BMW i3 UK reviews: what Autocar, Auto Express and Electrifying say about the electric 3 Series

The first UK reviews of BMW’s new electric 3 Series, the i3, are in, and they are positive. Auto Express gives the i3 50 xDrive five stars and says it “drives just as a 3 Series should”, while Electrifying scores it 9 out of 10. BMW UK lists the i3 from £47,925, with the longer-range i3 50 xDrive from £53,425 and a claimed 566 miles of WLTP range.

For UK buyers, the reviews confirm what the spec sheet suggested: long range, very fast charging and a sharp drive. The trade-offs are a small boot for the class, limited rear foot space and a heavy car. Here is what each outlet says, with BMW’s own figures and our running cost estimate.

What is the new BMW i3?

It is an electric saloon built on BMW’s Neue Klasse technology, the same base as the new iX3 SUV, and sold alongside a petrol 3 Series that keeps the older platform. It shares nothing but a name with the small i3 hatchback BMW sold from 2013. BMW launched the petrol 3 Series and the electric i3 in the same UK release, with the electric car arriving first.

BMW UK’s 30 September release lists two versions for now, with a faster i3 M60 xDrive due in 2027. BMW marks the performance, range and energy figures as provisional.

	BMW i3 40 xDrive	BMW i3 50 xDrive
UK price (OTR)	£47,925	£53,425
Battery	82.8kWh	108.7kWh
WLTP range	441 miles	566 miles
Power	374hp	469hp
0-62mph	5.4 seconds	4.7 seconds
Peak DC charging	300kW	400kW
Range added in 10 minutes	Up to 209 miles	Up to 263 miles
AC charging	11kW (22kW optional)	11kW (22kW optional)
Boot	420 litres, plus 31-litre frunk	420 litres, plus 31-litre frunk

Source: BMW UK. First UK customer deliveries are due in autumn 2026, and the petrol 320 and M350 xDrive follow in January 2027.

What do UK reviewers say about the drive?

All the driven reviews so far are of the i3 50 xDrive, and the handling gets the most praise.

Auto Express tested an i3 50 xDrive M Sport and gave it five stars. Despite the weight, it says the car is “simply brilliant in the bends”, and that it leans very little in corners. Its test car was on the standard passive suspension, which it says “dealt with rougher surfaces extremely well”, though the weight shows over speed bumps and potholes. It quotes a kerb weight of 2,205kg, 345kg more than the petrol car.

Electrifying calls the steering “pretty direct and hefty, which I quite like”, and notes that the four-wheel-drive i3 50 xDrive runs mostly in rear-wheel drive for efficiency, bringing in the front motor when needed. Its verdict: “BMW has absolutely nailed it with the new i3.” It says the car could change what buyers expect from executive EVs, and ranks it among the best executive saloons whatever the powertrain.

Autocar headlines its review “The best electric saloon you can buy?”. The review is behind a paywall, so we have not been able to confirm its star rating, verdict or detailed findings.

Carwow has published a review page with UK prices, but says “We haven’t driven the i3 yet”, so it offers no driving verdict.

Should you pay for the adaptive suspension?

Neither driven review tried it on the i3, as both test cars had passive suspension, but both lean towards it. Electrifying says adaptive suspension is a £775 option arriving later in the year, and answers its own question: “Should you add it? Well, yes”. It found the iX3 “a bit firm and restless over scruffy roads” and expects the option to help. Auto Express says keen drivers will be tempted by the £775 M adaptive set-up, which it says felt wonderful in the petrol M350. If you drive a lot on broken British B-roads, it may be worth considering, but no UK review has yet tried it on the i3, and Electrifying says it arrives later in the year, so check availability with a dealer.

How far does the BMW i3 really go?

BMW claims up to 566 miles for the i3 50 xDrive. Real-world figures from the reviews are lower, as you would expect.

Auto Express averaged 3.7 miles per kWh in mixed country and town driving, which it says suggests a range of about 414 miles. On the motorway it saw 4.7 miles per kWh, an unusually good figure for fast driving.

Our estimate, using that motorway figure: 4.7 miles per kWh multiplied by BMW’s 108.7kWh battery gives about 511 miles. Auto Express quotes the battery as 112kWh, which would give about 526 miles. These are estimates from one test in autumn, not measured ranges, and cold weather will cut them. For a sense of how the same technology performs in longer testing, see how far a BMW iX3 really goes.

BMW’s own WLTP energy consumption for the i3 50 xDrive is 13.4 to 18.0kWh per 100km, which works out at roughly 3.5 to 4.6 miles per kWh, so Auto Express’s mixed-driving figure sits within that range and its motorway figure slightly above the top of it.

How fast does it charge?

Very fast, on paper. BMW quotes peak DC charging of 400kW for the i3 50 xDrive and 300kW for the i3 40 xDrive, adding up to 263 and 209 miles of WLTP range in 10 minutes. Auto Express quotes 10% to 80% in 21 minutes for the i3 50 xDrive.

Few UK public chargers deliver 400kW today. Electrifying says that on a 150kW motorway charger, a 100-mile top-up takes about 15 minutes, which is the more realistic figure for most trips. Our Ionity and Tesla Supercharger comparison covers which networks have the fastest units.

At home, AC charging is 11kW as standard, with 22kW optional. Electrifying says a full charge from nearly empty on a 7kW wall box takes roughly 16 to 18 hours, and that the car supports vehicle-to-load at 3.7kW.

What does it cost to run?

Here is our estimate for 10,000 miles a year, using Auto Express’s mixed-driving figure of 3.7 miles per kWh. That is 2,703kWh a year. We have not added charging losses, which would raise the cost slightly.

Electricity rate (checked 30 October 2026)	Cost per mile	Cost for 10,000 miles
Ofgem price cap average, 26.32p per kWh	7.1p	About £711
EDF GoElectric off-peak, 6.66p per kWh	1.8p	About £180

The price cap figure is the GB average Direct Debit unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026, according to Ofgem, which also notes there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The off-peak rate is EDF’s GoElectric tariff, 11pm to 6am, correct as of 1 October 2026. Public rapid charging costs considerably more. Rates change often, so check your own tariff.

What are the downsides?

Reviewers raise four main points:

• Boot space. Auto Express calls the 420-litre boot “fairly poor”, 30 litres smaller than the petrol 3 Series, and it is a saloon opening rather than a hatchback. BMW UK quotes 420 litres plus a 31-litre front storage area. Electrifying quotes up to 520 litres and a 58-litre front boot, so the figures differ between sources. Electrifying says it is waiting for the Touring estate.
• Rear space. Auto Express says rear foot space is less generous than it would like, and that the i3 is less practical than the iX3, especially in the back.
• Weight. At 2,205kg, according to Auto Express, the car is noticeably heavier than the petrol version, which shows over bumps.
• Finance and looks. Electrifying lists monthly finance as pricey, at about £700 to £800 a month on PCP or lease deals even with a deposit or part-exchange of around £10,000, and calls the styling divisive.

On the cabin, opinions are mostly positive. Auto Express praises a “cutting-edge, well thought out cabin” and calls BMW’s Panoramic iDrive display “outstanding once you’re acquainted with it”. Electrifying says BMW has gone for full minimalism inside, and that it is “a big fan of it”. Carwow is less sure, saying “there’s an awful lot of information competing for your attention”, and calls the steering wheel’s spoke layout an acquired taste. Electrifying says a conventional wheel is available at no cost.

How much is the BMW i3 compared with its rivals?

Car	UK price from	Battery	Range	Peak DC charging
BMW i3 40 xDrive	£47,925	82.8kWh	441 miles (WLTP)	300kW
BMW i3 50 xDrive	£53,425	108.7kWh	566 miles (WLTP)	400kW
BMW 320 (petrol)	£44,975	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
Mercedes C-Class Electric	About £60,000	94kWh	428 miles (as listed by PistonHeads)	330kW

Sources: BMW UK for the BMW figures, PistonHeads for the Mercedes. PistonHeads says the C-Class Electric starts at £60,000, but the C400 4Matic Premier Edition it tested is listed at £70,995. The cheapest i3 costs £2,950 more than the petrol 320, and the i3 50 xDrive costs £5,500 more than the i3 40 xDrive.

Prices vary between sources. PistonHeads reported £53,005 for the i3 50 xDrive in June, against BMW UK’s £53,425 in its September release. Auto Express tested an M Sport at £54,925, and Carwow’s price list runs up to £59,125 for a 50 xDrive M Sport Pro Tech+. Confirm the current figure with a dealer before you order.

For more detail on the Mercedes, read what UK reviewers say about the C-Class Electric, and our earlier BMW i3 vs Mercedes C-Class Electric comparison.

Is the BMW i3 a good company car?

Electrifying expects strong demand from company car and salary sacrifice drivers, even though it finds private finance expensive. As a zero-emission car, the i3 sits in the lowest benefit-in-kind band, and the small price gap to the petrol 320 makes the electric car the obvious choice for most company drivers. Our company car tax guide explains how to work out your bill. Electrifying says the warranty is three years with unlimited mileage, with the battery covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

The i3 40 xDrive has not yet been reviewed in the UK. With 441 miles of claimed range for £5,500 less, it may suit many drivers better than the i3 50 xDrive, but wait for driven reviews before deciding. Our BMW i3 UK prices report has the background on the range and timing.

Our view

The early UK verdicts are about as good as BMW could have hoped: reviewers say the i3 drives like a proper 3 Series, goes a long way on a charge and charges quickly. The weak points are practical ones: a small boot, tight rear foot space and a lot of weight. If you need a family load-carrier, wait for the Touring or look at the iX3. If you want an electric executive saloon, the i3 looks like the one to beat, but check the current price with a dealer, as sources disagree, and consider whether the cheaper i3 40 xDrive’s range is already enough for you.