• Conventional interior is easy to get to grips with
• Massive screens and very slick infotainment setup
• Build quality is excellent

How is the quality and layout?

The i4 takes a different route inside than some electric cars, retaining a largely conventional interior. Unlike the Tesla Model 3 you’ll find plenty of physical switchgear in here, with a centre console similar to BMW’s other models. This makes it rather less of an adjustment if you’re switching from a petrol or diesel-powered BMW.

Another thing that hasn’t changed is the solidity and quality of the build. Materials feel dense and good to the touch and the interior’s free of creaks and rattles in our experience, though the dashboard is a bit monochrome.

Infotainment and tech

The i4 features BMW’s latest infotainment setup, which takes the form of a vast curved display stretching two-thirds of the width of the dash. It’s actually two screens – a 12.3-inch instrument panel and a massive 14.9-inch infotainment screen – but they work cohesively together and look very slick.

You can operate the system in a few ways – gesture control and voice control are both available but rather clunky. But using the touchscreen or the rotary iDrive controller on the centre console are both great options, with the former being quicker while you’re stationary and the latter better for making adjustments on the move.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available, and BMW has integrated them seamlessly into its own systems. You can actually have your smartphone display its own maps on the instrument panel, which is a fantastic development if you’re wedded to Google Maps like some of us are. You also get a head-up display, which is nice to help you keep your eyes on the road.

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Comfort

• The i4 is comfortable for driver and front passenger
• Rear seats comfy but dark and cramped
• Exceptional refinement

Driver and front passenger are very well looked-after in the BMW i4. Like most BMWs, the seats adjust in myriad ways and move a lot further than in some rival models – long-legged drivers can really get comfortable. There’s also plenty of adjustment for both reach and rake in the steering wheel.

Our findings are that rear-seat passengers enjoy a comfortable bench but not too much space, and it can get a little dark in the back with narrow, heavily tinted windows and grey or black materials in most trims.