When the New Zealand Police announced they would be adding the BMW i4 to their fleet, I was rather impressed. The Holden Commodore was very much the face of the fuzz for generations, but now, with that chapter well and truly closed, our local boys in blue have not only have Skoda to play with, but a rather brisk Beemer too.
On the surface the i4 seems to inject some additional automotive diversity into the Kiwi police fleet. Heck, if the Dubai police can muster a roster of Lamborghinis and Bugattis for apprehending miscreants, then why can’t we have a quick BMW for such tasks. However, what is the i4 actually like? Well, here is what I found out after a week in its company.
The range is a three-tier lineup with the i4 eDrive35 kicking things off at $98,900. You then have the mid-range i4 eDrive40 (my test car) with M Sport package at $115,000 and the flagship i4 M50 with all its grunt will set you back $144,100.
Focusing on the eDrive 40, naturally, you have a single rear mounted electric motor paired to a 84 kWh battery pack sending drive in typical BMW fashion, to the rear wheels. Power is rated at a fairly substantial but no overly dramatic 250kW and 430Nm of torque. Compatible with AC And DC fast charging, the i4 eDrive 40 is good for a claimed 520kms of range according to WTLP stats and averaging 22.2kWh/100km of power consumption. Plus if you use the most powerful 205kW DC fast charger, you will have between 10 to 80 per cent charged in around 31 minutes. Zero to 100km/h? 5.7 seconds.
The i4’s stance is one of flowing lines with a bit of a chiselled edge to it. The now rather familiar pronounced kidney grill has certainly grown on me considerably this year and it just works really well when attached to the i4. Its rather menacing looking LED headlights and DRLs add a menacing look and the 19-inch M-sport alloys are another nice touch. Also, the fact this particular i4 is in a shade of black would make this one an ideal tool for any plain clothes Detective Inspector.
Hope inside and you are greeted by rather aesthetically pleasing form and function, or the way we have come to expect a BMW cabin to be. Despite a few hard materials, there is a great blend of durability and quality. The seats are very comfortable and supportive and the leather wrapped steering wheel feels good in your hands.
The 12.3-inch instrument display and 14.9-inch BMW Operating System and Control Display combo is good size but not overly distracting. One trend that I have noticed is the fact that plenty of in-car infotainment systems are just getting too darn big, so for the i4 to buck this trend is certainly much appreciated.
Equipment levels are good with features like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, ambient lighting, BMW ConnectedDrive, lane departure warning, front collision warning, reversing camera, head up display and BMW’s latest generation of their Intelligent Personal Assistant software all coming as standard.
This being the i4 eDrive40 M-Sport, you get additional goodies like adaptive M-suspension, blue M-sport brake callipers and other M badges scattered about the cabin. Extra safety gear includes lane keeping assist with active side collision protection and Parking Assistance Plus with 3D view reversing and active park distance control fore and aft. My test car also came with the optional Comfort package. This will set you back an additional $1700 and comes with a heated steering wheel and heated front and rear seats.
Talking of the rear seats, they are just as supportive as those in the front and while taller folk might find getting in and out a bit of a squeeze, there is significant legroom in the rear. The boot is worth mentioning, for you get a most capacious 470-litres of space, one of the most cavernous offerings in this segment.
Engage EV silent running, or if you wish via the BMW electric noise sound effects, and the i4 propels silently forward. The ride, while certainly not uncomfortable, could have been just that little bit more supple. However, the i4 claws back points by being very manageable about town. Rear visibility is better than you might think despite that sweeping rear roofline
Now, how does the i4 eDrive40 M-Sport fare as a pursuit special? Well, if you excuse the Mad Max references, since there were no crims to chase down, a jaunt along one of my favourite sections of bendy B-road was the answer. Dynamically, the i4 is brilliantly sorted. BMW know and have know how to do a good chassis for generations and despite the extra weight of the batteries, it feels lively and balanced. Give it death around tight turns and it hangs on in there.
While not the most rapid electric i4 out there, you naturally want the M50 for that, the eDrive40 M-Sport hits the right mix of plenty of electric power without it feeling too overwhelming. It’s a great drive, make no mistake.
So, in summary, the BMW i4 eDrive40 M-Sport, while not perfect, would make not only a solid addition to the New Zealand Police force, but a solid BEV full stop and one which deserves all the credit one can muster. Good car.
RATING: 8/10
