The BMW i3S isn’t exactly a new car, having launched last year. However, it’s just launched in Britain with its larger 120 Ah battery and Top Gear’s given it a go to see how it is. And it’s actually quite good.
We know that the BMW i3 gets a bit of flak for having less range than almost all of its competitors, while also looking funky and not being cheap. However, it’s still a very enjoyable electric car to own and live with everyday. In this TG review, we see exactly why.
The BMW i3S is the sportier version of the standard i3, but don’t expect it to be some hot-hatch rivaling version. It’s only slightly warmer than the standard car. It’s really not much more powerful but it does make a few extra ponies, pumping out 184 hp. But because it weighs as much as a house fly and produces all of its torque from zero rpm, like all EVs, it gets from 0-60 mph in about seven seconds. Where it really impresses is up to about 40 mph, where it has some real zip.
It’s also fun to drive, thanks to its rear-layout, light weight and low center of gravity. “With rear-wheel drive and the heaviest portions of its 1.3-ton weight fixed nice and low, there’s an inherent rightness to the way it goes down a road.” said TG. It has good steering, sharp turn-in and a playful chassis, too. “It’ll even indulge a small amount of silliness if you slacken off the stability control.”
Though, the biggest compliment that TG gives the BMW i3S is one I personally have always given it — it has character. “What’s present here – and not in a Leaf, Zoe or Ioniq – is a real sense of humour, and layers of fun beyond those first few hits away from the traffic lights. Isn’t it vital to know as cars fundamentally change, their sense of fun is still tangible?” TG said.
They’re right. When dino-juice runs out, cars like the BMW i3 prove that we can still have fun behind the wheel and that cars will still be able to have character. So despite all of its flaws and drawbacks, the BMW i3S is a genuine enthusiast’s choice for an electric car.
[Source: Top Gear]
