2018 BMW I3 Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
I used to own a Toyota Prius so the clean energy thing as always been my thing. I swore that if one day I was able of not consuming gasoline anymore I'd jump on that vehicle. I really had considered the Nissan Leaf but I hated its interior cabin. I was happy to see the BMW i3 at an automobile show before they were on sale. I now own 2 BMW i3 without the range extender. I drive around 65 miles on a daily basis. My wife and I are expecting our first born and nevertheless we got her an i3. The child seat fits perfectly and there's enough space in the trunk and hood for storage. I never bought the level 2 (220v) charger, I've been using the Level 1 (110v) charger that goes on any wall outlet. Since the vehicle regenerates by braking itself there is probably never going to be a need for brake pads or discs while I own the car. My tires are about almost ready to be replaced. There is no oil changes obviously and my service reminder says that on my second year I'll need to bring the car in for a Vehicle check (Basically it's a multipoint inspection). There is no money to be spent on maintenance if you skip on the range extender. Also, that small gasoline engine being offered can only go so fast, it adds weight and therefore takes away electrical range because of its existence. Don't get that option is my advice. Have I had my range anxiety scares? Sure I have. But it doesn't phase me into wanting to spend money on gasoline. Climate control offers a future in which if you leave to lunch everyday at 1:00pm then you can set it up to be nice and cold/warm inside your cabin. This is specially helpful here in South Florida where temperatures are hot all year long. My wife specially loves that feature. BMW will offer its customers BMW loaners when going on long trips, in case they don't offer that where you live then make up an excuse like your A/C smells and leave it in for service while you go on a road trip on BMW's loaners. By the way, public charging stations for the most part have built in wifi. I think a lot EV people don't realize this. If you don't have your chargepoint card on you then you can still activate a charging station with your Chargepoint app on Android or iOS. Hope this helps sorry for writing more of a blog then a review. I never do these. Electric Vehicles are the future!
VS
Critical Review
When it runs it's great. Comfortable, cool, well appointed. However... The car spent nearly a month in and out of the dealership with a widely known 12 volt battery problem. In between this issue it has suffered 5 flat tires each costing $300.00 to repair. Merely hitting a pothole will kill a tire. This issue is also widely reported by owners. My dealership's only response? "We're still figuring this car out". Really wanted to love this car but the ownership experience has been horrible.
2018 i3 Reviews
Showing 8 of 30 reviews.
Comfortable seating tons of utility, quick and gre
Smaller vehicle
This is a BMW that can be afforded by most and very fun and inexpensive to drive. I don’t miss gas pumps, gas prices or waiting in line.
This is a top quality BMW product.
Commuting car, it was not built to tour.
Like the styling or not, the quality is BMW. My i3 REX is 10 years old, has 54K miles, looks new in and out, and has never required a repair or maintenance. The electric "fuel costs" is 1/10 of what the cost of driving my 2019 X5. The car is only charged at home. Coming in on the REX with the battery fully depleted, requires about 2.5 hours to charge a 220V, overnight at 110V.
FUN, EV Economy, GREAT Value
None
I’ve owned 34 cars up to this point, across a wide spectrum ranging from muscle cars to sports cars, including Honda S2K, ‘67 Cuda AAR, BMW 335i. The i3 is one of the most fun vehicles to drive and most practical, making it the Best Value vehicle I’ve ever owned. We acquired it used with 18K miles and it has exceeded expectations in every category. It’s a Keeper! If you find one and it fits your lifestyle and vehicle requirements BUY IT!
Fun to drive, can use app to set temp & locate car
Tire wear do to BMW's effort to stay efficient.
Great car for the urban driver. I use it to go anywhere around town which is 98% of my driving. It's a pleasure to drive and never get tired of driving it. I got the REX (Range Extender) and never used the feature except when the car does a maintenance check on the generator motor which charges the batteries while you drive. I get a range of about 100 miles on a charge and I normally never drive over 35 miles. The REX shows I get an additional 60 to 80 miles depending on my driving use. City uses less while highway driving uses more electricity. I bought it used in 2021 for 18K (great deal by constantly checking used cars ove a 2 month period). I found this one at a Mercedes-Benz dealership which was a trade in.
styling, interior, cost to run
quick steering, outdated driver screen
My "toe in the water" with an EV and a great choice. This is the REx version, so range anxiety is reduced Bought used so someone else took the heavy depreciation. Styling is out-there and I love it. Interior is spacious, comfortable and almost silent. Acceleration is amazing and handling surprisingly predictable and forgiving at the limit, considering the laughably skinny tires. Steering is a little too quick, but you get used to it, but can make is a little jittery at freeway speeds, especially with a cross-wind (tall skinny car)
Fun to drive
range is about 80 miles on only electric
I absolutely love my i3. I have had a lot of cars over the years and this is my favorite. So much fun to drive. It is very fast off the line. My daily commute is 18 miles so a single charge gets me to work and back with no problem. I have a charger in my garage so I just plug it in at night and it's ready to go in the morning. I'm also about 400lbs and this car is the only one that fits me out of the entire BMW line. I know you think it's a small car but the design works for big guys.
Like driving a race car
My only gripe is the cost of tires
I purchased the i3 for around short trips, it is just a joy to drive it. I charge with the 110 volt level 1 charger and it takes 12 hours to get a complete charge which is not a problem for me. Saving me loads of money not filling my x5 every week for $70.
Funky styling, roomy interior, build quality
dated driver screen
Definitely love-it or hate-it styling! Quirky looks add to its character. Very well built with a surprisingly spacious interior. Seats are thin but comfortable. Dash is clean and modern. Performance is outstanding with good handling and decent braking ability. Constantly getting "thumbs up" from other drivers and I can see why. Only negative is the dated screen in front of the driver. The center screen is far better and customizable to show what you need and when. Good range and no range anxiety with the range extender (though haven't needed it in my 1st 3 months)
