BMW i3 2018 in-depth review – Carbuyer

BMW i3 review:

Now there is no missing this car with its cutting-edge electric powertrain and eye catching looks the bmw i3 is one of the most futuristic and distinctive models on uk roads these days but it’s also been on sale for a few years now which meant it was time for an update from the outside the changes are subtle but noticeable there’s a reshaped front bumper and new

Slim led headlights up front as well as a black roof and slightly altered wheel arches plus further minor e styling around the back when it comes to luggage capacity nothing’s really changed with the facelift the i3 remains a fairly small car overall and at 263 litres the boot isn’t huge but it is well shaped and nice and easy to use it’s got a flat floor and

No awkward lift to haul things over you can also put the rear seats down which gives you a nice spacious load area totaling 1100 liters now there’s no door pillar here and the floor is very flat so actually getting in and out is very easy although the design of the rear hinge back doors means that you have to open the front door first before getting in which is

A little bit annoying now the other thing to note is it strictly seating for two back here no seat belt or cushioning in the middle just a couple of cup holders instead now practicality can be a bit of a problem with some electric cars but when it’s been designed from the ground upwards to accommodate batteries like the i3 has the result is definitely better the

Back seats are plenty big enough for most people but you’re not swimming in spare space back here the bmw i3 doesn’t really have trim levels as such just different powertrain options which we’ll get into a little later every version has plenty of sleek digital displays to help you keep on top of all the onboard technology as well as 19-inch alloy wheels bluetooth

Rear parking sensors satellite navigation and da b digital radio now the dashboard is one of our favourite parts of the i3 it manages to feel cutting-edge but without being too clinical and i think that’s thanks the use of this lovely wood trim at the front there are also very few fiddly buttons or switches so most features are controlled from this tablet light

Display screen using bmws excellent i drive infotainment system now when it comes to storage there is a little glove box which has got plenty of space and the door bins just about pass the bottle test and there’s even more space under here under the armrest you can pop your phone in there and in the middle of a dashboard just here a major addition to the i3 range

Is the sporty a3 s version which is what we’re testing here today it has a hundred eighty four brake horsepower to the regular a3 170 and also gets bigger tires and lower suspension for better handling like many electric cars though the i threes weight prevents it from matching the most agile of sports cars but it’s still very satisfying to drive particularly with

The instant surge of power you get from the accelerator as before you can choose between a purely electric version of the i3 and a range extender now this has a small petrol engine from a motorbike that acts as a generator to keep the batteries charged and topped up both the i3 and i 3s can be specified as a range extender and the increased range may come in useful

If you regularly tackle long journeys or suffer from range anxiety however we think that city drivers will probably prefer the lighter and quieter pure electric version when it comes to on paper performance figures there is a huge amount of difference between the different versions of the i3 but if you want the fastest possible nought to 60 time go for the pure

Electric eye 3s which does it is just under 7 seconds top speed for all versions is a little under a hundred miles per hour and they’re all very happy cruising at the motorway speed limit bmw says that the pure electric a3 has a maximum range of over 150 miles but they are likely to see a range of more like 125 miles in what they describe as every if you go for

The range extender version and keep it charged up as often as possible you could see the equivalent of over 400 miles per gallon fuel consumption which is quite incredible co2 emissions for this barely breaks into the teens so the company car tax will be extremely low so that’s the revised bmw i3 it still looks great it drives great and it is still exceptionally

Cheap to run but with ever improving versions of less expensive electric cars like the nissan leaf appearing its facing increased competition as zero emission motoring becomes more and more mainstream if you can afford it though the i3 is still a superb choice if you’re interested in the bmw i3 then make sure you check out our volkswagen golf gte video and our

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BMW i3 2018 in-depth review – Carbuyer By Carbuyer