BMW i8 review (2014-2020)

Driving position

The interior of the BMW i8 is not quite as futuristic as the outside.

You’ll have to climb over the wide sills which proudly display the car’s carbon construction before settling into the sculpted sports seats. 

Once inside, you’ll find that the major controls such as the gear-selector and the iDrive rotary dial are familiar from other BMWs. 

The quality of the leather, metal and carbon materials is second to none and it really does feel special inside, with a swoopy organic design to the dashboard and centre console.

Tech and features

Despite a smattering of switches to access the car’s different drive modes, the interior feels uncluttered and all the technology is easy to master. 

You may find yourself relying on the parking sensors more than in other cars as the visibility is a little restricted.

A cool head-up display can project useful info onto the windscreen so you don’t need to take your eyes off the road and a powerful stereo with its own 20GB hard drive is fitted.  

The cabin feels snug and, although the glove box is a decent size the cupholders are espresso-sized and there’s not a lot of additional storage space. 

This is a statement car and an environmentalist’s favourite weekend toy – there’s room for a briefcase or a few shopping bags in the boot, but the rear-end engine can make for warm groceries. 

Engines and power

From the looks of the BMW i8, you might well expect a massive V12 engine to be sitting behind the cockpit.

This, though, is a supercar with a clean conscience - so instead you have a three-cylinder turbocharged engine from a MINI to drive the rear wheels and a pair of electric motors to drive the fronts.  

The combustion engine is tuned to an impressive 231hp, while the battery-driven motors add another 131hp.

That means the BMW i8 offers the performance to match its looks, accelerating to 62mph in just 4.4 seconds.   

Handling and ride comfort

BMW’s use of carbon fibre has kept the weight of the i8 as low as possible, but there are still batteries stowed inside so the car isn’t quite as agile as something like a Porsche 911.

It is, however, a fantastically frugal grand tourer that’s also fun on twisty lanes. 

Rear seats

The BMW i8 does have a couple of small seats in the rear. They’re really for kids only and for short trips at that.

Boot space

The BMW i8 has a compact boot and, more often than not, you’ll find yourself using the rear seat space as extra storage.   

Even if you have the specially-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage set, there’s only really enough space for a weekend away.   

Storage solutions

Thanks to its ingenious drivetrain that positively encourages city driving, the BMW i8 is a supercar you will want to use every day – but watch those beautiful butterfly doors in car parks. 

Still, its practical features mean this sports car won’t need to spend its whole life in the garage.  

Fuel economy

You won’t be spending a fortune at the fuel pumps when you drive a BMW i8, unlike many high-performance rivals.

Thanks to its ability to travel over 30 miles on pure electric power, the BMW i8 claims an official fuel consumption figure of 128.4mpg.  

On longer trips, the combustion engine has to do most of the work, so the real-world economy is still likely to be above 40mpg which is still impressive for such an exotic machine.

Reliability

BMW’s warranty covers the batteries for eight years or 100,000 miles.