer. They had a guy whose sole job was to wip the fingerprints off the screen between drivers. Anyway, it was my first performance EV experience. Incredible car that boots you in the ass if you boot the accelerator. Especially the rolling punch. Far more than I felt in a Taycan GTS. Mach E GT also had this punch. Anyway, I wish I could afford it.
I want to get one of these, but I can't decide between the 40 and the m50. I like the extra power and the AWD, but it's also much more expensive.
"Why does fun, always cost?" Lol 😆 Because Mr V! It just does. Just be thankful we live in a country where if someone wants one, with a little work odds are they can get it? Also, I really like Hans Zimmer's work. I would leave that sport mode, turned on.
I kind of enjoy those tones but that one is a bit much.
@@DrivenCarReviews I laughed out loud at that statement. Lol 😆😆
Any plans to review 5series ..?
Should someone wait to get a 5 series for 2024 model or i5 ???
I love this car...it's just its 100k canadian in my driveway...even without the track package...maybe I'm showing my age but I expect to be in a full sizer or something "bepoke" for 100k...
Thanks, Tom - great review! You've got me thinking more seriously about an EV with every electric car you drive, and this BMW seems great. I agree with Rob, I still love my manual, but I'll have to replace it at some point!
I'm not a fan of the screen, and if Hans Zimmer can make the sound, there's no reason they can't give me the sound of an LFA. That said, I really like this. This is one I would really consider buying. It looks like a regular car, and has a great interior. It has plenty of range for me, charges quickly, and has plenty of power. I like it.
My question is that ... can this car view the Phone with Video for surrounding or just photo
Did you say “door handles”?!? 😢 Ah, the nostalgia… 🤧
I saw the i4 at my dealer the other day, ironically while I was picking up Dino fluid for my car, and I was very pleased with the look! Not so much the sticker price however (Canadian pesos as we say) 😱
Thank you Mr. Voelk
I’ve had many BMWs before converting to Electric. Build quality is the best, and their engineering is fantastic, I am surprised they couldn’t reorganize the engine bay into a small frunk. Other than the fugly front end, and lexus looking tail lights, it looks nice 👍🏻
came for the 4K... stayed for the 4K... 👍
Looks great. Like a teenage Great White shark merging on the interstate. Silent and deadly. I'll take two!
HOORAY!!! Evil twin is back.
I am about to go full EV soon - now I have long distance GT and a compact EV for the city. This can be the choice, or the iX, or the EQS, or upcoming Audis...
It sounds like the Batmobile! 7:20
As a quick reminder, the $7500 tax credit only applies if you OWE $7500 or more on your taxes. The IRS is NOT going to send you a refund for anything beyond that. So if you owe nothing on your taxes, you get no credit and it doesn't apply. Also, at least according to my accountant, the credit phases out at incomes over $125k, and you should not be considering this vehicle if you make less than that. So go into buying something like this expecting to get NO tax credit.
Also, as you mentioned the Model 3 is not a luxury vehicle, and it's nice to have something that actually does luxury in this space. Great review as always Tom!
Without getting into the particulars, that's among the many reasons people have accountants. How to figure these things out. Why do you think Warren Buffets laments the fact that his secretary is in a higher tax bracket than he is!
Yes, that’s why it’s call a tax credit (and not a refund or rebate). I know people that make over $150K and they got their their check.
@@DrivenCarReviews Really? Darnit. That would have really helped my tax situation last year when we got the Volvo XC40 Recharge. I just think it's good to remind people about the difference every time we can, because taxes are confusing. Thanks!
Hello, how can i contact you about the business cooperation?
First time I've heard the idea for an electric drop top...So somebody please do it!! thx
I LOVE that car
In canada there is no tesla trash ! All charger works flawlessly without having a private company trying to buy the market to then screw peoples up. There is multiple apps used to monitor and use a charger, and all of them do a nice job.
Are charger connectors standardized now? Thanks Tom.
EVs are coming into their own. There is so much now to choose from and not all of them are SUVs... which is great, and we need more of them. It will be a while before the infrastructure is sufficient enough to be convenient for all drivers, so that needs to be considered. Also, the tech in cars these days is getting too complicated, needless and trendy. How much do we really use? I know several new car owners that still have no idea (or any daily need for) all the different features they have at their fingertips. Anywho, love wherever you filmed, looked a lot like some bucolic countryside setting in Germany, so great choice there. Another great review.
Carnation, WA standing in for rural Munich.
With the Price...why charging time take so long compare to KIA and HYUADAI
This is amazing car. Testdrove but didn't buy because ground clearance was way too low.
Thanks! I'll send you a 1099 at year-end :)
Ha! Dang, sorry I missed this. Thanks for the contribution!
Can we get a mid cycle refresh on the front grill?
If so I'm glad my M50 will be a '22. The grill is boss. I have been waiting for ten years for a car like this and that is under $100K. I think the 19" tires will be great, not that I am worried about range with >90% of my miles will be home charged. Easy exchange of petrol-guilt for very little range-anxiety.
With the laser cannons on the front, I just need some orange LED panels to go in the diffusers - exhaust vents for the warp drives.
8 months of waiting and probably 3-4 more it seems. In the meantime I survive on great reviews like this. Thanks. Quite nourishing.
BMWs have problems too. Just because they are good at making internal combustion engine cars, does not mean they make good EVs. After all, the only EV they built prior to this was the horrid i3, lucky to get 100 miles! This one is built this one on a 3 series frame.. drive shaft hump and all- but i'm sure it's better than the i3 (even the Bolt is better).
Tesla is a much better car in many ways...
1. Performance: The i4 M50 has a bit more torque and HP and can keep up with the Model 3 Performance- even possibly beating it to 1/4 mile by the narrowest of margins... but will lose in a track race due to its excessive weight of 2250kgs vs. Model 3 P's 1850kgs
2. efficiency: due to years of R&D, Tesla has found ways to make the Model 3 the most efficient EV on the planet, without sacrificing performance.
3. practicality: if you drive more than 200 miles from your home, you will DREAD buying ANY EV other than Tesla. The lvl3 charging infrastructure is spotty, and there is a high probability that the charger you arrive at will not work! I personally have had 2 issues out of the 4 times charging my wife's LEAF at a lvl 3 charger.. first time, I had to call customer service after wasting 20 minutes for them to reboot the charger and the second was just yesterday- due to the touchscreen on the charger not functioning, I had to waste time downloading the app, finding the charger, paying via the app - but the worse part was when it was time to go: I could not unplug the CHADEMO charging cable because of said broken touchscreen.. I had to waste another 5 minutes calling customer service for them to unlock the cable 🤮. Not so with Tesla. I have owned a Tesla since 2017, and out of the 100+ times supercharging, not ONE SINGLE ISSUE. Just plug in and immediate charging.. ZERO wasting time.
4. tech: the Autopilot feature is standard on all Teslas and doesn't cost an additional 3500 dollars or more that BMW offers it for. The Tesla has the most advanced and user-friendly UI I know of, with intuitive functionality and purpose. No sliding through menus trying to hunt for an app.. no junk apps that just clutter the screen. And, the most ubiquitous tool one cannot overlook when making a decision: the Mobile APP. I have owned a BMW, and it's app is spotty and can take up to a minute to unlock doors remotely (if not in BT range of the vehicle). Tesla's works ANYWHERE. IF the car is in deep sleep, the app will take up to 30 seconds to allow interface.. otherwise everything is INSTANTANEOUS. You can even view one of the four cameras on your car to see if anyone parked close to you - you can send a beep if you suspect someone is too close, (the car automatically records anyone too close) and you can even speak through the app to tell them! You can control when you want your car to charge, you can see how much money spent (and saved vs. comparable ICE cars) based upon your local electricity costs... you can purchase upgrades seamlessly, open your front and rear trunks, set A/C, set valet mode, set speed limiter, schedule service, check location, summon, open the garage door (if close by) ALL FROM THE APP.
BMW may win with build quality and fit and finish, but these aforementioned things, IMO, greatly outweigh that benefit.
I like the i4, but I agree with the one guy. The ONLY thing that I like with ICE vehicles is having a manual transmission 3 pedal driving experience, or the dynamics of a high performance DCT/PDK transmission. When comparing an ICE vehicle with a torque converter automatic to an EV, the EV always wins!
I can't see spending all this money on a car that dosen't seat 4 people in the vehicle comfortably. It's a really nice ride for an electric car made on a modified ICE vehicle platform. And you won't have to worry about the maintenance of the BMW when the warranty runs out unlike their Internal Combustion Engine counterparts. Excellent review!!!
Is this a modified ICE platform? Tom referred to the carbon fiber in the vehicle structure which is something BMW introduced with the i electric brand. I wouldn’t count on not worrying about maintenance. My big ticket items on BMWs were mostly related to engine (leaking gaskets and oil filter housing, coolant expansion tank, failed coils, failed sensors) and transmission, but there’s still plenty of things to go wrong in a modern car, most of which requires a dealer or brand specialist to diagnose and fix. I’m uneasy about the heat pump, coolant system for the motors and battery cells, as well as all the sensors. I also hate BMWs 12 volt battery programming and registration requirements, which turn a 10 minute job that anyone can do into a $500 dealer visit. I first experienced that with an E92 328i, I hope it’s not still a thing.
@@readyplayer2
Yep!!!! It's a modified Internal Combustion Engine Platform.
Autoline Daily does a deep dive on the manufacturing of this car.
I like everything except the grille. The rest of the design inside and out, liftback, 40/20/40 split, lots of range... it's all good otherwise.
Love it !!!! :)
Tom Voelk and savagegeese are the top two significantly under-rated and under-appreciated car reviewers out there! Keep on, Keepin' on!
Love the SG guys.
Production talent that would translate to any subject!!!
Production talent that would translate to any subject!
Looks spiffy. But my sense is that a really loud car is a key selling point these days (Thanks Fast and Furious movies! You have ruined my neighborhood.) I assume there will be a big aftermarket business in adding massive noisemakers to these things.
Too bad local BMW dealer has no order allotments and has NO IDEA when they would get ANY or how long to deliver once the order is accepted and approved. The only one they just sold showed up on announced randomly. VERY VERY sad way to market a product when they can’t tell a possible customer when they’re $65K product would be delivered …. AND VERY sad they expect and assume folks will spend $65K on something they’ve not seen or test driven in person…
Thank you
I wonder how the drive dynamic, confort and pleasure compares to the Jaguar i-Pace, which some reviewer have described as the best driver EV behind nr 1 Porsche Taycan. It is also shorter while much roomier insider. In fact the only downside I see with the Jaguar is the slow DC charging speed (although my understanding is that in ideal condition the BMW would only be 30 minutes vs 45 (which is still 50% more time at the charging station with the Jaguar). Price wise in Europe it’s moreless in the same ballpark.
Guess what next week's review is...
Are you getting any of these new EVs ?
Not going to buy any other EV than Tesla. I am frustrated to no end with all the charging mishaps and time wasted at fast chargers! My wife has a Nissan LEAF, and we had to fast charge it even while driving around our city, and two out of the four times we had issues.
1. first time at EV Go, had to download their crummy app and then create an account, then enter my credit card number, and FINALLY: I had to call customer service so they could restart the charging station because it wasn't working.
Second and third times were relatively painless...
#4.. just last night, my wife had to stop at a Chargepoint quickcharger on the way home from work.. I met her there in my Model 3P, and although it had the option of bypassing sign-in and just use credit card, the TOUCH SCREEN DIDNT WORK. I had to waste time downloading their app, finding the charger (it first defualted me to a lvl2 charger nearby) then starting the charging using Apple Pay via the app... okay, car was charging- at 27.5kW.. 😑. After talking with my wife about her WHOLE day, I went to unplug and... couldn't! Becuase the friggin touchscreen was non-functional, I had to call the customer service and spend another 5 minutes having her find the charger and turning it off for me!! NEVER AGAIN!!!! My wife has an order for a Model 3 Standard range and I cannot wait for delivery... I live in NC Charlotte area and the EV charging infrastructure is extremely lacking (except Tesla).
The only good thing about the "performance sound" is that you can turn it off. That front grille is a no-go for me. $70k and 5,000 lbs? Too much for me.
Can I change the voice prompt to "hey, electric f-ing car..."?
Definitely better looking then the teslas but bmw have not invested millions into researching batteries and the tesla charging network is the biggest in the market. From experience of BMW batteries having such a short life span I am swaying towards tesla. Great looking car though
Definitely not quicker than an M3 Competition xDrive. That does 0-60 MPH in 3.0 secs flat. This i4 is about the same as the M3 Comp RWD.
must’ve missed it: when did musk say he was gonna shut down twitter?
How does your electric get generated? Unless you're in the very few countries that can generate green electricity, then your probably using fossil fuels to generate. Even when you do generate it with green methods it takes 90000 miles before you off set the carbon footprint that the EV makes from production.
Yep. Elsewhere Emission Vehicles.
BMW is already using Green Energy to built the Cars upto 90%, at least in Germany...including the ICE Cars.
The VW IDs are built CO2 neutral in Zwickau already, too...as another sample.
There is always this lie with the CO2 from ICEs lovers, since they want to keep any Argument for the old tech.
Any tech was replaced in history...by Anything Else...
that backseat guy belongs in an i7 but i doubt he could afford it
Tesla model 3 performance isn’t faster… Tesla 0-60 is based on a rolling start a foot over the line. And their miles are seriously over stated. Once you watch a few videos doing comparisons you will realize this quickly.
All new cars have really large carbon footprints, simply due to the energy and materials involved in their production.
If you really want to be "green," you'll buy something used. Even a used ICE vehicle has less impact than a new EV.
Finally somebody with logic. Yes.
Engineering explained did a comparison between getting a new car vs keeping your current car (which i guess is similar to getting a used car), you can go see his graph for when it's better to go with which
Not that cut and dried. Besides, at some point we'll run out of used cars. And yeah, ride a bike if you REALLY want to make an impact.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I have my i4 on order. Two months ago, we had a 10.5K solar system installed on our roof that will more than offset the energy requirement of the BMW. By a lot.
@@joemartino6976 Yes... but you also have to factor the energy required and CO2 released to BUILD your i4. Which is a lot.
When your i4 arrives to you brand new, you will have greatly RAISED your carbon footprint. It evens out over time, but buying a new EV is not necessarily "good" for the planet.
All I can say is wow, those Germans can make a car. I just have one question for ya, what is it about a car that moves our soul? They sure move mine. You rock Tom!
Bit of a mistake you made here regarding "rare earth metals" not being present in the car -- that's impossible. Those elements are needed to produce this machine. What this car doesn't have is a permanent magnet, and the rare earth metals used to produce the car are sourced responsibly and ethically, from countries that don't use slave labor to produce the metals.
Pretty sure I specifically said motors. In the press info, BMW claims the motor has no rare earth metals. There might be rare earth metals in other parts of the car, but not in the motors, according to BMW. And it has said it's trying to eliminate all REMs in its cars.
The grille is atrocious and it’s outclassed by the Porsche Taycan.
And how is that globalization thing working out for the US …o yeah…chip shortage
cool
Wouldn’t buy another BMW, too fugly these days, the grill, it’s hideous. Anyway that’s a personal thing, I would get no “JOY” from spending money on something I hated the look of.
WOW...just like BBC.😘
carbon footprint? who cares lol. is it a good driver's ev?
Why does it look like it has fake exhausts?
🤢I’m trying my best
Haters gonna say it’s fake
Carbon is a scam , come on