Photo: Road&track
Amongst the first people that got to drive the new i3 you could spot the guys from Road & Track. Flying over to Amsterdam they had high hopes from the ‘revolutionary’ new Bimmer, hoping to be exactly what the company promised: an agile, fun to drive EV.
They didn’t find exactly that but weren’t too disappointed either. The car turned out to be what it should: the perfect city hauler. Why is that? Because it will allow you to drive inside the city whilst emitting no CO2 whatsoever and providing an interesting ride.
That’s probably the best thing about the new EV. Apart from the impressive range (up to 100 miles) and the practicality it offers, the i3 shines in heavy traffic. Mostly it’s because it’s fun to drive and the interior was done perfectly.
The materials used include eucalyptus tree and recycled PETs, whilst the whole arrangement of the things is beyond what you could expect. The gear selector is positioned on the steering column like in the old American cars but with a catch, you have to rotate it to engage a gear.
The displays seem to be floating around and offer comprehensive information about everything you could possibly need. The navigation system is flawless (at least in Amsterdam) and works perfectly with your iPhone, telling you even the quickest way to your destination, without using your car (through public transit or even walking, if it’s faster).
Using the one-pedal driving mode takes a bit of getting used to but after a while you’ll get the hang of it, making the brake pedal a rare necessity.
Overall, the i3 really shines at what it was made to do. If you expected this car to take on race tracks and drift its little wheels off, you might be disappointed. If you expected it to be very economical and eco-friendly, useful and enjoyable in heavy traffic, you got it right.
Full Test at Road & Track
That’s probably the best thing about the new EV. Apart from the impressive range (up to 100 miles) and the practicality it offers, the i3 shines in heavy traffic. Mostly it’s because it’s fun to drive and the interior was done perfectly.
The materials used include eucalyptus tree and recycled PETs, whilst the whole arrangement of the things is beyond what you could expect. The gear selector is positioned on the steering column like in the old American cars but with a catch, you have to rotate it to engage a gear.
The displays seem to be floating around and offer comprehensive information about everything you could possibly need. The navigation system is flawless (at least in Amsterdam) and works perfectly with your iPhone, telling you even the quickest way to your destination, without using your car (through public transit or even walking, if it’s faster).
Using the one-pedal driving mode takes a bit of getting used to but after a while you’ll get the hang of it, making the brake pedal a rare necessity.
Overall, the i3 really shines at what it was made to do. If you expected this car to take on race tracks and drift its little wheels off, you might be disappointed. If you expected it to be very economical and eco-friendly, useful and enjoyable in heavy traffic, you got it right.
Full Test at Road & Track
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