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Consumer Reviews for the BMW i3
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I am an i3 believer!
Kurt, 05/21/2017
2014 BMW i3 4dr Hatchback w/Range Extender (0.6L 2cyl gas/electric plug-in hybrid DD)
I was looking for a stylish EV that was fun to drive, reliable, and had looks I appreciated. I had read numerous reviews on the i3, had seem them on the streets, and had more than once concluded it was not the car for me. However, when we had arrived at the BMW dealership to test-drive a 2014 3-series diesel wagon (I was getting desperate), there was my car for sale, beckoning my wife … and I. Now, my wife knew my checklist, and after asking our questions and taking it for a test drive, she was convinced this was my car. I had my reservations, as I commute around 30 miles to work, and am usually driving an additional 30-50 miles for business meetings each day. Given that this car is rear-wheel drive with no AWD, I had concerns about the snow. Additionally, the list price of the car was a lot higher than Edmunds' TMV and Cars.com's average recent sold price for these vehicles. Lastly, the i Remote app for this car had just horrible reviews. On the positive side, my car had just over 19k miles, includes the Giga and technology packages, was certified pre-owned, and in fantastic condition with no visible wear and tear.
After 2 months with it, having driven over 3k miles in snow, rain, freezing cold and 90+ degree heat, I was loving the car. I drive very conservatively, making full use of the one-pedal driving (which had a quick learning curve) and never going above 68 mph on the highway. I typically do a mix of highway with twisty backroads. However, with all the mileage I drive, I hardly use the range extender. Most of my meetings are in Boston, and I can usually find a garage with an available charging station. When I have to fill up on gas (that sounds so odd to type), it was always a 2-second fill, staying under $3 per fill. This car feels incredibly solid to drive - like you're in a tank, it just feels so heavy - yet it is very nimble. The steering is precise and tight. Handling on the curves is fun, but the car feels unstable if you really push it. Surprisingly, without the snow tires, it handles pretty well on snow-covered roads - it even got me out of my uphill driveway without any slippage. You just feel more connected to the road with the i3. Being bottom-heavy and somewhat tall, it can easily be affected by strong winds on the highway. Yes, this is an odd looking car. In my opinion, it looks best from any profile view, and just plain odd from a direct front or back view. The inside is beautifully designed, spacious, and posh. For utility, the overall storage space is not much, but I am able to make my transfer station trips with a full-size plastic garbage can and several square container bins of recycling. As for the i Remote app, it has had its share of bugs, but otherwise works like a charm (I even gave it a glowing review in the App Store).
After driving 14k+ miles on this car, and now having owned it for going on 10 months through all New England seasons, do I still believe in the i3? Yes, yes I do. Since my first review of the vehicle here on Edmunds, I have had new revelations about it. First and foremost, the car's battery does not like cold temperatures, and thus I am suffering from the obligatory 'range anxiety.' I have seen a significant drop in mile range on a full battery charge. Where I was averaging between 80 to 90 miles per full charge during the summer, I am now getting between 60 to 70 miles, if that. My maximum distance driven on a full charge is exactly 100 miles, which I achieved during the summer with a mix of highway and city driving using A/C sporadically. Currently, with these cold temperatures in the teens and 20s, it is difficult to get even 60 miles on a full charge. I recently drove a 2017 BMW i3 with range extender in 25 to 35 degree temperatures (Fahrenheit), and observed that its battery is impervious to the cold, on top of its larger mile range. Of course, now I desire a 2017 i3. Secondly, my i3 handles fantastically in the snow with its Blizzak snow tires. I have complete confidence in taking my car out into a snowstorm, having already tested it driving through snowy road conditions on the windy, hilly backroads of southern New Hampshire. Thirdly, my i3's factory speaker system sounds loud and crisp using the radio, but when utilizing its USB or bluetooth capabilities with my iPhone, the auditory volume drops dramatically, thus forcing me to crank up the car's volume control. Lastly, the sun visors are simply too small and are terrible at blocking out the sun through the windshield and door window. In conclusion, I am quite happy with my car, despite its low range in the winter, and happy to have the range extender as a backup. I have had no issues with it otherwise (i.e. nothing has needed repair). My only other concern about it is its depreciation, and hope that the vehicle is not obsolete when it is time to trade it in.
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