BMW i4 - Reliability and safety
Standard safety kit is good, while the i4 should be a dependable all-electric car
The BMW i4 was crash tested by industry safety experts, Euro NCAP, in 2022, and was awarded it four out of a possible five stars for its performance. The experts criticised the lack of a countermeasure to prevent injuries between driver and front passenger in a side impact, and a system to apply the brakes after a collision. It also wasn’t so good at preventing pelvis injuries in pedestrian impacts. A four-star result is a shame, because the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Kia EV6 were also tested in 2022 under the same criteria as the i4, both receiving the maximum five-star rating.
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 2023 best car manufacturer rankings – down from 16th place in 2022. The recently deceased BMW i3 in 13th place was the best-performing individual BMW model in the 2023 survey, with three other BMW models 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
Service intervals for the BMW i4 are every two years or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
BMW offers an individual three-year service plan for its ‘i’ electric range – owners pay a monthly fee over three years to cover all scheduled maintenance.
