Here’s BMW’s first all-electric 3 series, the 2027 i3

The iX3 SUV was very good; we think the i3 sedan will be even better.

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[Carlos Sempere]

What is with Americans and SUVs? The only thing I see when I see one is how good they are at killing pedestrians (especially children) and cyclists. To those that prefer a hatchback, yes it’s more practical but much less secure for stuff left in the vehicle and usually has much poorer torsional stiffness.
Having said that we are finally seeing ‘real’ electric cars which cannot be a bad thing- especially now the Orange One has successfully borked the middle east oil supply.

A lot of people prefer the more upright seating position. I don't get it; I find it significantly harder on my right ankle.
And then there are child seats, which are generally larger here because it's not as common to try to fit them into a compact sedan. They fit better in vehicles with more upright seating.

 

[socialmischief]

That is a very ugly car.

 

[citpeks]

Man it looks so good. This is going to sell like crazy.

I feel like we’re really turning a corner this year with all the high quality mainstream electric vehicles coming out.

Agreed. Especially here in California, where it will recapture the sales that went to the Model 3, almost by default, for those looking for an EV sedan with a luxury nameplate.

And regardless of the extraneous factors that some consider.

 

[YetAnotherAnonymousAppellation]

I don't even like the style. The trunk looks silly being it's own little box at the ass end of the car. Just extend the window out and make it a hatch.

Not to mention the lids are too small now.

I know someone who likes sedans because they have a trunk. He thinks that the separate, lockable space is more resistant to theft than a hatchback because of the "out of sight, out of mind" factor. I'm not sure I agree with him, but to each their own.

 

[huskcummerbund]

I know someone who likes sedans because they have a trunk. He thinks that the separate, lockable space is more resistant to theft than a hatchback because of the "out of sight, out of mind" factor. I'm not sure I agree with him, but to each their own.

Most hatchbacks and liftbacks have a cover that goes over the cargo area, so... kinda silly reason, IMO

 

[bullwinkle12]

Not that you asked me, but we loved our first one ('23 eDrive35) enough that we just leased a '26 xDrive40 when the lease was up on the first one.

The first car was our first electric, and we bought it off the lot as-equipped during the COVID car shortage. The e35 was flawless in the three years we had it. Only complaints were about the equipment it had/didn't have - specifically, it came with 18" summer-only tires to maximize range. They handled great - but to drive it five months of the year in Ohio, we had to spend $2800 on a set of winter wheels/tires - plus deal with storage and swapping every year. The other annoyance was that it didn't have any sort of front/overhead camera, a feature we got used to on our other car. The i4 has a long hood and it's low, so parking it could be annoying.

When the lease was up a few weeks ago, we did a lot of online shopping to build a long list of EVs. The i4 is my wife's, so she quickly eliminated a lot of options based on styling alone, or factors like who runs the company. There were some other contenders which just aren't available yet, like the Rivian R2 and the i3 in the article. We test drove the Volvo EX30 - fun, small size (a plus), great drivetrain, but way too minimal controls and software dependent. Subaru Solterra was a lot more competent than expected, just kind of boring. That lead us back to the BMW dealer, who happened to have precisely the i4 we build on online on order.

So far, the modest extra range with our x40 is nice, and more than adequate. Between the dual-motor AWD and all-season tires on the new car, I don't feel like we need to deal with snow tires anymore (our winters a variable, if we know it will snow a lot we'll just take the other vehicle). The camera system is excellent, and the extra performance is amazing. The new car also has plug-and-charge. The updated iDrive system is also a lot better, addressing most of the little UI annoyances we had before. Overall, it's a lot bigger upgrade than expected for pretty much the same lease payment, and this one could be a keeper depending on how the i3 is.

Thanks! But now I have to consider a 2026 instead of just CPOs lol

 

[bullwinkle12]

Can't speak for @neil_w or @Aurich but I have an i4 eDrive 35 on short term lease and really like it. Considering taking out a longer lease on an eDrive 40 for the extra range as it's a little tight in a UK winter when I have a 200 mile round trip to see my folks and brother. (the 35 was what the leasing firm had in stock at the time).

I got the variable steering/active suspension option and cranked up the steering ratio so it's nearly as quick as my old Alfa. I tend to use Sport mode as I like the more direct feeling throttle, and have the regen set to 2 notches so it 'engine brakes' like a torquey ICE engine. In the UK the -35 and -40 specs only come as eDrive. The steering feedback and throttle calibration are enough that I'd trust it about as much as any other heavy saloon car in the London ice, but this isn't the Mid West.

LED matrix lights are life-changing if you do a fair bit of night driving like me. I don't know if they are US homologated yet though?

Quite like the i3 direction, but want to sit out the first few years in the hope that they add more physical buttons in the facelift. I just wish I could have a matte chrome kidney bean outline rather than that stupid light-up thing.

Thanks! Interested to try out the drive and regen modes like you suggested

 

[Invid]

As a former 3 series driver the new 3 series looks awesome to me. Then again, I'm down for any sedan or coupe these days, with the cancer of SUVs and crossovers spreading like a malignant tumour.

The only thing missing is a manual transmission, but I can evolve.

 

[C64 raids Bungling Bay]

As the owner of a well liked BMW, this makes us less likely to buy another BMW. Mostly the hideous tesla style, cheap interior. As much as I use my HUDs, I'm not liking the lack of an IP. Lack of physical controls. As the iX (previous gen) powertrain was excellent but boring, I'll reserve judgement. Seems like bmw is catering to market that cares about software and shiny plastic for a three year lease, rather than excellent vehicle dynamics, long term quality, and a refined powertrain. Pass.

 

[C64 raids Bungling Bay]

Apologies for the blinding photo, and I don't mean the blown out view through the windshield I mean my white legs.

But just did a coffee run and snapped a photo of my i4's steering wheel at a red light for comparison. As you can see it's a squircle, and I'm really quite happy with it honestly. Again, personal preferences may vary, but if you're only judging it because it's "not round" and that feels weird the actual driving experience is great, imo.

View attachment 130862

But, his socks. Oh my

 

[equals42]

I’d love a convertible version of this. I’ll need to refresh my current one in a few years, so fingers crossed.

 

[Zionyx]

That is the least ugly (really, I mean this as a compliment) front end on a BMW for a while. Good riddance to the monstrous oversized kidney grills.

 

[kgreen747]

I love my i4, but this thing is UGLY.

 

[Thomas Cochrane]

Really don't like that 'grille'. I'd like to see it with lights off.

Re the 'Panoramic Vision display', I think it should be called the 'taskbar'

 

[puffergeek]

That’s a lot of tech deployed to work around the famed unwillingness of BMW drivers to use their indicator controls to express intent to cross a lane boundary!

I was thinking the same thing! There is the joke, “you think you have a useless job, remember there is someone that installs the turn signals on BMWs.”

 

[Snark218]

I choose things based on what I like, and I really don't care what other people think.

Not buying a product because you think other people like it for reasons strikes me as a way of life I have no interest in. But you do you.

There’s an agonized self-consciousness about a lot of crossover hate - I’m such a unique iconoclast, that’s why I like wagons, look at me I’m such a daring original thinker. That’s better than when it’s misogynist, so I’ll take what I can get.

 

[Errum]

Tell me you don't own an older BMW without telling me you don't own an older BMW. They're widely known for marking their territory. I don't know if it's the gasket material or just the nature of a higher performance engine but my E46 (2000 328i) leaked from every possible place at various points in time. My E91 was drier but still leaked (oozed?) some oil. I'm not talking about leaking a quart of oil in the driveway with either car, but slow seepage. They go away for a while after replacing a gasket (and torquing to spec), but would inevitably return after a year or three. The oil filter housing was particularly prone to leaks. My pedestrian Civic and Fit never lost a drop of oil over many years of ownership.

BMW has a generally good reliability reputation with their EVs so far. A used one might make its way into my driveway one of these years.

Well, you’d be wrong about our older BMWs. We’ve had a 1992 E36 325i sedan, a 2003 E39 525i Touring, and I still have my 1996 E36 M3 (now a highly modified track car). I do the maintenance and upgrades.

Sorry about your leaky engines bad luck, but that’s not been my experience, nor is it that in my circle of BMW owners/track rats. These cars have their (well known, at this point) failings, but that’s really not one of them.

 

[Snark218]

Same, for the most part.

I think it's just kind of a reflex that I've had since I was a kid. Something about when something new comes out and EVERYONE is all about that thing, often insufferably so, it just turns me off.

That’s called contrarianism.

I acknowledge that a lot of people love a lot of those things for probably good reasons. I have plenty of reasons to not like those things,

No. You backfill reasons to justify a reflexive and irrational emotional response.

but I also admit that finding things to not like about them is a lot easier when too many people absolutely love them. I have plenty of acknowledged character flaws I'm slowly working on.

If you’re working on this particular flaw, I recommend not constantly indulging it. The muscles you use don’t atrophy.

 

[huskcummerbund]

That’s called contrarianism.

No. You backfill reasons to justify a reflexive and irrational emotional response.

If you’re working on this particular flaw, I recommend not constantly indulging it. The muscles you use don’t atrophy.

Cool story

 

[Snark218]

Cool story

You’re doing it again.

 

[huskcummerbund]

You’re doing it again.

 

[Aurich]

But, his socks. Oh my

Wait, I was expecting teasing about my white legs, but my socks?

 

[Efw100]

Crossovers just don't do it for me. I know they are billed as hatchbacks with lift kits, and a few of them actually are (like the Crosstrek), but they just don't live up to the sales pitch, especially EV crossovers that frequently have nearly the same ground clearance as a sedan. Like the CX-5 would've been a great upgrade from my Mazda3, but optional AWD isn't worth losing the optional manual transmission to me. I also reflexively avoid anything I see as a bandwagon, and crossovers are absolutely that. For a long time it seemed like every sedan and hatchback was being replaced with a crossover or more than one crossover, or having it's name slapped onto an unrelated crossover, because Crossover-all-the-Things! Ugh... Enough already with GD crossovers.

That said, I do kind of like the styling of the R3, though. At least when seen in profile. I still can't stand their Pixar headlights and massive LED unibrow though. It would look much better if they let Alpha Motor redesign the front clip to be more like the Wolf or Jax. And yeah, I will absolutely pass on buying an objectively good vehicle for something as seemingly trivial as having an ugly face. If I'm going to walk up to something a minimum of 10 times a week, I don't want it to be something that makes me cringe when I do that.

The crossover shape suits EVs, if you take a normal hatchback shape and put it on top of a battery slab you end up with something crossover shaped- with no extra ground clearance

 

[huskcummerbund]

The crossover shape suits EVs, if you take a normal hatchback shape and put it on top of a battery slab you end up with something crossover shaped- with no extra ground clearance

Oh I know, I've actually explained that myself on other articles. You can have a skateboard battery or proper seating position without it turning into a crossover. But you can't have both at the same time. You either need to remove battery to create foot wells to get a proper seating position without raising the roof, or you have to stretch out the seating position into something reminiscent of an F1 driving position. And that's one of several reasons why the majority of EVs are now crossovers. Also contributing factors are higher profit margins, easier designs, and crossovers are just so hot right now...

 

[KingKrayola]

Wait, I was expecting teasing about my white legs, but my socks?

View attachment 130962

Another Millenial trying to be Gen Z with their long socks?

Ankle Socks >> Ankle Biters

 

[C64 raids Bungling Bay]

Wait, I was expecting teasing about my white legs, but my socks?

View attachment 130962

Dangerously close to boomer with jorts, footjoys, Hawaiian floral shirt, gold chains, and a corvette

 

[c94]

Intriguing, but I’m not sure I can get over the touchscreen interface, that weird steering wheel, and flush door handles. As other automakers seem to be moving the pendulum back towards physical buttons (thankfully), BMW apparently hasn’t gotten the memo.

 

[Aurich]

Another Millenial trying to be Gen Z with their long socks?

Ankle Socks >> Ankle Biters

Millennials definitely can't seem to let go of the fact that low socks have been out of fashion for years.

 

[huskcummerbund]

Millennials definitely can't seem to let go of the fact that low socks have been out of fashion for years.

We may just be getting old enough to stop caring about fashion. At least that's my excuse.

 

[ERIFNOMI]

Millennials definitely can't seem to let go of the fact that low socks have been out of fashion for years.

There's a fashion for socks?

 

[Aurich]

There's a fashion for socks?

There is, just like all clothing, or for that matter, cars.

What you wear, how you wear it, what you drive, these are all things that signal to the world things about you. Including "I don't care".

But I think if you look at the comments here people definitely have strong feelings about what their car looks like. That's a form of caring about fashion.

 

[ERIFNOMI]

There is, just like all clothing, or for that matter, cars.

What you wear, how you wear it, what you drive, these are all things that signal to the world things about you. Including "I don't care".

But I think if you look at the comments here people definitely have strong feelings about what their car looks like. That's a form of caring about fashion.

Maybe it's because I'm a pants guy. You can't see my socks.

 

[ISUAero1986]

World moving forward while Pedophile led US falls behind

 

[DavGreg]

Looks like a generic Asian Car of 20 years ago outside.

 

[Feanaaro]

That coastal sunshine photography of the car on the road is superbly done, and adds greatly to this article. Really nice composition.

Looks like a render to me

 

[TheUnknownComic]

Ironic that the screen shows "Eyes on the road" while using the screen REQUIRES eyes OFF the road. BMW got lazy and cheap and put everything on screens versus engineering actual quality physical controls. I've been a fan for a long time and have had many BMWs. Lazy interiors and dangerou distractions for controls drives me away.

 

[DeeplyUnconcerned]

But I think if you look at the comments here people definitely have strong feelings about what their car looks like. That's a form of car-ing about fashion.

FTFY

worth it

 

[ReducedForQuickSale]

I'll never understand the appeal of sedans. Extend that roofline a little further back and you've got a wagon with far more cargo space and utility, at the cost of just a little added weight and slightly poorer aerodynamics. Wagons look hotter as well, IMO. i.e. Audi RS6 Avant.

Sedans are typically quieter because the area containing the rear axle and suspension is sealed in a box (the trunk) instead of open to the passenger compartment. You get less road noise in a sedan.

I prefer a hatch, myself. It's just more practical.

 

[LordSlinkySupreme]

You're gonna be mine.

This is the EV I have been waiting for and I'm ready to buy (instead of lease).

Same. I have a 2022 Polestar 2 Dual-Motor, and was also interested in the Rivian R3X, but I think the i3 wins based on generally preferring sedans and also supporting CarPlay.

 

[LordSlinkySupreme]

I think my only major complaint is the size. I was hoping BMW would use the electric platform to deliver a 5 Series interior cabin while shrinking the exterior size, and instead the 3 Series is growing yet again to 187" inches. By comparison, the E46 3 Series was 176" inches long, so we've gained almost a foot of length in a "compact" sedan over the past twenty years.

Yes, I know this has happened to other cars too (the new Accords are just boats), but it's still frustrating to see.