2022 BMW i3S EV Review | Massively Flawed, Ancient...Still One Of The Best Cars On Sale Today 💯
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- čas přidán 15. 02. 2022
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The BMW i3 was massively cutting edge when it first came out... all the way back in 2013. Yep, in car years it's ancient. And it's deeply flawed. As Mark explains though, it's still one of the best cars on sale today at any price...
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#BMWi3 #BMWi #BMWi3S - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Hey everyone. You might notice that the in-car footage looks a little hazy. Do not adjust your set. (Damn you, GoPro!) Anyways, you might also notice that the videography of the car reviews in general has gone levels up, so maybe focus on that instead. 😊 Normal in-car sharpness resumes next week. Thanks, hope you enjoy the review. Mark.🤘
I'll let you off, just this once.
Great video as usual Mark
Phew, I thought I had cataracts.
Content is king, so you've nailed that, and "sharpness is a bourgeois concept" so said Henri Cartier-Bresson, who knew a thing or two about pictures...
What a marvellous car the i3 is, the 21st century Audi A2....a timeless design.
I assumed it was a camera made from recycled pine cones or something. Thanks for the heads up!
Leased an i3s for the past 2years. Now the lease is up we have tried everything else Fiat 500, VWiD3, Kia e Nero and the Honda E. Nothing came close to the i3S so we have now ordered a new one before they stop making them. A brilliant, brilliant car. Incidently I've previously owned Porsches, BMWs, Range Rovers. Try one before it is too late!
snap I got that one too! it's a brilliant car! I test drove a Tesla model 3 and hands down this was just way more fun than that!
Snap. Just got mine 2019 with 19K and mint with the leather suite interior for £25K ! bargain. 42Kwh love it. People don't know what there missing this is a super car.
I got one too!!! Fully loaded w every option and i got it for 1/3 of sticker price. I love this thing so much that it benched my f80 m3 lol
I got a 2016 REX certified preowned for an amazing price and I love this little egg! Its perfect as a daily commuter and city driving, but I wish the battery was larger, of course, or they offered battery upgrades. I don’t think I’ll give this little thing up… ever. Love it!
I‘ve got one in 2021 and i love it, too.
Nearly 10 years since it came out and it still feels like driving a concept car straight off a motor show stand. There’s nothing short of a supercar that makes every journey feel so special. Definitely a future classic.
10 Years bullshit. It's a bit more than 7 Years. Market introduction in Germany was December 2013. 1st cars delivered in Jan/Feb 2014. The US was even a whole year later.
Supercar? Get real 😂😂😂
Have you had yours ages? Is it risky to keep for a while?
I own a I3S from december 2020, the best car ever had. City and road use, 20 kms higway by day too. Insane car, fast, huge space inside, the material are nice (wood, whool, leather)…..!!
I bought a 2015 i3 REx 3 days ago... and i'm loving it to death. I was stumped knowing that I needed to get rid of my gas SUV but needing something that my 2 disabled family members could easily get in and out of. I happened across the i3 at a local used dealer and instantly knew I had to have it. Those big open doors and high seating position are a blessing for those who can't get into a standard car seat and for me not being able to afford a $50k+ used SUV EV
You hit the nail on the head. It is JOYFUL to drive - though, I believe more so than a super car - and its the reason why I traded my V10 R8 for one as daily driver without an ounce of regret 3 years ago.
Best car we’ve owned. BMW dropped the ball; a mk2 i3 with an updated motor, 60kwhr battery and refreshed body shell should have happened. It is and will be a classic.
And more comfy suspension.
...and two motor 360hp setup in the back with torque vectoring
And at least 100kw charging :)
@@Angusoksen agree. Being a ground -up ev platform I reckon these cars will be upgradable. Axial flux motor and newer battery tech.
@@MrBirgerB agree!
11 months later.....a big thanks Mark for your review. I gave an i3s a test drive on the strength of your review, bought it despite the shortcomings that you pointed out. You were right - I wanted the S version and I got one with a light interior which really helps to make the cabin feel airy. The S suspension is a bit jittery over bad surfaces but is overall ok unless you just want a plush suspension . I find it quite stable at higher speeds unless the crosswinds are really bad, in which case I just slow down a bit. Its fantastic in the urban jungle - very nippy, very manoeuvrable and good visiblity except when reversing - a reversing camera is a big help. Great steering accuracy and surprisingly good steering feel for an electrically assisted steering system. Another big plus is that BMW does not suggest any lower limit to charging so the battery can be charged full whenever I want so I get maximum range without having to worry about battery degradation. Result!
Went with my wife to a BMW dealership about 8-10 years ago, to look at a 535... I saw the i3, and asked the salesman if I could test drive it.
Well... I loved it! Went back to the dealership, showed it to my wife, and her response was "That thing as ugly as sh*t"!
So... long story short, I leased it! Two year lease!
Two days after getting it (and hearing an earful about what an idiot I was)... she asks if she can drive it! After that, we constantly fought over who got to take the i3!
It was a blast to drive... minimal range, but hey... it was what? 9 years ago?
Love that. 👏😁 Mark.
I don’t think the car was the problem
Just got my 2022 fully loaded i3s. Fantastic for my current needs, costs me next to nothing to run so almost like having a free car. Absolute blast to drive, leaves everything standing at the lights when in town due to its fast 0-40 time. Every drive feels like an event.
totally agree! why buy anything else! once you bought it! it's fun almost free motoring!🎉
Yep I would say any i3 0-40 will beat 99% of everything else on the road. to 40Mph
I'd like to try it VS my'15 Fiat 500E 0 to 30, if I can get traction (fwd). I own both, but I've never raced them.
2:41, the "raw stuff" is made from plant fiber, Kenaf, which is also used for the loudspeaker cones of some ultra-expensive Fostex loudspeakers. It is light and firm. The bottles are used for the seats in the basic trim level, your level (suite) doesn't have them, it has natural leather treated with olive extract instead of chrome based chemicals.
Agree totally with the feel of the drive I think you nailed it and explained my feelings when you say it drives like a sports car but you sit high which makes it a unique experience unlike anything else. I’ve had an i3S Rex for 2 years and am taking a last chance to get a new i3S before they discontinue them . Absolutely unique car that does not make sense until you understand the design decisions behind it. Probably the distance in front if the driver is part due to the stubby nose and crash protection ? You sit about as far back as you would in a car with a normal length bonnet but the distance to the end of the windscreen would be shorter so it would not feel like such a huge space. I had a mini 3 door hatch before the i3. I loved the mini for its handling. The i3 felt like a huge coach in space and size in comparison despite its exterior dimension being not a lot bigger, and it handles WAY better than it should it’s a conundrum, but every time I drive I fall in love with the car again and gone are any doubts about its tech etc all that doesn’t matter as the driving experience is so good and I constantly have a smile on my face every drive.
Great review as always Mark.
I have always wanted an i3, don't ask me why, it just got under my skin.
I bought one earlier this year, a 94ah REx, it's amazing.
Turns heads wherever I take it, doesn't look out of place in the carpark of a 5* hotel and is hilarious to drive in a way no other car I've had is or was.
It's doing more miles than our Tesla.
They are truly forever unique and i plan to keep forever, a true future classic, BMW at its finest.
I had a 2018 i3S REX. Brilliant car, loved driving it. The commute into London was a breeze, especially the Traffic Jam Assist that worked so well. I didn’t keep it very long, much to my regret. I would have liked to have seen an updated with 250-300 miles battery. So sad that its now end of life. A true classic.
I just bought a i3s with 1500 miles on the clock. After nearly 20 years of Audi A2 it was time for a jump in the future and guess I managed it well. BMW did build a car that makes me happy and let me enjoy every ride. Super happy with it.
Hi Mark, first read about the i3 and the design and build philosophy in 2012 and sat in one (at a dealership showroom) two years later. I’d owned 19 BMWs by then, but had fallen on hard times so I couldn’t afford any car, let alone a new one, but I was spellbound by it. This year I intend to buy a 2021 40kwh version and will enjoy every mile for years to come. Read most of the comments and all are realistic and complimentary, just like your review. 👍
Had our second-hand i3 REX for about 8 months now and it's just a shear joy to drive, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Not much better compliment for a car, except maybe the joy of plugging in at home and NEVER having to visit a petrol station (rarely need the REX).
What year did you get I’m currently looking at a 2017
@@Numb2Fear 2016. Latest check showed battery at 96% capacity at nearly 190,000kms
Your review nailed it!👍
After a week of commuting in the 2017 REx we're off for a multi-day trip down the Oregon USA coast.
Despite covering 24k miles last year, we only needed 25 gallons of petrol.
That's $600 total energy cost (fuel & electricity)
Love function-driven cars that throw convention to the wind and don't give a toss what rubes say.
One of the most entertaining car reviews I've seen, and also clever because you've reflected how the pros and cons can amount to a great car. Thanks.
Thanks very much Chris, appreciate it! 😁 Mark.
I totally agree! It’s an ev that’s still relevant today due to its amazing efficiency. I regularly drive my German 120ah i3 from Germany to wales without any issues. Last year it flooded here and the car floated about 150m before it hit solid ground with me inside. It never once had an error message or any electrical issues of any kind. Only a tiny bit of water came in, but I was able to clean that out! Just a testament to the great engineering behind this classic
Bought an i3 94Ah (no REX) just under five years ago. Still have it…it’s brilliant. No plans to sell it because you’re right - truly wonderful to drive.
Good review, I bought the i3 (pre-face lift) last year, and absolutely love it! The ride on the standard (non- S) model is far more compliant, range is better, I regularly see 5 miles per Kw from it (massively efficient!), I rarely do more than 150 miles in a day and mine can do it with care (mine is the 94Ah battery model - not the 120ah model you are testing), but having the small battery does mean it charges quickly. My wife was really panicky when we took it from Somerset to Portsmouth - would we have enough range etc, but we got down to Portsmouth with about 20% charge remaining, and charged at Morrisons for 26 minutes (50Kwh fast charge) which got us home!
So pleased that I bought it, it really is so good to drive!
The smaller battery doesn’t charge more quickly than the larger battery, it just fills sooner. If you need to charge for another 100 miles, the time will be the same.
Just bought a used i3 and I love it. The ONLY thing I wish for is more range, but its still cool because I don’t drive much and the car is perfect for the little driving I do. Other than that I absolutely love it. Now I have taken a lot of crap because of the unique look of the car, but I I’m having the last laugh because of the bankrupting gas prices right now.
It's a great review. It looks fun to drive this. Anyway, I didn't know Nokia 1100 had a camera. Great job with good content.
It's disappointing they're not doing a mk 2 because the I3 is a cool car. Still look up to date after many many years.
Shame the range was never improved.
@Johan Sahlin point taken. I was referring to it never getting a range that did it any justice.
Either way. It's a cool car and like the leaf mk1 a future classic.
The I3 was my first foray into EV motoring.
It was a huge mistake....
....When I sold it.
I had the rex version to hedge my bets, it was brilliant. I felt like I was driving a spaceship. Unbelievably spacious, comfortable, loads of room, fast, handles superbly, turns on a sixpence, fantastic build quality, super cheap to run and ZERO range anxiety as it has its very own generator as a get-you-out-of-jail card. Yes, as Mark eluded, the ride is firm, but no worse than sports cars that I have previously owned, all electric cars have a former ride due to beefed suspension to deal with the weight of the batterys, my current Tesla is certainly no better than the i3.
It was/is the best urban EV. In a world festooned with bland, beige, boring, looks-like-any-other tin boxes, the I3 stood out from the crowd with its dynamic, exquisite design with unsurpassed attention to detail, it's unique in design and concept, there is no other EV like it and sadly there never will be.
This car, together with the 8 was truly bmw’s glory moment, yet they didn't realise it or capitalise on it. An opportunity lost. Sadly bmw have totally lost the plot, every one of their cars looks the same as another, their idea of vehicle development is to adorn their fleet with increasingly laughable grille designs and expect fools to pay exorbitant prices for them.
I loved this car, a year came to my eye when I heard of its demise....no other car I have had (I've had over 40) was so satisfying or provided such a huge smile every time I drove it. I owned it for 2 years, it worked flawlessly without any issues.
Yes, a big mistake selling it, in retrospect I should have retained it as a second car, but finances wouldn't permit.
I am very tempted to buy another second hand rex version.
The i3 & i8 are truly iconic cars.
A very fair and balanced review by Mark.
I liked the drama at the start of this 😂 Thanks for the comment mate, v. interesting. Mark 👊🏻😁
I have a Rex and I absolutely love it! People who haven't driven it and I mean really driven it have no idea what they are missing. I am trading it in soon for an MG ZS EV but only because we have a new baby and it just doesn't work for us anymore. It will break me heart to see it be driven away when I trade it in :(
You have to put a tiktok alike title to your comment. Was a good review, but a bad title.
Rex isn't necessary with the 42kWh battery IMO.
I have a reasonably long commute over a mountain to work. I get up, jump in my i3 and grin like a muppet all to work. At the end of the day, I’m tired and grumpy and this thing just rattles and bangs and crashes all the way home. But I still love it.
It's all true - there are plenty of negatives BUT it is genuinely a fantastic car - it is light, very quick, roomy (but not the boot) and it really makes you smile. There is a super friendly owners group on facebook and I love the waves from other i3 drivers. It's a special car - I've had one on lease and it has really brought back joy and pleasure to motoring. It shouldn't - but it just does. My car goes back soon and I will genuinely miss it - despite probably more short comings than any other car that I have owned.
I bought my first Ev car late last year and this was the car I went with and I don't regret it. I test drove the Zoe, ioniq, leaf, id3 and the i3. You cant beat the i3 at the moment in the used market for EVs not brand new. it's the best ev car for price Vs performance. I bought the biggest battery one the 42kw base model with low milage. Yes there are some flaws as you said in the video main ones are ride comfort, space, body design and some minor ones but overall in the UK in the used market this car is hands down the best ev you can get under 20k if you want some fairly decent acceleration and okish milage if you get the biggest battery pack. I would not buy this car if it's the mid battery pack or small one even with the range extender. It just adds weight and more maintenance.
Great choice mate. I absolutely love it. Nearly got one myself but I just needed a hit more mileage out of the battery. 😊 Mark. 🤘🏻
I agree on getting the biggest battery (if you can afford it) and not the REX, for the reasons you say. Also, like many people, I don't buy new and so used prices and value is what matters to me. One thing Mark didn't mention in his otherwise excellent and entertaining video is that the car is too expensive new (though Mark gave reasons why it would be) but rapidly becomes a good used buy. In terms of efficiency, the expensive materials and clever engineering came to nothing when compared with the efficiency of the more conventional but more recent Hyundai Ioniq. You could argue, why both compromising but Mark explained the reason - the i3 is so much FUN.
@@chrishyde1216 Yes most definately, brand new the i3 would be a bad buy I think it retails for over 34k or just under. :/ at the moment I am also tracking the used prices of the jag ipace but ill keep the i3 for a couple years and maybe the smaller tesla will be out by then heres hoping or the chinese ev's xpeng/byd
We bought a used i3 7 years ago. So it is the model with the small battery and a range of about 80-90km in winter, it is the car we prefer to use whenever possible. Now with 67k km the battery seems to be still something like 85% capacity.
We would like to have an EV with approx. triple the range and sell our second hybrid car for longer distances. However, I see nothing that could replace the i3. The car is compact but offers a roomy interior. The navigation system is superb, no stupid touch screen, no need to scroll through menus in order to set something. BMW online traffic info is excellent. You can read the info on both the navi-screen as on the small screen under all conditions of light. Try to read the instrument panel or navi on an Toyota RAV4 with low sun from the rear side, it is a nightmare.
We hope, that some day somebody will offer a battery with 55 to 60 kWh. So we will keep the i3 for some more years. Even with the small range of the first model, it does the job most of the time.
Thanks for your comment. The i3 is and will be a cult classic car, I'm in the process of buying a used one and your comments really helps. Don't sell yours lol. Thanks again.
I’ve got an i3S Rex and I love it! I’ve been to Cornwall and back twice in mine from Warrington, which is about 330 miles each way.
Love the film! My 1 series’ days are numbered after seeing this!
Absolutely loved your review, spot on. I have had my 3s for 3 years on lease, and deciding whether to keep/purchase it. I too love it, but think I should n't. Full of flaws, but somehow amazing too. Everything else (apart from supercars, which I cannot afford) seem boring. Test drove a VW today, but decided to purchase the i3.
Despite recently getting a Tesla model 3, I'm still hanging on to my i3, it's a bloody great and fun car for zipping around town. Even my petrolhead mates admit that it "ain't bad".
I've got a 2017 I3 Rex and have run it for 3 years, I just love the car and totally agree with everyone who say's it makes you feel special when you drive it and yes 100% future classic car. I never tire of listening to folk say "All Modern cars are the same and have no character" well mine does !!!!!!
I have the 2017 i3 Rex and plan to keep it as my daily driver until BMW makes a better car that can still be fun to drive and not really worry about. It had the 20" wheels stock and I bought two sets of 19" wheels for summer and winter tires which helped the ride quality, not to mention that the winter tires for this car are only really available in the 19" size anyway.
I've always liked the sheer quirkiness of this car and it is amazing that it is 10 years old. The problem is that I doubt that BMW will ever offer something so radical and immaginative again, their design people seem to be focused of big ugly and pointless grills. Nice one Mark :)
It's not 10 Years old. It's a bit more than 7 years. Where do you guys get your information from? Market introduction in Germany was December 2013. 1st cars delivered in Jan/Feb 2014. The US was even a whole year later.
It's not 10 Years old. It's a bit more than 7 years. Where do you guys get your information from? Market introduction in Germany was December 2013. 1st cars delivered in Jan/Feb 2014. The US was even a whole year later.
@@olivertwist5986 Hmm...Who cares apart from you ? The reality is that it was a radical design and rather ahead of its time and will shortly go out of production. What will be interesting to see is what BMW does with the production facility and will they build upon their experiences over these past 7-8 years and produce something as radical again or is that a "wrap" as they say ?
@@johnhaynes9910 trust me, a lot do care about correct facts 😁. Especially if they are so easy to verify. To much bulls*hit on the net these days. If you don’t care, fine. That’s your problem and it tells lot about you 😉
Way off, released in 2013 and the design was probably finalized at least the year before production. As far as we know they could have designed it in a week so it could be only 9 year old design in '22.
This is a really good video. Thanks. I love my i3!
Thanks for saying so mate. 👊🏻 Mark
Two years into my three year lease on one of these.Still absolutely love it and usually by now I would be bored with my car. Despite the flaws, I enjoy it every time I drive it and have covered about 25,000 miles.
Thanks Mark - that’s a fair review. I’ve owned one of these as a second car for two years and the only downside for me is the odd sized tyres that you can’t get all season or winter tyres to fit. Just tried an ID3 as a replacement but my wife is not keen to change as she likes the high driving position of the i3.
At least for the 'regular' (non-S) i3, there is a Bridgestone Blizzak snow tire available. Kyle Connor actually did a video on his channel a year or so ago showing off driving the i3 on Blizzaks in Colorado snow. And I just confirmed that you can still buy them at Tire Rack for a mere $191.99/tire.
Thanks that’s what I concluded too - I have the i3s so would need to buy a set of 19 inch alloy wheels to convert for winter use.
Can’t get all seasons in a run flat for my BMW either. Frustrating.
I saw one online at a local dealership on sale. Was shopping for an EV. Thought the 2019 i3s REX looked weird but drove it and fell in love. Same color as in vid. I tell people it looks like a dung beetle. The design looks like Its heavily Italian inspired. It is a workhorse w all the room inside. Took it on a 600 mile RT drive at average speed of 70 mph. That was an adventure trying to find EV DC charging stations in Oregon, USA before the charge and REX depleted. Mountainous terrain, using AC and the radio diminishes range quite a bit. That outbound leg took 7 hours w some worry about getting stranded. The return leg I used my phone to navigate to the EV stations every 70 or so miles. The onboard nav on seems to try to locate only BMW charging stations. Cut an hour off the return trip w no worries. Charging costs were about $35 US dollars in total RT and took usually 30 minutes each on a DC fast charger. Longest was 40 minutes. I get scads of looks and questions about the car almost every time I drive it. Yes, its a boost to my ego as well. At home I had an AC 240 V 40 A outlet installed in my carport. Only need to charge it every 2 weeks or so as I drive it in town mostly. Charge it when at 50% which takes about 5 hrs. AC 110 V 20 A takes 24 hours if charging when its 20%. From ads in US, I bought it at the right time cause the value has gone up $10K. Tires are expensive and back ones need replacing depending on driver’s acceleration style at about 9000K miles. Front ones last longer. Back ones cost about $1000 US to replace including installation and truing. Mine has different sized tires for front than back. Do not drive on gravel roads or ones graveled for winter ice and snow. Gravel gets in wheels and the car screams its displeasure. Yes, screams until the gravel falls out or gets pulverized. Cannot use chains but is okay in snow if you’re careful. Got fabric based tire snow socks to try out this winter. Still love this EV despite its quirks.
Love my i3. Best city car I’ve ever owned, fun to drive, crazy turn radius. List of things I wish they had done.
1. Weather proof frunk
2. Sun shades able to extend out
3. Extra 1-2 usb-A or usb-c ports.
4. Longer range.(I have 2017) They really needed to hit that 200+ range with faster charging rate.
5. Standard tire size. Pretty much only 1 option, the ecopia.
6. Give the rear door a side pull to open without having to open front first.
Most of these should have been done and easily could have. Still love it and will be using till it dies!
bmw designed the back door doubling as a b pillar for structure and to be opened only if the front door is opened for safety purposes in the event of the door opening itself while you drive, there’s some people that make weatherproof frunk seals it works good i’ll send a link if I find it
czcams.com/video/iVE3rLLPbZc/video.html
And add some suspension..
I've driven an i3.fir 5 years, love it! Drive in on freeway everyday to work on comfort mode and get home with 50% left. Nice only having to service once a year...
I love my 2018 Red I3 Rex. Fast as heck and I get a lot of people looking at it. Range sucks in the winter with the heat on. Slow charging, but the REX generator is awesome. Paid $28k and will be worth $15k soon. Unless collectors want to buy it. LOVE driving it.
Good video, I love mine too. I'm selling it soon to get a Rivian R1T, and really hate that I can't keep it.
i'm getting my i3s in july this year . I ordered it with AC Schnitzer wheel spacers, then it has better road holding. The battery is good, after all it charges up to 90% with maximum power. It's definitely not the best electric car anymore but I like how environmentally friendly the car is. Greets from Germany.
Agree, a car with integrity
Fun video! Stumbled across it today. Onto my second i3 (latest generation now). Can agree with what you say. I've had Mercs of different kinds. And various others. But the i3 remains, overall. one of the best cars I've ever owned. It's simply brilliant. Even if you bob around a bit on uneven surfaces. After a few yds in the latest i3 I immediately noticed a lot differences. NOt the least to riding quality. Don't have an S. but a beefed up standard. It does everything I want this car to do for us, and more. :)
Thanks Harold. Yeah it’s great, definitely the most interesting car on sale. Real shame BMW isn’t going to replace it like-for-like. 😢 Mark.
As an owner of a 2018 i3s BEV, this review is accurate. Only reliability issues are the 12V battery. Dealer replaced under warranty. Brakes still fine. Tires wear quickly if you run in comfort or sport mode all the time. Great for local city driving which is 90% of all my trips. Wife has Honda CRV for the longer trips. Still average 4.1 mi/kwh which is as good as anything out today.
Do love a review of used/older cars - and no one does them better
Had 3 of them now, best car ever 👍🏻🇬🇧
I don’t agree with any of the noise or ride problems either , the car is dead quiet and plush from standard
I have a 2017 BMW i3 REX and I love it.
My i3 is 7 years old and still drives as smoothly and silent as on day-1. No rattles, no squeaks at all.
Thinking of converting to EV as tax on my 2.0 TFSI is now over £400 per year!!! Great review 👌🏻
just got mine 1 week ago. love it.
Good conclusion there. No minds changed here. We have an i3s and love it.
I love my i3. I do find the looks a challenge, and I agree with your criticisms, but despite all of this, it’s fabulous!
Nice thanks for sharing 👍🔔
I have 2017 i3 with 94Ah battery, not Rex. Love the car great fun to drive, just so easy to live with around town because it's compact with super tight turning circle. Off the lights it laughs at most ICE cars, I heard that 0 to 30 it's faster than a BMW M3. I want an I3s though, love the flared arches & bigger wheels even if it's not that much of an upgrade in power, some drivers said the i3s is a bit less skittish/more planted than the i3, due to wider track plus wider tyres.
Don't see the point of the Rex, the all electric car qualifies for zero car tax but the Rex doesn't, and just another thing to go wrong and needs servicing.
Very comfortable in the front with acres of space for me at 6'2" which was a pleasant surprise when I first drove it, feels so light & airy. A little cramped though for my teenagers in the back, this is really best as a city car but don't be afraid to do longer journeys, we've done several without issues including from the South East to Newcastle UT.
The carbon frame appeals to my nerdy engineer side, I think it could take some more power, would be an amazing car with an extra 60PS, shame BMW didn't develop further
Hey Glynn! wider track in the i3s is achieved by a wider offset on the wheels and running wider tires. The i3S offset can be matched with some small spacers between your i3 base wheels and the hubs. 175 front and 195 rear tires (the i3S setup) can be fitted to the 20 inch base OEM sport 430 style wheels and with the spacers there is plenty of clearance up front for that tire. The i3S wheel arches can be fitted onto the i3 base if you want to spend the money on them. The i3S power upgrade is also just software and compatible with any 2017+ base i3 since they share the same hardware with the i3S.
We love our 17. We run 15mm spacers all around which are a perfect fit and keep the tires tucked under the body. This size spacer plants the vehicle a lot better. We're just waiting to wear out the skinny front 155 tires in order to run 175 all around on 20x5 (front) wheels all around for the purpose of rotating tires and getting even wear across a full set, instead of replacing 2 to 3 sets of rears to one set of fronts. Handling is also significantly improved by running a 175 width up front and absolutely worth the extra few bucks in money spent.
I am a similar size and the i3 was the most comfortable and fun EV in our price range at the time when we were shopping for a used example 2.5 years ago. Happy motoring!
Haven’t seen an i3 newer than 2015 where I am. Also there is the BMW stealership. From experience I wouldn’t trust my local to change an air filter without causing thousands in damage. Which they did
Had my i3s for 2 years now as a Co car... cheap as chips to run, adequate range for most occasions & fun to drive, still makes me smile. But, it is getting on a bit, the ride is certainly Gen 1 'leccy car, top latch of the rear door is a head magnet & will only charge at a max of 50Kwh. But, I'm glad I made the change to EV when I did and when it's time to replace it, it's a shame that something this quirky wont really exist any more...
Had an i3 when they first came out. Few EVs in between, got another i3 (S this time) last year.
Was that or get the fiesta of the EV world - the Tesla 3 - soulless and where I live there appears to be 1 for every 3 drivers 😂. I3 has so much more character and although this is subjective, is a much better car imo.
100% spot on about ride and noise. You are likely hearing the inverter or electric motor noise because it is situated on the left hand side at the rear of the vehicle. I wonder how many owners can't hear it because of age-related hearing loss? The motor noise is far more annoying than a decent gas engine, but again, if you have too much hearing loss you might not hear it at all.
I am selling mine this week due to that. It's just too much to deal with. Bummer that they didn't do more to mitigate these harsh sounds.
I think this car would be great, if there were two updates:
* 200 mile range
* faster charging time
I need to be able to stop at the mall, charge it and after shopping and getting a bite to eat, come out 42 minute later and have a fully charged battery. And I think 200 miles of range (real, not what they got in a lab) will allay most people's range anxiety. I LOVE the fact that it's carbon fiber. All cars should be that to lighten the weight. Anyway, sad that it's gone.
I have one, I didn't plan to keep it for long but I can't let go... I especially like the interior, no shiny materials whatsoever: cloth, weird but nice recycled material, matte plastic, satin metal. No capacitive buttons. Also the seats are very comfortable for me. I tried an ID.3 with fancy premium seats and I couldn't find a comfortable position.
Is it reliable ?
Spot on review. I bought a used one 14 months ago and have loved it. Wanted one since I saw the prototype, but could not afford one new. The carbon fiber chassis makes for an expensive purchase new. Despite loving it there are other cons regarding ownership that only someone who has owned one and been a part of owner forums would know. The short version is that repairs can be nightmarishly (am sure it's a word) expensive. I may make my own video to go over some of those types of problems that, should you encounter them, could break the bank.
I would love to hear your review as an owner. I'm in the process of looking for a used one to buy.
@@tonym9635 I personally am not bothered by any of the "flaws" of this review. I love the way it drives--even on the highway. It's the quietest car *I've owned so I don't think the cabin noise is a problem either. But I know other owners who think these things are a problem. I can see the weird back doors being a problem for some, and this video doesn't demonstrate well how awkward they can be. But I almost never even use them. The real problem with this car is that it really is too much of a prototype. The car only easily accepts 2 unique tires made for this car only--a very narrow 19 inch or a very narrow 20 inch. And no others tires will safely fit it. Which means they are not cheap (and EVs go through tires fast), and often out of stock even at a dealer. There is also the issue of the windshield, which is really expensive to replace, and takes expertise to do so. Many owners have reported botched replacements done by big chains that replace windshields, because it's more difficult to do than a 'regular' car. And then there's the matter that the air conditioner that cools inhabitants also cools the battery. And in very rare circumstances the failure of that A/C can also destroy the battery by releasing metal shavings inside of the battery compartment. Some have received estimates from BMW (because a dealer will have to do this repair) of ~$21,000 to repair that failure. And the other oddity is that gorgeous rear door that has tail lights behind a big piece of glass. It's really quite unique and gorgeous to look at IMHO. But that work of art, if broken, requires that the entire back door (or whatever you might call it) be replaced. Not just the glass or a tail light--the entire door is basically one piece of delicate art.
I will now stress that these are the very worst-case scenarios, and I have not personally encountered these problems with yet in my 14-month ownership. But I admit that these possibilities do linger at the back of my mind. The only issue I have had is a failed seat heater--which is a very, very common failure on this car if you have the feature. That, and the schizophrenia the car exhibits when the 12 volt battery is weak, are the most common problems I have read about. More minor are failing charging port door locks and fuel sensors failures on the REx versions (cheap and easy to replace).
I would seriously suggest anyone thinking of buying an i3 read or join a forum of owners (Facebook has a couple good ones) to get a feel for the issues. I think I might not have bought mine if I had done it. It probably would have scared me off. And yet I love driving this car every time I am in it.
@@lancewex WOW! Lance i cant thank you enough. I was just at the chicago auto show , as I looked at the latest EV out there nothing got me excited and for the most part the EV's i saw all ripped something off from the i3. It truly was ahead of it time.
I'm a city driving my commutes are short, I work from home, my longest trip would be 40 miles to the outlet mall in the suburbs (lol) I've seen the youtube video's good and bad reviews, and yet i'm not turned off, I almost bought one last Saturday but the deal just wasn't right. I will join a FB forum thanks for that tip. May I ask what year is your i3? Once again thank you for your honest critique, now I really want one!
@@tonym9635 I have a 2017 REx, with sunroof and HK audio package.
Have had an i3s for almost a year. Very distinctive and in white and black, looks like a StormTrooper from star wars.
Love to drive it and its a pleasure to own
Reliable ?
@@industryexposed6243 never missed a beat.
Great looking car, seems a great 2nd car. Size & agility plus the running costs.
Had a Toyota iQ as previous car, which makes awesome sense & you love the micro size. Kids loved it.
Paul, my i3s replaces my IQ ... Thé IQ, like thé I3 where born as engineer’s car from big, loaded companies, way Ing to théier engineers : don’t think about thé cost think about making the impossible possible. both car generated hundreds of patent and were revolutionary and both didn’t get the success they diserved but are slowly becoming icons and collector’s choice.
Thé IQ solved the equation « can you make a smart that is reliable and can transport 4 people safely from A to B. And the i3 was the response to the question : move 4 over 250km without recharging. In 2008 when enginnering work started at BMW batteries where in their infancy, Tesla was nothing and so came the carbon fiber to compensate battery weight and keep weight low to save on consumption.
Allegedly Von Kuhenheim (BMW CEO of the time said to his i3 team : if it looks like a BMW you’re fired....and if it doesn’t drive like a BMW you’ll be fired too! .... which would explain the power and joy to ride it whilst all other were prototyping super-cramped super-aerodynamic, submotorised kWh sipper.
Had a rex MY15 and '17 - loved them both. Want to buy another on used market for keeps
I've got this car and I love it. Same color and trim as in the video.
I think it has great proportions! Although it does look a bit odd at the rear!
I have a 2018 i3 94 and i do not have any of the issues you mentioned really. My car is lovely to drive and as you have said very fun. Only complaint really i have is the sound volume while driving on the highway.
I have a range extender, but its not unlocked, so i wish it had a longer range, a higher maximum mph, and diferent tires. The rest i absolutely love!
The regular i3 is also a hoot on loose surfaces when you turn the DSC off, while still catching you if you try too silly stuff. Doesn't even need a drift mode in my opinion.
The guys that do an updated battery for older Leafs should do one for i3 best fun ever
My wife got an i3 with 19" wheels. I got one with 20" wheels. I preferred the ride in her car so much that I sold my wheels and bought a set of 19"s. I can't imagine how bone-shattering the ride would be in an S with 20" wheels.
In a words of presenter: you gonna love this channel, or you gonna hate it! I love it! This car is personification of the channel/presenter!
I loved mine. It was fun, but in Houston, it didn’t have enough range. I’ll miss it.
Was it reliable , what do you mean by range I want one and live in Houston
I have had my 2015 i3 bev for a year even with its limited distance the super charging makes it still tolerable to get around. And with the gas prices here in California over 5 dollars a gallon I enjoy my i3
Brilliant car - we've loved the ID3, for different reasons (ridiculously large and practical interior... doors)... but the I3 we had was brilliant. We never didn't smile driving it, as is said in this review. I don't think range was the issue as such - more range would mean more weight which I don't think would do the handling any favours. If this had the same range but a very fast charging battery pack - 130KW+ it would be game changing. Suddenly it would be a practical car to fill up quickly and go on long trips. Many challenges with that with small batteries, but as the charging network improves it would be a very viable car.
Also, the doors - people say they're bad, you own it for a bit and think they're not that bad. Then someone you're giving a lift to shuts the doors in the wrong order... and you realise how bad they are. But a beautiful car, a modern classic - one of the only EVs to really feel like it will be around for decades to come and not as an old banger.
A few months ago we took on a nearly new base i3 from BMW Cardiff. We didn't want the i3s because the base has a more forgiving ride quality and slightly better range. It really is quick enough!! We have another BMW, a 2017 3 series which is for long trips. So, as a "daily driver" car between the two, for me it's a choice between something very good and something fantastic. The fantastic one is the i3 and considerably cheaper to run too.
Thanks for the review. Is it possible to soften-up the ride by getting fatter tyres maybe? - thanks
Yep, the issue is the thin tires, whilst good for consumption are so narrow they « fall » into any pothole whilst the fatter tyres do stay partially on top. My I3s has 175 front and 195 rear and is actually a smoother ride than the old i3 with 155 alround.
I just ordered a BMW i3s arrive first week in June
I've had two and love them :)
got a 2014 model love it
Fun moments owning an i3 :
1. Turn Radius 2. Full accel uphill 3. eco-friendly yet elegant interior 4. bimmer code 😈
Decent video by someone who has obviously done their research, and spent some time with the car. Most don't. I'm on my 3rd i3 and he's hit the highs and lows without too many mistakes. Out of all the current (no pun) crop pf EV's, I tryuy believe that only the Tesla 3 and this i3s will become a classic
Thanks mate. I came very close to getting an i3 myself but in the end I just didn't think the battery size would work for us. It's undoubtedly the most fun EV on the market and almost certainly a future classic. Mark.
Just ordered a BMW i3s arrive first week in June 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Got a clean 2018 with 15,000 miles several months ago. Car is like new, and we LOVE it. Our gas car is SITTING a lot.
The driver is actually not positioned far back. The windshield is just positioned far forward. I love my i3 in so many ways (not all). Even a washing machine fit in it!
Good Review that sums up well the reality of this car.... Beware if you are tempted to test drive one : To try it is to buy it.
Contrary to what most people think the battery pack is extremely advanced, heated and cooled when needed, recharged on DC at 47kwh all the way to 95% when most other car slow charging speed initially and from 80%up. Mine has lost less than 10% capacity after nearly 3 years an& 20kmiles. And because of the way it was built it will last virtually for ever without rust of body rigity loss. It will become iconic and I intend to jeeps m’y i3s 120Ah for as long as possible. I recharge it triceps à week keep Ing thé battery between 15% and 85 percent, usine thé basic 2.3kwh charger and Orly occasionnally uses 50kwh FOC charger at Lidl when I need à fast charge for an unexpected and urgent trip. I average so far 15/ 100km which is a mean it gets as low as 13.3kw/100km on city or small road and as Hugh as 16kw/100km du ring winter on s’aime rodas or 17.5kw/100km on highways at 120kmh (77mph). Perfect second car that contrary to Fiât 500 électric as gond through all its Chilld diseases ! It was expansive to buy but for a lot of (good) reasons (think way it.s built, cooled battery, scroll Compressor on heat pump /aircon and so on). Puts a grin on my face each day and is totally silent which I love since thé days of happy V8 burbling or straight six howling are forever gone (which is both sad and understandable from an environnement point of vies).
Spot on…did you use dictation?
@@thumper1747 no, I’m so sorry having just read it through again. I just typed it but my IPhone french spelling interventions were….shall we say less than perfect ! It’s weird ‘cause I’ve added the English dictionary but this device seems to have a live of its own. Sorry again for the horrendous text…but I still mean what I attempted to write. Bestest, Pierre
@@pierrearthur5428 it wasn’t a criticism, just an observation and when I use dictation, the same happens to me with hilarious results 👍
I came so so close to buying one about 6 months ago. Loved it but with two kids I just couldn’t quite justify the tricky rear doors and small boot. If I didn’t have kids I’d have one over anything else - most interesting affordable car (not just EV) out there today.
Its fine with kids, the rear door is good. Kids won't jump out and it is easy to reach inside, e.g. to buckle them up or give them a drink.
The front seats have a latch by which they can be tilted forward like in a 2-door car for easy entry.
My children like the rear windows because they get viability from them being a bit lower and the interior is pretty roomy for the overall size of the car.
I am on my 3rd lease of an i3 ..perfect urban car..lease is up in August..will be lost without this car…maybe try an ev6?
The ride/suspension is fine in my newish i3. You need to compare the ride in an i3s (lower ride, much firmer suspension, not good with any bumps on the road) with the i3, which has just a slightly firmer ride, but gives a reasonably comfortable ride. My main criticism would be handling on corners - the narrow tyres make their presence known.
By the way, it has a very flat charging curve at 50kw,and will charge from 30% to 95% in just half an hour.
I'm keeping our i3 as long as I can.
Hi Laurie, it’s that flat charging curve and the integrity of the battery chemistry and thermal management that many overlook. I’m buying one very soon and I’ve waited and saved for a long time to get it. Cheers Geoff
Had one of these, absolutely brilliant car. Would 100% buy another if I needed a car to drive short distances. Only sold it because the charging was too slow and range wasn’t good enough to drive long distances (that’s not who it’s aimed at I know). I warn you though, if you buy one of these, particularly the S version, you will become an absolute yob. I used to absolutely HOON this thing around like an absolute maniac because it was just hilariously fast and small and the visibility was excellent with the big side windows you could just punch the gas and fling yourself into gaps through traffic. I cannot think of any better car to drive around town and in congested areas. Got looks everywhere, everyone who got in it was left open mouthed (especially with the Lodge interior and eucalyptus dash). Totally, totally gorgeous car. I replaced it with a Porsche and I have to say the Porsche feels absolutely dull by comparison, but I needed it to tick that box personally before the ICE ban. If I could have afforded to keep both I absolutely would have. This car made me not fear the switch to electric, it made me excited. I just wish the more electric cars were special like this one.
Great review, thanks again.
Absolutely absolutely absolutely absolutely. There, have it four more times.
Bought a lease turn-in '18 i3s Rex , 26K miles, for $24K. Best $24K I could have spent. Love everything about it except for the tires, god-awful. And no other choice than to keep replacing the god-awful tires with new god-awful tires; and they ain't cheap. Yeah, it can be jarring but I just figured that was a sport suspension thing. I don't notice it as loud. It's much quieter than my previous gassers. Small criticism, the recycled dash reflects on your windshield in the sun and therefore always appears dirty...
The i3 reminds me of the Audi A2 in lots of ways but two big reasons are the looks and the fact that all the owners keep saying it's a "future classic". The A2 is not now a classic and unfortunately the i3 will not be either, sorry. I came here conidering buying one, but after this I am convinced it's not for me. Thanks.
I've read some things about rattles, if theres one thing I hate it's rattles in cars, please tell me, which is the best car, BMW i3 or Kona.
If you got the 20 inch rims, there is no sidewall to the tires - that lets you feel every bump.
Hi, Could you confirm if BMW is still manufacturing these I3 in 2022?
I'm keeping my 2015 REX. Forever.
Just can't take my attn off that Geordie accent. Well done overall. Fr Singapore