I Test-Drive a BMW i4 eDrive 40 with M Packages

[Jimrpa]

Which is why I sold my i4 e40 even though it was a superior vehicle compared to the MME.

Other than autocross events and track nights... I barely drove the i4. Multiple times I picked the MME and Jeep for family/co-worker outings over the i4 and when I did use the i4 - folks complained about the rear space. I understand why sedan sales have plummeted so much.

With that said... I have to say the Rivian R1S is the most practical of them all. Tons of space. Wickedly fast acceleration. Decent range, ride quality, audio. Not huge either.

I was pretty shocked about the lack of rear legroom in the BMW, compared to the Mustang Mach E. I think I made a comment like “there’s not a lot of legroom back here”, and the sales guy (great guy by the way!) explained that the seat was all the way back. There’s definitely a ton more room in the Mustang Mach E with its seat all the way back.

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[GreaseMonkey]

I was pretty shocked about the lack of rear legroom in the BMW, compared to the Mustang Mach E. I think I made a comment like “there’s not a lot of legroom back here”, and the sales guy (great guy by the way!) explained that the seat was all the way back. There’s definitely a ton more room in the Mustang Mach E with its seat all the way back.

It’s not a purpose-built EV so packaging is compromised. That’s my main issue with bmw EVs so far (with the exception of the ugly iX), slap a battery on and call it good. I’m really disappointed with the i5, as it would have been the perfect car for me.

 

[EyesFit]

Sticker price as driven: ~$69K
I’m not a “driving enthusiast” or a “professional reviewer”.
The vehicle felt very tight and composed. I had a chance to do a WOT to about 70 on a straight road, then roam around small, twisty little roads for a while. The handling and performance were great, but somewhat different than the Mustang Mach e. It felt a little bit more stable?
It was rear wheel drive, but the sales guy told me a single motor AWD was coming. It’s equivalent to BlueCruise only works in certain circumstances, and only up to 40 MPH, which was odd.
The UI was nice and snappy, and I loved the heads up display.
Seats were great. Supposedly, ventilated seats were available.
a ton on switches and knobs all over the place. Very confusing “gear”/“drive mode” selection. (I’m sure you can get used to it).
Almost NO rear seat leg room, no frunk. A huge transmission/driveshaft.
If the Mustang Mach e didn’t exist, it would be a strong contender. I still prefer the Mustang Mach E.
Edit: corrected error in model number and name. Updated sticker price.

So, from what I gathered, the sticker price for the BMW X3 you're talking about is around $69,000. Now, I'm no expert or car enthusiast, but during the test drive, it felt solid and well-handled. The performance was pretty good, though I noticed some differences compared to the Mustang Mach-E. The salesperson mentioned a single motor AWD version was coming, which sounded interesting. However, I found it a bit odd that the BlueCruise feature only works in specific situations and up to 40 MPH.

The user interface seemed snappy, and I was particularly impressed with the heads-up display. The seats were comfortable, and I heard there might be an option for ventilated seats too.

On the downside, there were a ton of switches and knobs, which made selecting the right gear or drive mode confusing at first. And speaking of space, the rear seat legroom was quite limited, and there was no frunk (front trunk). I also noticed the car had a huge transmission/driveshaft setup.

 

[phil]

If the Mustang Mach e didn’t exist, it would be a strong contender. I still prefer the Mustang Mach E.

I drove an M50 yesterday. If it had been available when I bought the Mustang, I might very well have gone with the BMW. But I like the Ford just fine, and have no interest in trading it in.

Most notable difference: my passengers found the BMW rode much smoother. The wife was begging me to buy it and dump the Mustang.

 

[Tampamike]

With that said... I have to say the Rivian R1S is the most practical of them all. Tons of space. Wickedly fast acceleration. Decent range, ride quality, audio. Not huge either.

But it has the same front end problem as the i4. I gotta like the look of my ride.

 

[Kevin P]

I drove an M50 yesterday. If it had been available when I bought the Mustang, I might very well have gone with the BMW. But I like the Ford just fine, and have no interest in trading it in.

Most notable difference: my passengers found the BMW rode much smoother. The wife was begging me to buy it and dump the Mustang.

The BMW does indeed ride much much smoother than the Mach E, particularly in the rear seats (if you can fit back there, as others have noted.) Ford can and should improve the ride quality.

 

[Jimrpa]

I drove an M50 yesterday. If it had been available when I bought the Mustang, I might very well have gone with the BMW. But I like the Ford just fine, and have no interest in trading it in.

Most notable difference: my passengers found the BMW rode much smoother. The wife was begging me to buy it and dump the Mustang.

Or you could keep the Mustang and dump the wife!

Just sayin’ ????

 

[highmesa]

For 2024 they are adding an AWD option called the xDrive40 to slot below the M50. I can't find any motor specs, but considering BMW puts batteries in the driveshaft and transmission tunnel and the xDrive40 has the same listed battery specs, I don't think it will be a single motor AWD setup.

I test drove a 2023 RWD eDrive40 last week and was really impressed. Seriously considering the 2024 AWD xDrive40 as a MME replacement. They are definitely listed as dual motor not single.

The odd thing is that the AWD xDrive has 396hp/443 lb-ft of torque/4.8 sec 0-60, and 307 miles of range vs. 335hp/317 lb-ft of torque/5.4 sec 0-60 and only 301 miles of range for the RWD eDrive. I don't know if I've seen that before?

My thought is that the AWD must have 2 smaller motors that are only both engaged when necessary. My second thought was why doesn't everyone do it this way?

 

[voxel]

I test drove a 2023 RWD eDrive40 last week and was really impressed. Seriously considering the 2024 AWD xDrive40 as a MME replacement. They are definitely listed as dual motor not single.

The odd thing is that the AWD xDrive has 396hp/443 lb-ft of torque/4.8 sec 0-60, and 307 miles of range vs. 335hp/317 lb-ft of torque/5.4 sec 0-60 and only 301 miles of range for the RWD eDrive. I don't know if I've seen that before?

My thought is that the AWD must have 2 smaller motors that are only both engaged when necessary. My second thought was why doesn't everyone do it this way?

BMW i4s are crazy efficient because they don't use permanent magnet motors like Ford, Hyundai, Kia. Dual PM magnet motors are just a bad idea. SIngle like VW and Tesla with an induction motor upfront is an okay compromise.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/bmw-ix-m60-brushed-electric-motor-tech-deep-dive/

Why don't they do it like BMW? I dunno... folks hate brushed motors even though the lifetime of the brushes is supposed to be over 300K. BMW's drivetrain has shown me the light and for a large sedan like the i4 e40 it was crazy efficient. I dare say Model 3 RWD like.

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