Review: 2025 BMW i4 eDrive40
For 2025, BMW offers the i4 in four great variations. | CREDIT : Jack Kazmierski
The i4 combines two worlds into one fantastic driving experience. | CREDIT : Jack Kazmierski
The interior of the i4 is thoroughly modern. | CREDIT : Jack Kazmierski
Get used to hearing: “License and registration, please.”
Once in a while, you come across a vehicle that you would swear was engineered just so people would lose their driver’s license. The 2025 BMW i4 is one of those vehicles.
Acceleration is so effortless, and the i4 is so swift and silent that it’s easy to get into what-seems-to-be-the-problem-officer territory before you even notice that you’re way above the speed limit.
The i4 is nimble, agile and BMW has done a great job of insulating the interior from outside noises, so not only is it difficult to feel how fast you’re going, it’s also difficult to hear how fast you’re going, since the typical wind noise you get when you reach a certain speed simply isn’t there.
Don’t be “that guy”
The i4 is so incredibly eager to accelerate that you really have to tell yourself not to be “that guy.” You know—that one person on the road that everyone else points to and wonders, “Who does he think he is?”
Truth be told, with so much power and torque at your disposal, it’s easy to become that guy. You stop asking yourself questions that were once commonplace. When the light ahead turns amber, for instance, you no longer wonder whether you should brake or accelerate to make it through the intersection before it turns red. The answer always seems to be “go for it it,” simply because in the i4, you can.
Classic BMW, modern powertrain
The i4 combines two worlds into one fantastic driving experience. On the one hand, BMW has long been known for engineering sports sedans that are both refined and fun-to-drive. The i4 delivers on this expectation with the kind of exciting driving experience we have historically enjoyed with BMW performance sedans.
On the other hand there’s the thoroughly modern electric powertrain. While you initially miss the growl of a powerful engine, somehow the i4’s performance is so intoxicating that you no longer seem to notice there’s no engine to enjoy.
The electric motor delivers a generous amount of instant torque—enough to cause whiplash, if you’re not expecting it. Moreover, the i4 singlehandedly manages to squash the notion that EVs are boring or lacklustre or simply not fun to drive. Drive one, and you’re sure to emerge from the passenger cabin with a wide grin on your face.
Four great options
For 2025, BMW offers the i4 in four great variations: the 282-horsepower i4 eDrive35, the 335-horsepower i4 eDrive40 (our tester), the 396-horsepower i4 xDrive40, and the 536-horsepower i4 M50 xDrive.
I’m not sure who complained to BMW about the power output of these road-worthy guided missiles, but BMW has announced that they’re bringing out a “new range topper” in July of this year—the i4 M60 xDrive. The newest addition to the i4 family will make 601 horsepower, and promises to sprint from 0 to 100 km/hr in a mere 3.7 seconds.
According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the i4 offers an electric range of between 428 and 512 km on a full charge, depending on the trim. That’s good enough to avoid range anxiety in most situations.
Charging takes days with a regular wall outlet, between eight to 10 hours (according to NRCan) with a Level 2 charger, and roughly half-an-hour (to 80%) when charging at a DC fast charge location.
Practical interior
The interior of the i4 is thoroughly modern with numerous amenities and advanced technologies, most of which are controlled via a large central touchscreen that stretches from (and includes) the driver’s instrument cluster over to the middle of the dashboard.
Besides numerous in-car apps and features, the i4 also comes with a phone app that gives the driver access to information about the vehicle, including battery levels, tire pressure, and other key features.
If you want excitement and performance, coupled with an upscale interior, complete with modern amenities and creature comforts, the i4 ticks all the boxes, and promises to ignite your passion for driving. Just keep an eye on your speedometer.
Price and Specifications
Year Make Model Trim
2025 BMW i4 eDrive40
Base Price
$63,990
Options
Premium Enhancement Package: $9,900
M Sport Package: $2,500
19-inch wheels: $500
M Sport Brakes: $700
Cape York Green Metallic paint: $900
Fineline Light Open-Pored Wood Trim: $250
Glass Controls: $900
Black Exterior Contents: $400
Price as Tested
$80,040
Horsepower
335hp
Torque
317 lb-ft.
Good
Stylish exterior
Quiet interior
Fabulous performance
Bad
Cramped rear seats
