BMWi3 (2013-2022)

Used only
Small
Electric

£12,618Typical price

Test score

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With its luxury-meets-science-fiction design, the BMW i3 electric car looks and feels like it’s from the future. Powered by batteries alone, the latest i3 comes with claims of taking you more than 200 miles on a single charge, resulting in the demise of the old petrol range extender version. The i3 was launched in 2013, then updated in 2017 and given a range boost in 2018. But is it really tomorrow's car today? Read our full BMW i3 review to find out.

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What's included?

What is it?
What's it great at?
What’s it like to drive?
How reliable is it?
How comfortable is it?
How economical is it to run?
How safe is it?
Is there anything I should look out for?
Should I buy it?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Comfort and practicality
Model reliability 0-4 years
Brand reliability 0-4 years

Jan 2023Last checked by Which?
Nov 2020First reviewed by Which?
Jan 2013Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test cars

21 Mar 2023

Ease of driving

Overall
Visibility
Smoothness of power delivery
Driving stability
Cabin layout

How we test ease of driving

To find out how easy a car is to drive, we assess cars across a number of areas from visibility and handling to the layout of the cabin and how smoothly the engine delivers its power.

Performance

Overall
In-gear acceleration
Brakes
Electric car range

How we test performance

We test braking distances and whether the effectivess of the brakes fade with repeat use. Performanc is based on in-gear acceleration.

Comfort and practicality

Overall
Entry and exit
Seat comfort
Ride quality
Quietness
Seat space
Boot space (small and sports cars)

How we test comfort and practicality

Comfort and practicality includes how easy it is, or not, to get in and out of the car and the maximum height of occupants. We also measure road, wind and engine noise and assess how well the car deals with bumps from large potholes to jittery surfaces like cobble stones.

Euro NCAP

How we test euro ncap

Any car that receives a rating of three stars or less from Euro NCAP is made a Don't Buy. If a car has been available for more than four years and has not been tested by Euro NCAP, it cannot be a Best Buy.

Which? safety

Model reliability 0-4 years

How we test model reliability 0-4 years

How reliable this car is, based on the real life feedback of current owners as collected in our annual Which? car survey. We divide all reliability feedback into three age groups: cars aged up to four years, five to nine years, and 10 to 15 years.

Model reliability 5-9 years

How we test model reliability 5-9 years

Brand reliability 0-4 years

Overall
Electric car reliability
Plug-in hybrid reliability
Petrol reliability
Diesel reliability

How we test brand reliability 0-4 years

Our reliability ratings are based on the feedback from tens of thousands of UK motorists, as collected in our annual Which? car survey. We divide all reliability feedback into three age groups: cars aged up to four years, five to nine years, and 10 to 15 years.

Brand reliability 5-9 years

Overall
Diesel reliability

Brand reliability 10-15 years

Overall
Petrol reliability
Diesel reliability

General
Class	Small
Luxury	No
Convertible	No
Availability	Used only
Used price	£12,618 - £27,209
Fuel type	Electric
Tested fuel efficiency	3.38 to 3.7mi/kWh
Length	3,999 to 4,011mm
Width (excluding wing mirrors)	1,775 to 1,791mm
Width (including wing mirrors)	2,045mm
Height	1,577 to 1,590mm
Driver max height
Second row passenger max height
Boot space with seats up	205 litres
Boot space with seats down	905 litres
Folding rear seats	Yes
Isofix attachments	Yes
Turning circle	10.45 m
On sale date	01 November 2013

Latest tested engine
Engine name	i3 (120 Ah)
Fuel type	Electric
Capacity and power	37.9kWh (170hp)
Transmission	Single-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel-drive (RWD)
Tested fuel efficiency (mi/kWh)
Cost per mile	9.6p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	0
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	98
Tested electric range (miles)
Official Euro emission level	Electric - N/A
Engine test date	14 August 2019
Test programme	2017

Engine two
Engine name	i3s (94 Ah)
Fuel	Electric
Capacity and power	27.2kWh (184hp)
Transmission	Single-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel-drive (RWD)
Tested fuel efficiency (mi/kWh)
Cost per mile	9.8p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	0
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	106
Tested electric range (miles)
Official Euro emission level	Electric - N/A
Engine test date	17 May 2018
Car test programme	2017

Engine three
Engine name	i3 electric (94Ah)
Fuel type	Electric
Capacity and power	27.2kWh (170hp)
Transmission	Single-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel-drive (RWD)
Tested fuel efficiency (mi/kWh)
Cost per mile	9.3p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	0
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	101
Tested electric range (miles)
Official Euro emission level	Electric - N/A
Engine test date	29 November 2016
Car test programme	2017

Engine four
Engine name	i3 electric
Fuel type	Electric
Capacity and power	18.8kWh (170hp)
Transmission	Single-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel-drive (RWD)
Tested fuel efficiency (mi/kWh)
Cost per mile	9p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	94
Tested electric range (miles)
Official Euro emission level	Electric - N/A
Engine test date	28 November 2013
Car test programme	2012-2016

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BMWi3 (2013-2022)