The 2024 Beijing Motor Show brought exciting announcements, and BMW’s latest unveiling was no exception. The 2025 BMW i4 facelift stood out with its refined design and upgraded features. Here’s an in-depth look at the changes in this electric powerhouse.
Table of Contents
Exterior Design: Modern Elegance with Bold Changes
The BMW i4 facelift introduces subtle yet impactful updates to its exterior.
- Grille Redesign:
- The kidney grille has undergone a significant transformation, featuring a sleek black surround and a central divider.
- Variants like the i4 M50 now sport horizontal slats, aligning its design closer to the M3 and M4 series.
- Lighting Enhancements:
- The facelift brings adaptive LED headlights with vertical daytime running lights.
- Tail lights inspired by the M4 CSL are now part of the optional Adaptive Lighting Package, enhancing the car’s rear aesthetics.
- New Colors and Wheels:
- Exclusive shades like Cape York Green and Vegas Red debut with this model.
- Wheel options now include stylish 19-inch and 20-inch designs.
Interior Design: Elevated Comfort and Advanced Tech
The interior of the i4 facelift is where innovation truly shines.
- Steering Wheel Update:
- A flat-bottom design reminiscent of the 4 Series coupe enhances the sporty feel.
- Crafted Clarity Package:
- Premium crystal elements adorn the start/stop button, gear shifter, and iDrive controller.
- Upgraded Technology:
- The car now features the iDrive 8.5 system, offering a revamped user interface.
- An interactive ambient light bar with nine customizable colors adds a modern touch.
- Sustainable Materials:
- Optional recyclable seat materials contribute to a lighter and eco-friendly interior, reducing weight by 3.3 kg.
Performance and Range
The 2025 BMW i4 facelift retains its impressive performance specs:
- Charging Capability: Up to 205 kW (180 kW for eDrive35 models), with a 10-80% charge achievable in 30 minutes.
- Range: Slight improvements offer up to 10 km more in WLTP ratings for European models.
The 2025 BMW i4 Facelift is presented at the Beijing Motor Show, more elegant and with improved
performance to give no respite to the Tesla Model 3
The BMW i4 is also one of the main protagonists of the 2024 Beijing Motor Show. The Munich brand has presented the long-awaited update of this electric sports sedan, now with a more modern design, important new features in the interior and equipment, and a range that exceeds 500 kilometers.
BMW has been able to handle the pressure from Tesla. Elon Musk’s brand is the leader in electric car sales on the European continent, but the BMW i4 has not fared poorly in the first half of its life cycle on the market. The zero-emission alternative to the 4 Series Gran Coupé is one of the best-selling models of the Munich manufacturer, even surpassing the M3 itself. Just as the 4 Series Gran Coupé has received its corresponding mid-life update, the BMW i4 has also been
presented at the great Chinese fair at the Beijing Motor Show with new features on all fronts. It’s slim headlights are now equipped with adaptive Full LED lighting technology, standing out even more by the new matte chrome frame of the double kidney grille, with a wholly closed upper section and a lower section finished with a silver-painted honeycomb.
More elegant, sporty and well-equipped, the BMW i4 Facelift 2025
The bumper also features large air intakes on the sides, in gloss black with the “M Sport” package. At the rear, the updated range of the BMW i4 also features the taillights of the exclusive BMW 3.0 CSL, the limited edition of a thousand units, equipped with the exclusive “Laserlight” technology that provides a remarkable shine. The alloy wheels are 18 inches as standard, optional 19 inches in the M Sport package, although they can be increased by one more inch with an extra.
The interior is also shared with the 4 Series Gran Coupé, retaining the large, slightly curved screen on the dashboard and occupying the center console. The touch section debuts the latest generation of the iDrive software that can be customized with widgets and shortcuts to applications. The ventilation vents now have a new airflow regulator.
BMW also offers various seat and door panel trim textile materials. Bavarian refinement is evident in the new ambient lighting with animations and the unique cut-glass details that cover the controls and buttons on the transmission tunnel. The firm has equipped the electric saloon
With up to five driving assistants as standard:
Forward collision warning system with emergency braking
Cruise control
Speed ​​limit information with no-overtaking indicator
Speed ​​limit assistant (with manual deactivation)
Lane change warning with lane return
Four versions of the new BMW i4, with up to 590 HP
The BMW i4 is also equipped as standard with rear air suspension with automatic leveling, including the adaptive M suspension with adaptive dampers in the BMW i4 M50 xDrive, as well as variable sports steering and enhanced brakes. A top-of-the-range that continues to boast excellent performance thanks to its two electric motors, the rear with 313 hp and the front with 258 hp, so it has all-wheel drive.
Its 544 hp is genuinely explosive, but the German brand has implemented a “Sport Boost” mode that releases 68 hp more for ten seconds, reaching 590 hp. The firm also offers three more versions, two rear-wheel drive with a single electric motor with 286 and 340 hp, and the latter with all-wheel drive, which is the novelty in the powertrain.
General information
The BMW i4 is a mid-size sedan with a coupé look. It is 4.78 meters long and has five doors and five seats. It was presented in June 2021. It is practically the same as a 4 Series Gran Coupé. Its propulsion system is fully electric, and two versions are available: the 340 hp eDrive40 with rear-wheel drive and the 544 hp M50 with all-wheel drive, with approved ranges of 589 and 520 kilometers, respectively.
The most powerful one is an M Performance version, which has a chassis with a sportier configuration.Since they have the same battery, the boot volume is also 470 liters for both, which is a good figure for their size. In electric models, a second motor can also reduce the boot and not just the size of the battery.
The i4 has arrived to compete directly with the Tesla Model 3, with more extraordinary luxury and refinement in the finishes, similar autonomy and somewhat lower performance than the latter. Another competitor to consider is the KIA EV6, which is different in concept as it is a crossover but of comparable size and performance and has a considerably larger trunk. The BMW is the most expensive and the least spacious of the three.
What engines does the BMW i4 have?
The BMW i4 is sold in two possible configurations with different power levels and types of traction but with the same battery size. The entry-level version is called eDrive40 and has a single electric motor that transmits 340 hp of power and 430 Nm of torque to the rear wheels, is equipped with an 80.7 kWh usable battery (83.9 kWh gross) and travels up to 589 km according to WLTP approval.
On the other hand, the most potent M50 version is all-wheel drive and is equipped with a 258 hp engine on the front axle, another 313 hp engine on the rear axle delivers 544 hp and 795 Nm. The battery does not change concerning the base model, so its autonomy is reduced concerning this and is 520 km.
Driving Aids
The driving aids that the BMW i4 can incorporate, as standard or as an option, and that allow it to have a
level 2 autonomous driving is the following:
Cross-Traffic Assistant
Highway Driving Assistant (HDA)
Navigation-based adaptive cruise control
Automatic lane centering
Sign recognition with speed adjustment
Blind spot monitoring in the instrument panel
Rear cross-traffic alert
Autonomous emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection
Smart remote parking
Perimeter vision (360 degrees) using exterior cameras
Traction and stability control
Final Thoughts
The 2025 BMW i4 facelift elevates the EV lineup with thoughtful design updates, advanced technology, and sustainable features. While performance remains consistent, the enhanced aesthetics and functionality make it a standout choice for electric car enthusiasts.
BMW continues to set benchmarks in innovation, and the i4 facelift is a testament to its commitment to excellence.