BMW i3: Good for City, Bad for Highways?

[Petrocelli]

Based on what I have read, I have the general impression that a BMW i3 is a great car for City driving, but is not the best car on a highway.

A lot of my driving is on highways doing 70 mph on cruise control, so I need a good freeway car.

For those of you who have driven an i3, can you please give me your impressions of the drivability of the i3 on highways?

If you have driven a 2019 i3s, I would be particularly interested in your comments.

Thanks!

 

[Valore]

If you want a good highway car, get a BMW 540xD Touring Diesel.

 

[yeti]

Based on what I have read, I have the general impression that a BMW i3 is a great car for City driving, but is not the best car on a highway.

A lot of my driving is on highways doing 70 mph on cruise control, so I need a good freeway car.

For those of you who have driven an i3, can you please give me your impressions of the drivability of the i3 on highways?

If you have driven a 2019 i3s, I would be particularly interested in your comments.

Thanks!

You are right. I had a 2014 BMW i3 from 2014-17, and it is easily the most awful car I have driven on the highway -- kinda feels like being in a small plane flying in turbulence. However, it was surprisingly good in snow (not that you get much of that in LA, but just putting it out there).

 

[Octo]

I have an i3. It’s the ideal city car. Nimble, great visibility, adequate range.

It’ll “work” on a highway but it’s squirrely, loses all punch above 80mph and the comparatively poor range gets totally slaughtered at highway speeds.

 

[timf]

I drove an i3 for a year prior to my Model X, and would agree that it was not enjoyable to drive on the highway. It's pretty much what you would expect from a small car with skinny tires - constant attention to the wheel and course corrections. It was great on surface streets and getting and and out of tight spaces though.

 

[Petrocelli]

I drove an i3 for a year prior to my Model X, and would agree that it was not enjoyable to drive on the highway. It's pretty much what you would expect from a small car with skinny tires - constant attention to the wheel and course corrections.

That does not sound like fun. But it's consistent with a lot of online reviews. Thanks.

 

[timf]

That does not sound like fun. But it's consistent with a lot of online reviews. Thanks.

I just thought of a good comparison. Imagine you are driving in a crosswind only it's like that all the time.

 

[Uncle Paul]

G/F has i3. Due to battery, your knees ride very high, freeway requires constant adjustment, and due to the ICE generator motor there is very little storage capacity in the back.

Fun in the city, but that's it.