BMW i4 - Reliability and safety

Industry safety body, Euro NCAP, crash tested the i4 in 2022 and awarded it four out of a possible five stars for its performance – unlike its key rivals, the Model 3 and Ioniq 6, which both received the maximum five stars. 

What held it back? The main reason was i4’s rather disappointing 64 per cent score in the safety assistance technology category. It must also be said that 87 per cent scores for both the adult and child occupant protection are very respectable, but unable to match those of its rivals.

Standard safety kit for the i4 is excellent though, and includes BMW’s Driving Assistant package of camera and radar-based driver assistance systems that help prevent a potential collision. The optional Tech Plus pack offers an opportunity to upgrade to the Driving Assistant Professional system, which provides further semi-autonomous safety functions, along with a head-up display.

BMW hasn’t fared too well in our annual Driver Power owner satisfaction surveys over the past few years. In fact, it fell to 21st place (out of 32) in our best car manufacturer rankings – down from 16th place in 2022.

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For a brand that prides itself on producing the ‘Ultimate driving machines’, it will want to see lots of its models appearing on our best cars to own list which is based on results of our latest Driver Power survey. The recently deceased BMW i3 was the best-performer in 2023, claiming 13th place, with just three other Beemers cracking the top 75 list.

Warranty

BMW offers a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which includes free roadside assistance, while the high voltage battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes first.

Servicing

BMW offers an individual three-year service plan for its ‘i’ electric range – owners pay around £15 per month over three years to cover all scheduled maintenance.