Great video, Nikki & Michael. Couple things from an i4 M50 owner; the i4 does have gesture controls available, they may have been disabled in yours. Also, the carbon fiber interior trim is $300, it's the carbon fiber exterior parts that are $2800. Also, definitely the 20" wheels are making that one harsh. The ride is a lot more compliant with 19"s. The current software also makes the acceleration and regeneration more smoothed out. When I drove that one in Colorado it didn't have the latest software.
I got a new-to-me i4 eDrive40 and is a joy to drive. I tried the M50 and, well, it had way too much power for me. The used EV market is a good source of reasonably priced i4's.. Oh, and this video was dope! cinematography, music, script... loved it!
A very aesthetic review with a passionate pep talk to BMW on a channel that one wouldn't necessarily associate with heavy performance/petrol head outlook. Videos like this are what makes UA-cam cool
Another beautifully scripted, shot, and produced review. i4 videos are generally in my algorithm because I am pretty obsessed with this car as a BMW enthusiast (appreciate the side-by-side with the e34 5 series!). I just don’t understand how/why your videos don’t get the view counts that the other hot button topic videos get. It’s mind boggling because these reviews are always SO masterfully done.
Hey! Thanks for the love. Our videos are made by a queer team, feature female presenters who are middle aged, and we aren’t sensationalist. Alas, that’s everything the algorithm needs to not recommend us :(
My first comment was made about half way through the video. On your feeling of nauseum, I remember back two years ago when I first drove the i4 M50, it was during BMW's launch tour where they went around the US and setup autocross style demo drives at arena parking lots. Autocross is a beloved motor sport in the BMW enthusiasts world and I distinctly remember feeling nauseous after driving it which at the time I choked up to the new car smell. I agree it is built to be a track car right out the box. I'm curious if you felt the same way in the lower spec i4 e/xDrive40?
A great review. Thanks Nikki. When talking about the regeneration modes, you didn’t mention the B mode for strongest regeneration, which is only available from the main D-N-R gear selector. I use B mode nearly all the time in my iX3, and I think the same goes for many BMW EV drivers.
I only tap into B-node when I want more slowing from the regen than I get without it. I don't really care for one-pedal driving my i4. I just find it too grabby for close maneuvering where I'd rather control speed by adding brakes than removing acceleration.
The M50 is definitely efficiency compromised when running the 20" wheels compared to the eDrive40 on 225/18". But the cars hit their stride on freeway after ~1/2 hour of the car warming up. I know that sounds strange, but it's how it plays out. Battery & motor seem to reach optimum temps after running a bit. It's a shame you had more than a year between your eDrive40 and M50 reviews because it would have been more helpful to have you experience both cars at the same time to compare more closely. We bought the eDrive40, skipped the M-sport suspension (which requires wider wheels), skipped ADAS and spent our option money on Sunset Orange paint, HK sound, parking option for the 360 degree camera for easier manual parking, and the basic heated seats/iconic sound/lumbar options. Then we spend nearly a grand on high quality dark ceramic window tinting to keep the interior lasting long and the AC not having to work hard in the ever increasing heat we're all feeling. Narrower tires make sense for minimizing wasted rubber and expense over the life of the car, right? One thing you really won't like about owning an i4 is the turning radius is poor, meaning parking this extraordinarily long and wide car, is harder than it should be. Otherwise we are very happy with our stripper, non-adaptive suspension, RWD, absolutely faster than you would ever need it to be, Bimmer. Oh one other deficit is the car porpoises at a stop in D mode. Stopping in B mode manages to stop the car without a dive and rebound that shouldn't be there.
If I were head of BMW, I would have taken this opportunity to reset expectations on what a performance BMW is. Traditionally, BMWs were RWD and not hugely overpowered. So enter the EV age and you can go stupid fast with a very efficient single rear motor. They should have spent more time trimming weight (i4 is exceptionally heavy, like Model S heavy) which has been a problem with BMW in recent years. The M3 and M4 of today are stupidly overpowered and incapable of being driven to their potential on public streets, and again it's been a problem for many years. As it stands, the i4 xDrive40 should cover the few people who actually need AWD for significant amounts of snow where they live. Quizically, the xDrive40 is ranked as the most efficient i4. That could be down to capturing more regen with the second motor. The M50's power/torque is overkill, unnecessary, and it's a flawed attempt to build a performance EV. The AWD nature abandons any attempt for a driver's focused BMW handling and replaces it with hamfisted, point and firehose method. This car is not good on a track, but who cares, really. That's a terrible aspiration for a roadgoing car. It's too heavy to be a sports car (as in prioritizing handling over other features, but not needing excessive acceleration or power to enjoy cornering without braking as much), and if your jam is speeding with a giant heavy car on public roads, I can't help you see things differently. The M50 dual motor design just makes the problem worse by 350 lbs. Those familiar with slow-car-fast, driving light weight, small engined sports cars will kind of hate the whole concept of the i4 M50. It's a 3D printer to a sculptor. It's a Challenger to an MG owner. It's arguably a very unBMW BMW. But that's the perspective of someone who has a 1972 2002, and who seriously hated the horsepower wars and bloat of cars during the last 30 years.
My parents got a edrive40 with the body kit this one has, looks amazing. Yet I bang my head on the door frame unless I slide in just right and my head on the roof in the back, I have to slouch a bit to fit.
I couldn't ever afford this car, the grille looks as ridiculous as most Beemers, though the best thing about this video is the music at the start. I was bopping along, while procrastinating on my work, sitting in my office.
Your range is reduced b/c of the 20" tires. On my channel, I have the 2024 M50 on 19" tires and regularly average around 270 to 280 miles at 100%. (lower during winter - around 190 to 220 @ 100%). The interior carbon fiber is 'cheap' at $300 (not $1,000 unless the price increased for the 2025 LCI models). The ride is not harsh for me in its comfort settling perhaps due to 19" tires. No issues with charging (mostly at Electrify America with Telsa opening up for BMW EVs next year). I drove 800 miles total round trip with no problems but you do have to watch your speed in order to manage the range during a long road trip. Definitely pricey but its a BMW so that's expected. 12 months &19,000 miles later, no complaints. No need for new tires or brakes yet (passed 1 yr state inspection last week). Great video!
The AR View as in the I5 is part of the Facelift. The car you show is sadly already outdated since the first ones are on the road. My m50 coming later this year has the AR as part of the packages, looking forward to it!
My experience is that car sickness comes with the slow sway from side to side from a lack of roll control like a ship at sea. When will there be EVs priced for the most of us?
I think that a lot of M50 owners may laugh at your estimate of 180 miles for the range. There are people getting over 300 miles in '22 and '23 M50s. The guess-o-meter is super pessimistic, and BMW's own reported numbers are laughably low compared to what real world owners are getting, myself included. In my first 24 months of ownership, my total cost for keeping it on the road has been zero, not counting registration. Still on original tires, first scheduled maintenance/service at 2 years was complimentary. Oh, and I make enough solar that I don't pay to charge it at home. This was never designed to be a 3-series. It was always, always designed as a shared platform between the ICE 4-series and EV i4.
My experience stats: My 2023 BMW i4 e40 in the M-Sport trim and 19" 849 wheels takes 50% out the state-of-charge on a 140-mile round trip with a 1400-foot elevation shift: I take 20% out the of the battery visiting my sister and use 30% to go home. And this is all without taking any care at power efficiency: I never switch over to Eco mode to stretch the range.
Gorgeous cinematography. Maybe too much? Felt more like a BMW commercial. I loved my BMW, but an $87k sedan that is inefficient, makes you sick and has poor driver assistance... thanks for being honest about it.
Great video, Nikki & Michael. Couple things from an i4 M50 owner; the i4 does have gesture controls available, they may have been disabled in yours. Also, the carbon fiber interior trim is $300, it's the carbon fiber exterior parts that are $2800.
Also, definitely the 20" wheels are making that one harsh. The ride is a lot more compliant with 19"s. The current software also makes the acceleration and regeneration more smoothed out. When I drove that one in Colorado it didn't have the latest software.
Wow, that intro was amazing! This car looked amazing in the carwash at night. And the music choice fit perfectly!
I got a new-to-me i4 eDrive40 and is a joy to drive. I tried the M50 and, well, it had way too much power for me. The used EV market is a good source of reasonably priced i4's.. Oh, and this video was dope! cinematography, music, script... loved it!
A very aesthetic review with a passionate pep talk to BMW on a channel that one wouldn't necessarily associate with heavy performance/petrol head outlook. Videos like this are what makes UA-cam cool
Another beautifully scripted, shot, and produced review. i4 videos are generally in my algorithm because I am pretty obsessed with this car as a BMW enthusiast (appreciate the side-by-side with the e34 5 series!). I just don’t understand how/why your videos don’t get the view counts that the other hot button topic videos get. It’s mind boggling because these reviews are always SO masterfully done.
Hey!
Thanks for the love.
Our videos are made by a queer team, feature female presenters who are middle aged, and we aren’t sensationalist. Alas, that’s everything the algorithm needs to not recommend us :(
My first comment was made about half way through the video. On your feeling of nauseum, I remember back two years ago when I first drove the i4 M50, it was during BMW's launch tour where they went around the US and setup autocross style demo drives at arena parking lots. Autocross is a beloved motor sport in the BMW enthusiasts world and I distinctly remember feeling nauseous after driving it which at the time I choked up to the new car smell. I agree it is built to be a track car right out the box. I'm curious if you felt the same way in the lower spec i4 e/xDrive40?
Fantastic camera work yet again. Amazing.
OK mad props @Michael Horton! Take a bow!
A great review. Thanks Nikki. When talking about the regeneration modes, you didn’t mention the B mode for strongest regeneration, which is only available from the main D-N-R gear selector. I use B mode nearly all the time in my iX3, and I think the same goes for many BMW EV drivers.
You’re right… I managed to cut that bit out - Nikki
I only tap into B-node when I want more slowing from the regen than I get without it. I don't really care for one-pedal driving my i4. I just find it too grabby for close maneuvering where I'd rather control speed by adding brakes than removing acceleration.
Excellent cinematography, in the first few minutes!
Yeah very nice work
The M50 is definitely efficiency compromised when running the 20" wheels compared to the eDrive40 on 225/18". But the cars hit their stride on freeway after ~1/2 hour of the car warming up. I know that sounds strange, but it's how it plays out. Battery & motor seem to reach optimum temps after running a bit.
It's a shame you had more than a year between your eDrive40 and M50 reviews because it would have been more helpful to have you experience both cars at the same time to compare more closely.
We bought the eDrive40, skipped the M-sport suspension (which requires wider wheels), skipped ADAS and spent our option money on Sunset Orange paint, HK sound, parking option for the 360 degree camera for easier manual parking, and the basic heated seats/iconic sound/lumbar options. Then we spend nearly a grand on high quality dark ceramic window tinting to keep the interior lasting long and the AC not having to work hard in the ever increasing heat we're all feeling. Narrower tires make sense for minimizing wasted rubber and expense over the life of the car, right?
One thing you really won't like about owning an i4 is the turning radius is poor, meaning parking this extraordinarily long and wide car, is harder than it should be. Otherwise we are very happy with our stripper, non-adaptive suspension, RWD, absolutely faster than you would ever need it to be, Bimmer. Oh one other deficit is the car porpoises at a stop in D mode. Stopping in B mode manages to stop the car without a dive and rebound that shouldn't be there.
If I were head of BMW, I would have taken this opportunity to reset expectations on what a performance BMW is. Traditionally, BMWs were RWD and not hugely overpowered. So enter the EV age and you can go stupid fast with a very efficient single rear motor. They should have spent more time trimming weight (i4 is exceptionally heavy, like Model S heavy) which has been a problem with BMW in recent years. The M3 and M4 of today are stupidly overpowered and incapable of being driven to their potential on public streets, and again it's been a problem for many years.
As it stands, the i4 xDrive40 should cover the few people who actually need AWD for significant amounts of snow where they live. Quizically, the xDrive40 is ranked as the most efficient i4. That could be down to capturing more regen with the second motor.
The M50's power/torque is overkill, unnecessary, and it's a flawed attempt to build a performance EV. The AWD nature abandons any attempt for a driver's focused BMW handling and replaces it with hamfisted, point and firehose method. This car is not good on a track, but who cares, really. That's a terrible aspiration for a roadgoing car. It's too heavy to be a sports car (as in prioritizing handling over other features, but not needing excessive acceleration or power to enjoy cornering without braking as much), and if your jam is speeding with a giant heavy car on public roads, I can't help you see things differently. The M50 dual motor design just makes the problem worse by 350 lbs.
Those familiar with slow-car-fast, driving light weight, small engined sports cars will kind of hate the whole concept of the i4 M50. It's a 3D printer to a sculptor. It's a Challenger to an MG owner. It's arguably a very unBMW BMW. But that's the perspective of someone who has a 1972 2002, and who seriously hated the horsepower wars and bloat of cars during the last 30 years.
My parents got a edrive40 with the body kit this one has, looks amazing.
Yet I bang my head on the door frame unless I slide in just right and my head on the roof in the back, I have to slouch a bit to fit.
I like to imagine what BMWs would be if they use I3 as a starting point and continued on
A stretched AWD i3 & beyond
A fast BMW with a harsh ride? They've been around for a while. I still love it, though.
I couldn't ever afford this car, the grille looks as ridiculous as most Beemers, though the best thing about this video is the music at the start. I was bopping along, while procrastinating on my work, sitting in my office.
that looks like a good time! I do hope the maintenance issues of the recent BMW cars hasn't been transferred over to the EVs
Nice glam edit people!!! Very sexy. Well done. And great music track for it too.
I commute in this car day in day out. Simply a pleasure to drive :)
Your range is reduced b/c of the 20" tires. On my channel, I have the 2024 M50 on 19" tires and regularly average around 270 to 280 miles at 100%. (lower during winter - around 190 to 220 @ 100%). The interior carbon fiber is 'cheap' at $300 (not $1,000 unless the price increased for the 2025 LCI models). The ride is not harsh for me in its comfort settling perhaps due to 19" tires. No issues with charging (mostly at Electrify America with Telsa opening up for BMW EVs next year). I drove 800 miles total round trip with no problems but you do have to watch your speed in order to manage the range during a long road trip. Definitely pricey but its a BMW so that's expected. 12 months &19,000 miles later, no complaints. No need for new tires or brakes yet (passed 1 yr state inspection last week). Great video!
Keep Evolving!!!
Great Intro Looks so good.
Silly question 0:39 -- are electric vehicles power numbers measured at the wheels? Or a sum of the electric motor rating?
Drove that weapon for a weekend and had the opportionity to use it on german Autobahn. The accerleration is ridiculous even up to over 200 km/h ...
Great video ❤
I hate how many car seats and chairs curl in vertically and horizontally, curl your spine forward and your shoulders forward
The AR View as in the I5 is part of the Facelift.
The car you show is sadly already outdated since the first ones are on the road.
My m50 coming later this year has the AR as part of the packages, looking forward to it!
Thanks
My experience is that car sickness comes with the slow sway from side to side from a lack of roll control like a ship at sea. When will there be EVs priced for the most of us?
I think that a lot of M50 owners may laugh at your estimate of 180 miles for the range. There are people getting over 300 miles in '22 and '23 M50s.
The guess-o-meter is super pessimistic, and BMW's own reported numbers are laughably low compared to what real world owners are getting, myself included.
In my first 24 months of ownership, my total cost for keeping it on the road has been zero, not counting registration. Still on original tires, first scheduled maintenance/service at 2 years was complimentary.
Oh, and I make enough solar that I don't pay to charge it at home.
This was never designed to be a 3-series. It was always, always designed as a shared platform between the ICE 4-series and EV i4.
My experience stats: My 2023 BMW i4 e40 in the M-Sport trim and 19" 849 wheels takes 50% out the state-of-charge on a 140-mile round trip with a 1400-foot elevation shift: I take 20% out the of the battery visiting my sister and use 30% to go home. And this is all without taking any care at power efficiency: I never switch over to Eco mode to stretch the range.
I have a 2024 i4M50. It is an amazing vehicle (no nausea here). i5M50 is too heavy and isn't worth the price.
This is a 2024. The 2025 has updated tail lights and head lights
I like more the ev6 and i think the harder rival for rhe BMW here in Spain is the byd seal excelence, Which speaking of design I also like more
2025 or 2024? Looks like the latter.
Gorgeous cinematography. Maybe too much? Felt more like a BMW commercial. I loved my BMW, but an $87k sedan that is inefficient, makes you sick and has poor driver assistance... thanks for being honest about it.
I just saw a used 2023 M50 i4 on the market for $39k US
? This isnt 2025 lmao
41% AAACK!!
Oh wow guys! That videography work as the introduction was amazing! ❤🤌