Should You Buy a 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé?

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• The 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé starts at $53,195 in the United States and at $57,435 in Canada, freight and delivery charges included.

• Fun to drive, somewhat versatile, good range.

• Difficult rear-seat area exit, price climbs very quickly with options, distracting on-screen climate controls.

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The path to electrification is well lit at BMW. In addition to mild hybrid powertrains across most of the lineup and a handful of plug-in hybrids, there are four fully electric models to choose from, including the 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé.

It’s offered alongside the combustion-engined BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé in the U.S. market, but in Canada, the automaker figured there wasn’t enough consumer demand for both, so only the i4 is available.

The eDrive35 trim is equipped with a single motor connected to the rear wheels, which develops 282 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, providing a 5.8-second 0-to-60 mph (6.0-second 0-to-100 km/h) dash, according to the manufacturer. That’s about what the base Tesla Model 3 can do. The eDrive35 also houses a 70.2 kWh battery (68.7 kWh usable), good for a driving range of up to 276 miles or 444 km on a single charge, while the max charge speed reaches 180 kW.

Next up is the 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé eDrive40, boasting a single motor with 335 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, allowing for a 0-60 mph sprint of 5.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.7). The 83.9 kWh (81.5 kWh usable) battery provides a range of up to 301 miles or 484 km, while the max charge speed climbs to 205 kW. The all-wheel-drive i4 xDrive40 gets two motors producing a combined 396 horsepower and 443 pound-feet, providing a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.9 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds). Driving range is pegged at up to 307 miles or 494 km on a single charge.

The i4 M50 seriously picks up the pace with 536 horsepower and 586 pound-feet, 67 hp and 48 pound-feet of which are added by activating the Sport Boost function, allowing the four-door coupe to blast from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds). Driving range is rated at up to 269 miles or 433 km. The Model 3 Performance is quicker with a claimed 2.9-second dash to 60 mph.

Every i4 is equipped with a curved dash panel housing the 12.3-inch digital driver instrument panel and the 14.9-inch infotainment system touchscreen. The usual comfort and convenience features are either standard or optional, such as a power sunroof, heated front and rear seats, cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation, head-up display, a 360-degree camera system, configurable ambient lighting, surround video recording and a Harman/Kardon premium sound system.

In the United States, pricing for the 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé ranges from $53,195 to $70,695, freight and delivery charges included. In Canada, pricing ranges from $57,435 to $82,345, freight and delivery charges included. Only the eDrive35 and eDrive40 variants are eligible for the Federal iZEV rebate of up to $5,000 and the Quebec rebate of up to $7,000, and only the eDrive35 is eligible for the British Colombia rebate of up to $4,000.

Competitors are few and far between as most automakers are concentrating their EV efforts in crossovers and pickup trucks, but the short list includes the Hyundai IONIQ 6, the Polestar 2 and the Tesla Model 3.

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Why You Should Buy a 2024 BMW i4

• Despite its electric powertrain and battery pack, the i4 handles very well, and stays true to the brand’s DNA. The xDrive40 variants more than powerful enough for the daily grind and occasional back-road shenanigans.
• As expected, interior fit and finish are exceptional. Everything feels solid. The cabin is comfy for four adults, despite being a four-door coupe, while its liftback configuration provides a good amount of cargo space as needed.
• It’s easy to customize an i4 as it’s available with more than a dozen paint colours, seven wheel design choices with sizes ranging from 18 to 20 inches, about 10 interior color schemes and a half-dozen trim selections.

• In Canada, we can get a fully electric BMW for about the same price as a Hyundai IONIQ 6. The IONIQ is fine, but we’re talking about a German luxury car here. That said, the base i4 doesn’t offer much in terms of comfort and convenience features, although the widescreen dash and power sunroof do come standard. Heated seats and a heated wheel are only a few hundred dollars away, if those are the only things we can’t live without.
• As we mentioned before, it’s one of the few fully electric passenger cars available in the U.S. and Canada. That in itself is a reason to acquire one if we’re allergic to crossover vehicles and pickups.

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Why You Shouldn’t Buy a 2024 BMW i4

• Big touchscreens are impressive, but we aren’t as amazed by climate controls there are relegated to said screen, which are a lot more distracting to use while driving. Some settings require a two-step process to complete. There wasn’t anything wrong with good old rotary dials to adjust the cabin temperature.
• The ride is a little stiff, but that’s to be expected for a performance-focused, low-riding car. However, there’s a fair amount of head toss around town and turning through intersections. Nothing major, but still a minor irritant.

• Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of options and packages to choose from, and what seems to be a relatively affordable car becomes a costly one if we don’t restrain ourselves. Canadian customers thinking they can get a BMW for Hyundai money must also realize that there’s a risk that this car will cost more in service and repairs once the basic warranty and complimentary maintenance plan run out. What’s more, the Canadian EV rebates only apply to rear-wheel-drive units, so AWD units to tackle the winter season will end up costing a lot more.
• Entry and exit—but especially exit for rear-seat passengers is difficult. That could be a problem if adults frequently occupy the rear-seat area, but if those seats will be rarely used, than it’s by no means a dealbreaker.

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Final Word

There’s a lot to like about the 2024 BMW i4 Gran Coupé. It’s sleek, well-appointed and solidly built, and does offer some versatility by way of its liftgate—yours truly brought four lawn chairs home from Ikea in the i4.

The base price does get us reaching for the calculator and figure out if we could swing the monthly payments. However, that sub-$60K MSRP gets us a lightly equipped car instead of a loaded mass-market EV, so that’s something to consider.

One thing’s for sure: the i4 has a lot more qualities than shortcomings, and in Canada particularly, it’s competitively priced compared to what’s on offer from Tesla, Polestar, Hyundai and Kia.