Does your i3 inspire you to drive it like a hot hatch?

This may seem like a weird question, but I've owned a few "sporty" cars in recent years (i.e. 97 328i sport, 03 Ford Focus SVT, 97 BMW M3, 05 Pontiac GTO, 02 BMW M5, etc.) and now own a Volt. Like ALL electric cars, the Volt is smooth and torquey. In sport mode the throttle mapping is aggressive enough that I never worry about being a sluggard from a light, etc. A lot of people describe it as "plenty quick enough". Having said all that, for all its torqueiness I don't find the Volt inspires me to drive it in a "fun" manor. The suspension is tuned for comfort, and the weight helps with that too. It corners relatively flat, but again, I'm not inspired to whip it around corners, etc. What I would really like is an electric sports sedan (i.e. an electric 3 series that I can get with all the M-sport goodies...the AH3 is the right idea, but a plug-in version with a decent battery would be better). My second choice would be an electric hot hatch. In looking at the upcoming and current entrants in this space, the VW Golf GTE, Audi A3 E-tron and BMW i3 look like they MIGHT be contenders in this area. The former are plug-in hybrids with modest battery ranges (unlike my Volt), but the i3, well you guys know what it is. When I read the i3 reviews some folks seem to feel it is very sporty, but others bemoan it is no BMW. So, I pose the question to you (few) owners. Do you feel like it is a hot hatch of sorts or more small family car with some pep?

My 2 cents...

I have driven the i3 a couple of times. My impression is that it should perform much like my '05 Mini S or the '70 2002 I owned. My 2002 was set up for SCCA Showroom Stock and I played with the BMW CCA at places like Lime Rock and Road America. The Porches and 'heavies' ('Vettes) of that time could outrun me in the longer straights but I maintained a very brisk pace throughout most of the courses and did not get passed often... The 'hot lap' video seems to support that opinion.

That being said, I would not expect it to have the top end of my '03 330CI with the M package (probably my fastest BMW - and the only car I ever got a ticket in ;>) BTW: all my BMW's had manual transmissions, including the '89 5 series sedan which was very fast but not quite as 'sporty' - the largest car I have every owned having something to do with that. That car probably is close to how I expect a Tesla performs/feels.

I feel my Active-E is sporty, but I am conscious of its weight in some quick turning maneuvers, and the i3 is definitely faster than that in all aspects. Again, outside of the top end I would think it easily runs with/away from my wife's '10 328.

Looking forward to finding out in a few months...

Martin B.

I've had my i3 for a week (driven about 250miles), and my previous car was a Seat Ibiza Cupra so I do have a hot hatch to compare it to

In short yes and no.

Yes
The i3 is fast, it feels a huge amount faster than my old Cupra despite quoting the same 0-62mph time - but as with most fast things you get used to the speed. The instant acceleration / throttle response is awesome compared to a DSG gearbox and I think that makes you want to drive it like a hot hatch more than anything - especially knowing you wouldn't be too far behind an M3 off the lights (people are normally quite shocked how fast it really is...).

No
You sit quite high in the car and the seats are near enough flat - no bucket seats here! This means that although it grips surprisingly well in corners, it doesn't really feel like a hot hatch in that sense - in fact the flatness of the seats is enough to make you back off in some cases. There's also a constant reminder that your driving style affects the range - I think if a fuel level indicator was as accurate as the i3's battery charge indicator then people may drive ICEs differently


The Golf and A3 are essentially what you've got already in the form of the Volt - just a bit more sporty. The cars will be heavy, retrofitted versions of the existing Golfs and A3s you see around - and they won't turn heads like the i3. I would however, imagine that the interior of the A3 in particular would feel a little more sporty than the i3

How would you rank the handling? My Volt is definitely sprung/damped for comfort vs. sport. It makes for a great, albeit somewhat boring, commuter. I don't want a rock hard suspension (those days are past me), but I'm not quite ready to give up the fun factor.

The fact the i3 is fun to drive is perhaps it's achilles heel because the range goes down at an alarming rate if you use it's available torque at the lights.

Handling is surprisingly good because of the low C of G. Relatively low weight (cf other EVs) and wide track mean cornering is far better than other EVs and Volt. Steering "feel" is great because of those narrow tires and lack of servo effort required to turn them.

I agree about the seats but hey are not un-comforatble - would have preferred Recaro Pole positions in leather!

Bumping this up now that a few more folks have taken delivery of their rides. Anyone else care to comment?

Yes, I do drive my i3 like a hot hatch! It's brilliant. Nothing can touch it in the traffic light grand prix...

My other car is an E92 M3.

I would have to agree, you are very tempted to make use of that torque at the lights.

I know what a Lamborghini driver must feel like as so many people stop, stare point, comment, crowd round, want a drive...best of all is seeing other drivers faces in the rear view mirror when they are left behind at the lights :lol:

cab said:

Bumping this up now that a few more folks have taken delivery of their rides. Anyone else care to comment?

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I've been driving my i3 (BEV) for 2 months now, totalling more than 3000 km (1,800 mi). My previous car was a standard Mini Cooper (no "S").

Jumping off the lights is a real constant temptation. You know ... when you realize that the guy in the car next to you is looking at your car with disdain. All the more so when this car next to yours is a large dark Audi or a conspicuously customized VW Golf.

The good thing though is that I've never had to deal with a sore loser so far; the quiet sense of power that emanates from the i3 seems to be enough to prevent any sort of aggressive behavior. I really appreciate this.

but this is also the danger, it still IS aggressive driving allthough it doesn't sound like it.

I am a VW GTI MkV owner - previously I had a Lotus Elise and before that a Subaru WRX. All are designed to be driven hard and I do like to zip around. I drove all these cars daily (including the Elise). I haven't taken delivery of my i3 yet but I did get a healthy test drive.

My first impressions:

It's very similar to the GTI in terms of ride feel, which is a good thing.

It feels nimble and stable with quick moves. It is much quieter obviously and the ride is smoother, not quite as stiff as the GTI. Low center of gravity really makes it feel like a go kart, not unlike the Elise. This is mitigated by the high driving position, which makes you expect more body roll than you get. It will take longer to understand this car in terms of ride than any other car I have driven, simply because of the weight distribution.

Speed is adequate and close to the GTI. The power comes at a different time than in the GTI and I definitely did not yet get the hang of when - sometimes I would expect it to take off and it would feel slower than the GTI, other times (usually when already moving) it would really feel torquey and faster than the GTI. More time needed WRX has so much turbo lag it's not even worth more than this mention, it feels like a truck by comparison.

In short, it is fun to drive and similar to a GTI from a driving standpoint. In terms of ride quality, features, noise and finish, it blows the GTI away (and obviously the Elise as well). It really does feel like a luxury hatch. That was my biggest takeaway. I am looking forward to making calls from the highway again.

Will post more when my car shows up...another month most likely.

Hi

Did you test drive the REX or The BEV?...I have read a few reviewers mention that it picks up faster when it is on the move..We have ordered a BEV(due Aug/Sept) and went for the BEV because it is faster...

I did lots of research on how fast it was and when i read that Autocar Tested the REX at over 8 secs 0-60 and The german mags tested the bev At near 7 secs that made me go for the BEV...Also saved £3000 on the REX option so it was a Win! Win!

Rob

My test was a BEV and I'm getting a BEV...I have 2 cars so no need for the Rex.

Short answer - yes!

Mine is a BEV. The one-pedal operation is great on twisty roads and the car is seriously quick from 30-60 mph. It starts to run out of puff after that but great fun.

To go really fast you do have to use the brakes otherwise you arrive at a tight corner with ice cold brakes :shock: And a mid-corner lift is likely to produce a spin as the regen kicks in (the stability control takes over if this happens and disables the regen).

Not that I've been playing around or anything!

I really wonder how the heavier rEx compares. Sadly, it splits the difference in 0-60 times with my Volt, and becomes a bit less compelling on the performance front (keep in mind the Volt may be heavy, but it does have 270+ lbs ft of torque - considerably more than the i3). I anxiously await my test drive scheduled for this Saturday, although I'm sure they won't have a rEx to compare.

Hello
I have only driven 2 I3's, about two months apart, for about 10 minutes each time, and I have a Volvo C30 (227HP T5) hot hatch that I drive regularly. Love the car, but I have plans to buy an I3--its quite sporty, same league as the C30, but slightly better throttle response. I think you will find the i3 equal to any hot hatch, plus it is quieter, and rides like a 5 series.

Gary

I test drove a BEV and Rex and could not notice any difference in the practical power and acceleration. They both compared quite favourably to by 3.5 Z4!

MikeS said:

I test drove a BEV and Rex and could not notice any difference in the practical power and acceleration. They both compared quite favourably to by 3.5 Z4!

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interesting, I wonder if the car mags will find the 0-60 times to be better than BMW's advertised numbers by a decent margin...not uncommon for BMWs.

I find the i3 inspires you to develop a split personality. On short journeys and local roads, it finds the boy racer in you, however deep it's buried. On longer trips and motorways, you find yourself donning your metaphorical old man hat and driving gloves - 63 miles an hour and peering at the dashboard as you watch the forecast miles fall away.

Most of my journeys are short and local But I did do 71.5 miles today and had 12 left on my return (and 80 in the rarely used REx, of course).

Now that I've had my i3 for about a month and 650+ miles, I definitely can answer yes to the original question. Absolutely drive it like a hot hatch. Very quick. Very nimble. Perfect for the city.

Note that does not mean it's a vehicle for autocross or other competitive driving. You cannot disable traction control. If your definition of a traditional BMW includes oversteer, you're going to be disappointed. I suspect that's the cause of the initial poor reviews from enthusiast magazines.

The vast majority of my miles are in Comfort mode. I do not like Eco Pro because the responses are so muted. I've only engaged the Eco Pro + level to see the light on the dash. I don't care about the efficiency hit because I drive all of about 10 miles a day. Even with my enthusiastic style, the i3 is several orders of magnitude more efficient than my E90.

Most of the reviews from the UK mention a harsh ride. I don't understand or agree with that sentiment. The i3 is definitely plusher than my E90 with sport suspension, 17" wheels and run-flat tires. The absence of engine noise does mean you hear more than feel suspension impacts. Maybe that contributes to the impression of a harsh ride. Perhaps the reviewers are reacting to the inherent choppiness of the short wheelbase. The i3 does remind me of my Mk 1 GTI in that regard. Or maybe UK roads really are that bad.