The entry-level Sport model is also pretty well equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, an electric tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, automatic lights and wipers, and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity.
We’d recommend the mid-range M Sport trim because it offers a wider range of options, and its M Sport exterior and interior styling make it a more appealing resale prospect. The most expensive M60 rewards you with a more powerful dual-motor xDrive four-wheel-drive setup, standard adaptive suspension, and electric front seats with memory settings.
There’s a lengthy list of optional extras for i4 buyers to choose from, or you can add one of the several option packs – although not all are available on every trim level. The £900 Comfort pack is available across all trims and adds adjustable lumbar support, wireless phone charging, and keyless entry. There’s also the £2,100 Technology pack with various driving assistance features like lane-keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert, and a speed limit warning. You also get a 360-degree camera system and a head-up display.
M Sport trim allows you to add the £3,125 M Sport Pro pack with adaptive LED headlights, shadowline black exterior trim that better hides its oversized grille, bigger M Sport brakes, high beam assistance, and M Sport seatbelts. Finally, on M60 models, you can add a £2,500 M Carbon exterior pack, although why you’d want to add a lot of tacky-looking carbon fibre trim to your BMW that’ll cost a fortune to replace when it inevitably gets damaged is beyond us.
Interior and dashboard design
The i4’s cabin doesn’t make any drastic departures from the layout you’ll find in a regular 4 Series. While it’s technically one of BMW’s older layouts now (with the BMW iX3 kicking off the brand’s next generation of interiors), the twin digital screens and curved display still look the part.
Materials and build quality
As usual, BMW hasn’t scrimped on build quality here. The i4’s interior is typically faultless, with lots of soft-touch materials in use, along with brushed metal and carbon-fibre-effect accents.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
The i4 borrows its infotainment tech from the iX SUV, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel placed alongside a 14.9-inch touchscreen in one seamless, gently curving display. It looks stunning, and manages to strike a usable balance between contemporary touchscreen functions and the iDrive clickwheel and shortcut buttons. These are so intuitive that they barely need a second glance to use. In fact, it’s a shame that BMW is now phasing out this layout in its more recent arrivals, so make the most of it while you can.
