Compact, upmarket and arguably revolutionary – is the BMW i3 a good used buy?
If you bought a BMW i3 when new, know that, like BMW, you were ahead of the game.This compact electric hatchback was comfortably the best contender in its class when it was launched in 2013, with a competitive official range of up to 205 miles, whip-crack acceleration that didn’t tail off in the motor’s upper reaches and bold styling that still hasn’t dated.That the i3 had such capabilities should come as no surprise, because an incredible amount of care was taken during its six-year development.It was hidden away from not only the media and other car makers but even other sections of BMW’s already secretive Munich R&D centre.The car was hugely controversial at the time, however, with some BMW engineers reputedly lamenting a perceived waste of money they had worked hard to earn the firm over the years.But that difficult birth was of a car that changed the face not only of BMW but of EVs too.It arrived in the UK ahead of Tesla’s Model S, aiming to prove that EVs could be different from the three-box norm – and by the time it went out of production in July 2022, we continued to gawp and eventually mourn its death.This was partly because of its ability to push the envelope. It had a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic body atop an aluminium chassis, the upshot of which was a 1290kg kerb weight.That’s 300kg less than the first Renault Zoe and even 400kg lighter than the modern GWM Ora 03 – an astonishing achievement.Two powertrains were available: an EV with 168bhp and a claimed range of 80 -100 miles and a range extender (REx) with the same BMW-developed electric motor but also a 647cc two-cylinder petrol engine from a motorbike.Both versions sent their power to the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission from a 22kWh, 33kWh or 42.2kW h battery pack.Performance? The standard i3 gets from 0-62mph in 7.3sec – about the same as today’s BMW 320d. But its mid-range performance is a real asset, with 50-75mph taking 4.9sec. That’s only 0.5sec slower than a contemporary BMW M4.Athleticism around bends is the i3’s real forte, though, because despite an upright body and high centre of gravity, it contains body roll nicely, with enough purchase and balance to provide a flexible B-road gait.Come facelift time in 2018, BMW added the i3s (for ‘sport’), which in addition to making an extra 11bhp and 15lb ft sat 10mm lower on a 40mm-wider track and had 20in wheels shod with performance tyres, making it more settled and very compelling indeed.Which variant we would recommend depends on your driving. If you simply want something small for commuting, plump for the i3s REx, with its real-world 190-mile range, compared with a mere 100 miles for the EV.No matter which version you go for, though, you get a lounge-like interior in which the materials feel as soft as they are attractive and as plush as they are hard-wearing.The cabin also feels more expensive than it really is, thanks to the lack of transmission tunnel and a minimalist dashboard design. Then there is BMW’s excellent dial controlled iDrive infotainment.So, let’s see: it’s handsome, fast, rangy, spacious and, even now, one of the best small EVs you can buy. No wonder a former Audi chief designer bought two of them.
