2022 BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe First Drive: Super Comfortable and Scary Fast
I’ll admit, I’ve never been much of a BMW fan, but the i4 M50 Gran Coupe just might change my mind. Not because of the prestigious badge on the hood and trunk, nor the fancy interior. But mainly due to its electric powertrain that makes the car scary fast with a stab of the throttle. Also, that fancy interior is comfortable, I will say. Here are a few more first impressions of BMW’s first all-electric sports sedan.
The 2022 BMW i4’s interior is comfortable and spacious
When sitting in the 2022 BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe’s driver’s seat, I noticed that it has everything one would expect in a sedan that costs $77,000. The i4 is the most normal electric car produced by the German manufacturer. And by “normal,” I mean that it’s shaped like a regular sedan since it’s based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe. Other BMW EVs like the i3 and iX are odd by comparison – as was the i8 (R.I.P).
As for the rest of the interior, the i4 Gran Coupe takes after the 4 Series in terms of dimensions, but it has a different dash display. Sitting front and center is a 14.9-inch infotainment screen that utilizes BMW’s iDrive 8.0. Yes, there’s a knob on the center console to control it, but no, I don’t use it. Fortunately, it’s a touchscreen, and thus far, I’ve been able to toggle through the menus quickly and easily.
Sitting next to the infotainment screen is a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel that shares the same curved glass panel. It’s sleek and looks nice – most importantly, it displays all the pertinent information you need as a driver.
Additionally, the seats are comfortable and provide enough support for driving around town. I’m sure they would be great on an extended drive as well.
The i4 M50’s powertrain is powerful, quiet, and smooth
When it comes to performance, the 2022 i4 M50 is where it’s at. If you’re more frugal, then the base i4 eDrive40 will likely suit you just fine. That model comes equipped in a 335-hp single-motor, rear-drive configuration, which grants the car a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds and 301 miles of range – thanks to its smaller 18-inch wheels. Adding 19-inch wheels decreases the range to 282 miles, according to Autoblog.
Those are decent stats for an electric sedan. However, my test car for the week is the granddaddy i4 M50. That means that it comes with a dual-motor AWD setup that puts out 536 hp and 586 lb-ft of torque, which scoots the car to 60 mph in only 3.7 seconds, according to BMW.
What about the range? That, unfortunately, sinks to 227 miles with the large 20-inch wheels tucked in all four corners. I can definitely notice it as every trip seems to decrease the range by a lot more than I anticipated. Of course, stabbing the throttle at every straight line doesn’t help. But trust me, it’s really fun.
In fact, I was able to scare an unsuspecting passenger or two with all of the instantaneous torque on tap. Watching people’s heads pin back to the headrest with a surprised look on their faces and some kind of expletive emitting from their mouths never gets old.
Is the BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe worth $77,000?
As far as my first impressions go, I think the BMW i4 is worth all of the money it costs. I know, we can compare it to the Tesla Model S all day, but there’s nothing really like interior comfort and craftsmanship that BMW puts into its cars. Truth be told, by the end of my week with the i4 M50, I could end up being a bigger BMW fan than I ever imagined. We’ll see.