BMW i3 Saloon
New from £47,915
How long will it take to charge?
Results based on 86.90kWh BMW i3 battery
0
For a part charge (up to 0 miles)
0
For an 0% charge 0
You can charge this vehicle in 24 minutes at its fastest charging speed of 350 kW
* We have used data from the manufacturer to estimate these charging times, they are only a guide. Charging times for some speeds may not have been provided.
Is the BMW i3 Saloon a good car?
Read our expert review
Words by: Dan Trent
"
The 3 Series has been BMW’s emotional heart for more than half a century, the i3 electrifying that tradition in spectacular style. Sure, it may look like the updated hybrid 3 Series with which it shares its styling and innovative Panoramic iDrive interior. But it’s in fact based on the all-electric iX3, taking that car’s Neue Klasse foundations to the next level with range of well over 500 miles between charges. Stylish, sporty to drive and with some of the best onboard tech in the business, the i3 is BMW on its A-game and enough to make the equivalent Tesla Model 3 look about as modern and plush as a Ford Model T.
"Green Rating
We recently visited BMW’s production line for the i3 and the brand-new battery plant building its power pack. This and the other manufacturing facilities are all placed close to each other to reduce embedded transport CO2, and all use renewably sourced energy. Recycled material is also used extensively in the i3’s construction and BMW also showed us its pioneering battery recycling process for the cells used in the car, already anticipating how it will recover the valuable raw materials when these cars reach the end of their useful lives perhaps a decade hence.
Read the review by category
Running costs for a BMW i3
Cheaper single-motor versions will likely follow but for now the i3 starts just inside the £50,000tax thresholdand on a par with equivalent versions of the BYD Seal, Hyundai Ioniq 6 or Tesla Model 3. That’s a good start, the BMW then hammering all but the Long Range RWD Model 3 on range. And that’s with the smaller battery, the i3 50 xDrive driven here good for an official 567 miles, beating the Tesla by a smidge over 100 miles and the equivalent (but pricier) Mercedes C-Class Electric by even more. That should make it an absolute darling of company drivers for whom the BMW 320d was once the weapon of choice for long business miles on the motorway, the i3 combining diesel saloon range with the cost-saving advantages of electric car Benefit In Kind. It’ll also help private owners, especially those with capacity tocharge at home on cheap off-peak domestic rates. On that basis visits to expensive public chargers are – literally – going to be few and far between, even on longer journeys.
Reliability of a BMW i3
In recent times BMW’s reliability scores haven’t quite met the expectations you might have for a premium brand. The jury is out on whether this fresh generation of Neue Klasse cars will be any better but electric power means fewer moving parts and less to go wrong than combustion or hybrid equivalents, the real question being how reliable the fancy new electronics prove to be.
Safety for a BMW i3
I was able to enjoy the i3’s self-driving abilities to the full on the French autoroute but British drivers will have to wait until regulations catch-up before the geo-fenced restrictions on the system are lifted. Which is a shame because, even as something of a sceptic, I doff my cap to the i3’s formidable ‘superbrain’ powered driver assistance systems. Maybe I’ll learn to relax in time but, in all honesty, I was probably concentrating harder on what was going on around me while on hands-free than I would have been otherwise, so I’m not sure there’s any labour-saving benefit at this stage. But, when I was at the wheel, I was super impressed at how BMW’s Symbiotic Drive system measured my attention levels and held off with the annoying lane interventions, to the point I was happy leaving the system in place rather than turning it off as I normally would. Which is how it should be. Business as usual with the speed limit bongs, though, which are just as annoying as they are in any other modern car. At least they’re easy to silence, with an obvious short-cut on the main screen.
How comfortable is the BMW i3
If the i3’s trad saloon car configuration is a limitation fear not, there’s a Touring estate version on the way, too. Or you could just buy an iX3 instead, given it’s built on the same Neue Klasse tech. Personally, I prefer the low-slung format of the i3, the electric version noticeably more spacious than its hybrid 3 Series brother, especially in the back. True, while you can fold the seats down for carrying longer items and the boot is a decent size it’s never going to be as practical or family-friendly as an estate or SUV but, symbolically, I understand why BMW wanted to launch with a saloon first, given the 3 Series traditions the i3 riffs on. And it feels a lot more planted through the corners thanks to the lower stance. True, the driving position is still a little taller than the 3 Series, and I’d swear there’s a little less padding in the seat base to compensate. But in a world of tall-riding vehicles the i3 nails the classic BMW vibes. Fancy adaptive dampers will apparently be coming as an option, but it was good to drive it on the standard set-up first. You feel the i3’s weight slowing for corners and through the direction changes that follow but the balance between sportiness and comfort felt absolutely bang-on, the ‘Silent’ driving mode underlining just how smoothly it covers ground.
Features of the BMW i3
Highly controversial at the time, BMW’s original screen-driven iDrive system was a game-changer for in-car tech and I’d say the same for the new Panoramic iDrive on the i3. The configurable full-width display beneath the windscreen puts the information you need directly into your line of sight, the fact it’s projected rather than screen-powered meaning less eye-straining glare when driving at night. Our test cars also had the optional head-up display projecting speed and nav prompts directly onto the windscreen but I’d say this is a duplication of information you don’t need. BMW has also worked hard on the menus and software powering its infotainment, crunching the data on how drivers interact with it, what features they use and when. This informs the logical menus, tiles, widgets and shortcuts, all of which are configurable to your tastes and way more user-friendly than the gaudy full-width Hyperscreen in the equivalent Mercedes C-Class Electric. Having to control ventilation via the screen is still a faff but there are at least physical controls for volume, mirrors, seat adjustment and other basics.
Power for a BMW i3
There are additional models coming but for now the i3 launches with two versions, the twin-motor i3 40 xDrive more powerful and with a bigger battery than the Ioniq 6, BYD Seal or Tesla Model 3 variants it competes with on price. True, the C-Class Electric has a larger battery still. But Mercedes money would get you the i3 50 xDrive driven here, which has even more capacity and can go more than 100 miles further with its 567-mile official range. True, at the efficiency I scored that would be more like 400 miles in the real world but that’s still very impressive. The adaptive regenerative braking deserves a special shout as well, this working with the navigation and sensors to score charge for the battery having already predicted the corners, downhill gradients, junctions and slower traffic where the car can recover energy without you touching the brakes. This happens so smoothly you don’t even notice it, the manually selectable B mode there for genuine one-pedal driving in town.
Lease deals
These deals are based on terms of 8,000 miles, for a 36 month lease with a 6 months initial payment.
Standard equipment
Expect the following equipment on your BMW i3 Saloon. This may vary between trim levels.
- 19in Alloy Wheels - Light - Aerodynamic - Style 1060
- Expanded Exterior Mirror Package
- Exterior Items
- Intelligent Charging Flap
- Locking Wheel Bolts
- Tyre Repair Kit Plus
- AC Charging
- BMW Dynamic Performance Control
- Bidirectional Charging with EHC Professional
- Cost-optimised Charging with Compatible Providers
- DC Charging
- Electric Drive Unit
- Fast Charging Cable - Professional - Mode 3 for Public Charging
- High-Voltage Battery
- Standard Suspension
- Acoustic Protection for Pedestrians
- Active Guard
- Airbags
- Alarm System
- Brake System
- Comfort Access System
- Driver Assistance Systems
- Driving Assistant Plus
- Presence Detection
- Warning Triangle
- Air Conditioning - Automatic
- BMW Panoramic Vision
- Interior Contents
- Interior Design Essential
- Luggage Compartment
- Rear Seats
- Seat Adjustment - Electric with Memory
- Seat Heating for Driver and Front Passenger
- Standard Seat for Driver and Front Passenger
- Standard Steering Wheel
- Storage Compartment Under the Bonnet
- Storage Options
- BMW ConnectedDrive
- DAB Tuner
- Legal Emergency Call
- Teleservices
- Wireless Charging Tray Plus
- BMW Panoramic iDrive
- Condition Based Service
- My Modes
- TPMS - Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
- LED Headlights
- Rear Lights with LED Technology
Related articles and reviews
BMW i3 (2026 – ) review
From its 500-mile plus range to its fantastic onboard tech the i3 electrifies the iconic BMW 3 Series for a new electric age
BMW i3 production ends
RIP i3? Not necessarily, given the ideas and tech developed for BMW’s pioneering electric car live on
BMW i3 Hatchback (2017 - ) review
Having ditched the range-extender option the BMW i3 range is now all-electric and remains a distinctive and individual choice in the EV market
Revised BMW i3 electric car and sporty new i3s revealed
Due to be seen in the flesh for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the revised i3 has a new look and some extra equipment, while buyers also have the option of a higher-performance version.
Your questions answered
Monthly rentals ('payments') are not an offer of credit. Payments are based on offers available today which may be withdrawn or varied at any time in the future without notice.
Contract Hire ('Leasing') is subject to status and approval and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Vehicle must be returned with no more than fair wear and tear to avoid further charges. You will not own the vehicle. Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply.
Autotrader Limited (Firm Reference Number: 735711) is a credit broker and not a lender. Autotrader Limited introduces you to Autotrader Leasing Limited, which acts as a credit broker in its own right. Autotrader Leasing Limited, No.3 Circle Square, 3 Hawkshaw Street, Manchester, M1 7BL (Firm Reference Number: 630748) may go on to introduce you to one of a limited number of leasing companies. Autotrader Leasing Limited will typically receive a commission or other benefits from the leasing company as a result of this introduction.
Autotrader Leasing Limited is an Autotrader Group Plc company.
Vehicles are subject to availability and may vary from images shown.