The BMW i4 is an Accessible and Features-Packed Electric Driving Machine
We drove up to Tagaytay with the good people at BMW for a preview of the brand’s full line of electric vehicles over lunch. No thanks to rush hour traffic, I got to the Greenhills dealership late and missed the pick of the litter, leaving me with a choice between an SUV and a sedan from the lineup.
Since I already drove both the X5 and X7 the last time we did this, I decided to go with a coupe this time around and chose the BMW i4 eDrive35. Even as the most affordable of the pack, the i4 is still anything but cheap and you do get what you pay for as I would later find out behind the wheel.
After a quick briefing with the other drivers, BMW’s marketing team handed us the keys and we made our way outside to the driveway where the fleet of electric vehicles awaited. The silver i4’s gorgeous futuristic front kidney grille immediately caught my attention along with its BMW LED headlights that gave it an aggressive look.
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The 19-inch aerodynamic wheel style 855 with mixed tires also added a sporty feel. I had a bit of a struggle starting the car. I couldn’t figure out if the engine was already running because of how quiet it was but once I pulled out of the dealership, it was just such an enjoyable drive all throughout. Under the hood, the i4 is powered by fifth generation BMW eDrive technology with a single-speed automatic transmission and a fixed ratio that generates 286 horsepower and 400NM of torque with a top speed of 190 kph.
The comfort and convenience you experience when driving the i4 really backs up the brand’s claim of being the ultimate driving machine. Features such as the automatic Start/Stop function, cruise control with braking function, parking assistant, and ConnectedDrive services make driving so much easier.
More BMW technology that gives the experience a little more extra are Driving Experience Control that lets you decide if you prefer comfort or speed, Brake Energy Regeneration, and don’t forget BMW IconicSounds-Electric that definitely adds to the vibe. Sport leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons, the interior and exterior mirrors, as well as the wireless charging tray are also the little things that matter.
Luxury abounds inside the cabin, with sport seats for the driver and front passenger, Sensatec Perforated upholstery, electric seat adjustment with memory function for the driver’s seat, aluminum ‘Mesheffect’ interior trim finishers, and galvanic embellishers for controls. There’s also the automatic air conditioning, ambient lighting, interior rear-view mirror with automatic anti-dazzle function, and the anthracite M headliner.
Entertainment, communication & information can be viewed on the i4’s widescreen display with technology such as BMW Live Cockpit Plus powered by the iDrive Operating System 8.5 and audio can be enjoyed with its BMW HiHi 12-piece loudspeaker system.
The rain started to pour on our way back to Manila, but the drive down was just as easy when you have peace of mind what with all the car’s safety features. The i4’s rain sensor and automatic driving lights control came in handy as well as Antilock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), and Cornering Brake Control (CBC). Others on the ready to protect you are airbags for driver and front passenger, side airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags front and rear seats, side impact protection, and a crash sensor.
In summary, I absolutely enjoyed driving this electric car. I quickly forgot it was the runt of the bunch if you go by retail value of the BMW electric vehicle lineup. It was a lot of fun seeing how fast the i4 could go and even in the worst weather, it gets the job done with so much comfort and ease.
The BMW i4 eDrive35 comes with a price tag of P4.490 million and a warranty for the first five years or 200,000 km, whichever comes first.
