Ride Quality in the City - 2014 BMW i3 Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,316
edited March 2015 in BMW
imageRide Quality in the City - 2014 BMW i3 Long-Term Road Test

Our long-term 2014 BMW i3 is a good city car with a decent electric range, but it's a bit bumpy when driven over broken city streets.

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  • darexdarex Member Posts: 187
    Let's see: every time someone elects to get 20" or 18" wheels, they complain of a bumpy ride. Gee, maybe getting the biggest wheels on offer every single time is a dumb idea?

    One day, people will learn.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Agreed. You also get sticker shock once it comes time to price tires. Tire Rack only has one Tire brand option (the OEM) available too.
  • bankerdannybankerdanny Member Posts: 1,021
    I know that European cities often have much narrower streets, but are than also typically smoother? Considering that a car like the i3 is really intended as a city car it makes no sense that BMW wouldn't have tuned the suspension for comfort in a city environment with rougher pavement than a smoother highway or winding mountain road.
  • racer_41racer_41 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2015
    Try driving one in the snow, it is an absolute nightmare! Fishtailing at the slightest throttle input, then when you back out to catch it, regen kicks in...whoa!!!!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    @bankerdanny, lots of cobbles in many of the cities there, at least in the centers. I don't know how the scooter riders do it.
  • ebeaudoinebeaudoin Member Posts: 509
    So many manufacturers are going bigger and bigger in the wheel department these days. My 2001 Camry on 15" alloy wheels has sidewall for days and provides a buttery ride because of it. The 16" steelies on my 2010 Odyssey LX feel pretty great, too. 20" is just ridiculous.
  • zoomzoomnzoomzoomn Member Posts: 143
    Racer is right. I know someone that has one and they really need a 'snow" setting. The rear biased regen braking is downright scary on slippery surfaces!
  • greg128greg128 Member Posts: 546
    With the potholes where I live those wheel & tire combos would't last a week. As I skim over them in my Silverado I watch Audis, BMW's etc in my rear view mirror as they try to avoid them. It is a very expensive proposition when new wheels and tires are needed, even if the cost is only the deductible.
  • anotherdrunkanotherdrunk Guest Posts: 30
    edited March 2015
    my i3 is quite rough riding

    here in silicon valley its said we have the worst roads in the nation

    you feel every road imperfection

    i wish its suspension were more compliant
  • mythirdbmwmythirdbmw Member Posts: 4
    I've had my all-electric (no range extender) i3 since December 2014 and I've put just under 3k miles on it. I work in Santa Monica and live around Pasadena. I have the 20-inch optional wheels and love 'em. They look cool compared to the standard 19s and they are fine. People are complaining about them but it's subjective. I also ride carbon fiber high-end road bikes and people consider those "twitchy" and "too stiff" -- but they're awesome. If you want a soft, plush car, the i3 -- especially with the 20-inch wheels -- isn't the right choice. But I love my car for its swiftness, precision, accuracy, and road feedback.
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