Incremental updates for 2025 have transformed the 2025 BMW i4 from an excellent electric sedan into a class-leading one, and this transformation begins with its appearance. To the untrained eye, it might look exactly like the last i4 but the front grill has been tinkered with so that the bottom half is black and fades into the lower splitter. This refines the initially controversial grill and gives the front end a cleaner and more sophisticated appearance, complemented by the new headlights. There are also new wheel designs and paint finishes such as the Cape York Green paint on our test vehicle.

It’s the interior that has received the lion’s share of upgrades. The steering wheel is the most noticeable, now in a slimmer, flat-bottom shape. Many have complained before that BMW steering wheels are too thick like you’re trying to wrestle an anaconda around a racetrack. This new wheel rim is still porky on the sides but the top and bottom grips are thinner and easier to grasp, and the 9- and 3-o’clock grips are deeper so your thumbs have an easier time curling around the indents. The integrated buttons and dials have a good feel to them and elicit positive feedback but for some reason, they don’t feel as premium as the ones in the newest MINI Countryman.

BMW iDrive used to be the gold standard of infotainment usability with its intuitive rotary dial unit but recently, that dial has been tricky to use, offering inconsistent inputs with its painfully short clicks and mushy rotational travel. It would even fail to register inputs at times. For this new i4, they have gone back and made their rotary dial operate like the last-generation models that we couldn’t stop praising. And for the better. This new (or old shall we say) dial feels like meeting up with an old friend. It rotates with enough travel and registers clicks and presses instantly and more importantly, reliably. It’s our favoured system again, especially over the somewhat convoluted and overly stimulating Mercedes Hyperscreen unit in the Mercedes EQE.

The rest of the interior is carried over from last year’s model, including the tight rear cabin that I can just about squeeze into, behind my six-foot seating position. The biggest hurdle, however, is ingress and egress. The slanted roof, cramped door entry portal, and low seat cushion mean that it takes some patience and memorized choreography to get in gracefully and without soiling your pants on a snowy day. Notably, there is no separate sunroof panel for the rear cabin, which can make it feel particularly cramped. At least this limited sunroof opens, though. The hatchback liftgate means cargo storage is exceptional, adding to the i4’s road trip capability. But there is no front trunk storage, so what you see in the cabin is what you get. 

BMW powertrain nomenclature is never easy and it doesn’t get better here. The i4 is available in four different flavours but just remember that eDrive means single-motor RWD, and xDrive means dual-motor AWD.

It starts with the base model eDrive35, which utilizes a single electric motor to produce 282 hp. The power ramps up to 335 hp and 317 lb-ft in our eDrive40 model, enabling it to reach 0-100 km/h in just 5.6 seconds. Then comes the xDrive40, with 396 hp from its two motors, and the range-topping M50, boasting a prodigious 536 hp output. Every i4 is powered by the same 84.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and each powertrain will offer varying levels of range.

BMW claims that the i4 eDrive40 will achieve a range of 484 km on a single battery charge, which is impressive on paper. But our experience was somewhat hampered by a blast of arctic air hovering over our skies, and the below-zero temperatures forcing our cabin heaters to stay on full blast, understandably. This knocked our actual EV range down to 277 km. Less than ideal but access to home charging remedied this issue for us.

Range aside, the i4 remains one of the more engaging and playful EV sedans, especially when compared to the somewhat disconnected Mercedes-AMG EQE and the somewhat anesthetized Tesla Model 3. As with most EVs, the i4 darts instantly off the line but there’s more bandwidth to play with in between, and much fun to be had as you explore its varying levels of speed and mechanical grip, all backed up by spaceship noises piped in through the cabin speakers, audio notes that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Star Wars pod racer movie. 

The ride is secure and grounded but non-adaptive, so there is a layer of underlying firmness to be aware of but the car is lighter and more connected as a result. You can trim your cornering line with just the gas pedal thanks to the RWD setup and while the steering is numb and devoid of any feedback, it’s highly accurate, faithfully weighted, and is easy to place where you want.

BMW has made minor but effective improvements to the i4, from its cleaner exterior appearance to the new steering wheel and the resurrection of the old rotary dial. We continue to praise this electric sedan’s high level of grip and road control, even in icy conditions with this RWD model. And even though the overall driving range takes an expected hit in cold climates, that shouldn’t be cause for concern if you have access to public or private charging infrastructure. 

Specifications:

Model: 2025 BMW i4 eDrive40
Paint Type: Cape York Green
Base Price: $63,990
Price as Tested: $80,040
Wheelbase(mm): 2,856
Length/Width/Height (mm): 4,787 / 1,886 / 1,448
Powertrain: 84.3 kWh lithium-ion battery, electric motor
Horsepower: 335 hp
Torque: 317 lb-ft
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front and rear electric motors, AWD
Claimed Range: 484 km
Observed Range: 277 km
Tires: Goodyear Ultra Grip Winter