BMW i3 Hatchback: fun and nippy but expensive to buy

Price: £30,680 - £33,830

Pros: Futuristic looks; great handling, easy and relaxing to drive

Cons: Expensive; limited range on standard model; small boot

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4.4/5.0 Car buyer “The BMW i3 can be had as a purely electric vehicle or as a range-extender petrol-electric hybrid and both versions offer impressive MPG figures and a quirky turn of pace. The car also comes with space-age styling and BMW have worked hard to ensure the i3 gets a spec list that backs-up the car's hi-tech image. All models come with sat-nav, automatic headlights and wipers, parking sensors and a DAB digital radio as standard. And instead of conventional dials, the i3 gets two colour screens that display everything from sat-nav to speed. It’s one of the nicest interiors offered in any car at the moment.”

4.0/5.0 Auto Express “BMW is best known for its high-performance petrol and diesel cars, but now the brand is embracing eco-friendly battery-powered models. Its bold i3 is the first in what promises to be an extensive line-up of zero-emissions vehicles, and it’s packed with hi-tech materials and cutting-edge engineering. And with a punchy 168bhp motor and traditional rear-wheel-drive layout, it should be as good to drive as any other BMW. Press the start button and you hear a chime rather than the sound of a starter motor. Turn the column-mounted gear selector to Drive and the i3 pulls away with a whirr from the electric motor and a gentle rumble from the tyres.”

4/5 Evo “Alongside the i8 supercar, the i3 is the start of BMW’s electric future – or so the company hopes. It combines state-of-the art carbon construction with an electric powertrain, and the option of a ‘range extender’ petrol engine that can recharge the battery pack on the move. There’s no doubting that it’s a truly remarkable piece of engineering, but the bigger question is whether it can justify its hefty pricetag of £25,680”.

4/5 What Car? “The handling is perhaps the most surprising element of the i3 package, and due in no small part to the positioning of all that battery weight low down in the chassis. The i3 looks tall and narrow, and it is, but it manages to feel extremely agile from behind the wheel. It also has an extremely small turning circle of less than 10 metres, and although the ride quality is on the firm side, it’s not uncomfortable.”