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Toggle Menu MotorTrend Logo JOIN Search HotRod Logo AutomobileMag Logo FourWheeler Logo TruckTrend Logo SuperStreet Logo LowRider Logo News Reviews Buyer's Guide Watch New Cars Features The Future Ultimate Rankings No Boring Cars HOT ROD Truck & Off Road Tech and How-To Magazine Subscriptions Store inevitable Brand | inevitable Brand | FIRST TEST 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 First Test: You’d Almost Think It Isn’t Electric How this new electric four-door looks, works, and drives makes it an ideal EV for the EV-averse. Alex LeanseWriterBrandon LimPhotographerOct 21, 2022 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 20r filterSEE ALL 25 PHOTOS bmw i4 Full Overview Pros Practical hatchback cargo area Anxiety-reducing driving range Classic BMW ride/handling balance Cons Fake grille Misguided technology functions Snug rear seats Think about electric vehicles you've seen so far—they're a little weird, no? Most have a certain je ne sais quoi that alludes they're not cars quite like you're used to. Some drivers find these EV idiosyncrasies appealing and enjoy signaling to others that they've ditched gasoline—but what about those who would buy an EV if not for those off-putting oddities? The 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 seems built expressly for drivers with curiosity for what this electric schtick is all about but who'd rather not deal with the futurism for futurism's sake. The Bavarian brand's first all-electric hatchback sedan looks like a normal BMW, and better yet, it drives like one, too—becoming all the more palatable for the EV-curious. 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 24 filterSEE ALL 25 PHOTOS What Are You Looking At? By now you may have seen a 4 Series Gran Coupe out and about. Revealed for 2022, it's the extra-door-ified version of BMW's 4 Series two-door coupe and looks essentially identical to the i4. That means the i4 bears the same swine-inspired grille motif as the 4 Series, only here less justifiable—there's no engine behind it, after all, so it's just solid plastic. Some hate it—even more here, where it isn't even functional—while others won't. On the upside, the i4 likewise looks uncontroversially good from every angle except the front, sauntering along with a fastback roofline and palette of expressive paint choices. As of now, BMW makes only a four-door i4, no coupe or convertible like the 4 Series. SPONSORED CONTENT AMSOIL: The Oil of Choice for “Engine Masters” By AMSOIL All of this 4 Series familiarity means the i4 isn't shouty about being an EV. Most who see it will assume it's a regular BMW, offering owners an incognito experience. Only keen observers will notice subtleties like the tweaked fascias, different wheels, missing exhaust tips, and blue trim accents that differentiate the i4. 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 19r filterSEE ALL 25 PHOTOS Drives Like A BMW Should With the entry-level eDrive35 below it and performance-oriented M50 above, the eDrive40 model tested here represents a middle ground of the i4 range. It starts at $56,395, and this test car—equipped with niceties like premium leather, upgraded wheels, a head-up display, and expanded driver aids—totaled $64,820. In classic BMW form, the i4 eDrive40 is rear-wheel drive, those tires turned by a motor generating 335 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. It posted a 4.7-second 0-60mph time, accomplished simply by standing on both pedals then releasing the brake. This time ties the entry-level Porsche Taycan and edges ahead of the single-motor Tesla Model 3. Today's comparable gas-powered BMW 3 Series and 4 Series models are typically equipped with six-cylinder engines and all-wheel drive, helping them launch to 60 mph in closer to 4.0 seconds. On the road, the i4 eDrive40 is quick enough to have some fun, yet not so much for things to get out of hand. That is aided by the accelerator pedal's tuning, which is damped such that only a sudden stomp reveals the motor's instant torque delivery. Otherwise, power pours out smoothly and predictably. Slowing down in EVs can be an interesting exercise, as their regenerative braking effect makes it so that only the right-side pedal needs be used for speed control: Press on it to go faster, and lift off to decelerate, even down to a complete stop. The i4 eDrive40 isn't one of those EVs. In any of its selectable regen strength levels, you'll press the brake pedal often—not problematic, especially considering the i4 eDrive40's satisfactory 117-foot 60-0-mph stopping distance. Pushing the shifter over to the "B" setting advances the i4 to its strongest regen setting, which will slow the i4 to a stop, but not at a rate sufficient for common driving situations, which means the i4 ignores the potential benefit of one-pedal driving. In any case, this i4's balance between ride comfort and handling poise demonstrates BMW's chassis tuning expertise. This harmony makes the i4 eDrive40 a nice place to be whether you're cruising around town or find yourself on a twisty back road, and it's backed up by 0.89 g average skidpad grip and a 25.8-second, 0.73-g average figure-eight result, each a respectable outcome for this type of vehicle, electrified or not. 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40 4 filterSEE ALL 25 PHOTOS A Few Interior Gripes Like the 4 Series Gran Coupe, the i4 lacks an enclosed trunk. Its hatchback configuration makes loading cargo easy, and when the second-row seats are folded down there's space akin to that of some small SUVs. However, also like the 4 Series Gran Coupe, rear passenger space (accessed via stubby rear doors) remains rather snug, with measurements close to those in the 4 Series coupe. Luxury cars like BMWs are expected to be quiet inside, and it's tricky to say whether this i4 is or not. In one sense it is, on account of how well it blocks out sounds from the outside world; traffic passing by is barely audible. In another sense it isn't, due to the droning tire noise and resonances that occur over varied pavement. For example, if the smooth concrete road you're on transitions into gritty asphalt, the cabin suddenly becomes much louder. At least BMW's so-called "IconicSounds," meant to emulate engine noises, provide some amusing distraction (they can be turned off).