Used BMW i8 Coupé 2014-2020 review

The BMW i8 is not a typical sports car. You can tell as much just by looking at it, with the low nose, bold colour combinations and wild buttresses providing a genuine wow factor. What’s more, for a fairly out-there piece of design, the i8 is ageing extremely well. A mild facelift in 2018, which also introduced a convertible Roadster version, only added to the sense of drama of this undeniably wild-looking vehicle. It survived until 2020, when BMW switched its attention to the production of an all-new range of electric vehicles. 

As much is true of the technology within, which of course is the other point that differentiates this machine from sports car rivals such as the Audi R8 and Porsche 911. That's because rather than a large petrol engine, the i8 uses a 228bhp, 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo, which is mounted behind the passenger compartment and drives the rear wheels. It is joined by a 129bhp electric motor that powers the front axle, making the i8 four-wheel drive. The gearbox is a six-speed automatic.

Throw in a surprisingly meaty (albeit artificial) soundtrack from the three-cylinder engine and the i8 is genuinely exciting to drive. It handles well too, with very quick steering, a pointy front end and lots of grip, although ultimately the lack of feedback through the wheel stops it from being as much fun as its rivals from Audi and Porsche.

The ride is also firmer that you’ll find in an R8 or 911, and there’s a fair bit of road noise, but the i8 counters by being able to run silently on electric power for around 20 miles between charges. Indeed, choose one of the updated and facelifted cars from 2018 onwards and its official range rises to 34 miles. Being a plug-in hybrid, it can run either in pure electric mode or with petrol engine and electric motor working together (or even with the petrol engine acting as a generator to charge the battery), which in turn results in potentially tiny running costs.

Like the 911, it also makes an effort to be practical, with its 2+2 seating layout. However, the two rear seats are tiny and very difficult to access, so don’t expect adults to want to use them. The front seats are also fairly difficult to get into due to the car’s low roof, butterfly doors and wide sills, but once you’re in, the i8 feels like a pretty special place to be, with swooping panels in chrome, leather and high-quality plastics, two large digital screens for the speedo and infotainment, and some terrific ambient lighting.

If you're interested in finding a used i8 head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

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