BMW i4 vs i5 – which is best?

Both the i4 and i5 are widely available with big discounts if you’re happy to drive a nearly new model rather than a brand-new one. You can enjoy BMW’s deeply impressive iDrive infotainment system and powertrain tech even more knowing that you’ve saved so much money. The question is… which is better for you?

BMW i4 vs i5 compared

Styling

Just like the 4 Series Gran Coupe and 5 Series they’re based on, the i4 exhibits a sleeker coupe shape whereas the i5 is a bit boxier and more conventionally shaped for a saloon.

The i4 inherits the polarising toothy grilles from the 4 Series, which could put some buyers off. The i5’s grilles are still a bit too large – especially when they’re blanked off because the electric powertrains don’t need as much cooling – but the overall design is more cohesive and is more how you might expect a BMW to look. With its wide track, the i5 has a bit more road presence than the i4.

Interior and tech

Most of the bits you interact with are very similar – both the i4 and i5 come with a curved glass panel featuring a touchscreen and digital instrument cluster. And both retain the iDrive controller and accompanying buttons so you don’t need to touch the screen if you don’t want to.

The i4’s older steering wheel design features lots of clearly marked proper buttons, whereas the i5’s uses touch panels and requires a little bit of familiarisation. However, the i5 features nicer materials than the i4 on some surfaces of the centre console, while its unusual ‘crinkled’ ambient lighting effects are eye-catching and expensive-looking.

BMW i4 vs i5 dimensions and boot space

The BMW i5 is much bigger than the i4, although that doesn’t translate to much more space inside. Headroom is better in the i5 – the i4 will be cramped for a taller-than-average rear passenger – but legroom is similar in both cars. Given its extra length, the i5 should offer more legroom than it does.

More boot space, really, too – you won’t notice the i5’s extra 20 litres over the i4. The i4’s long hatchback tailgate (which includes the rear windscreen) makes it easier to load bulky items than the i5’s smaller saloon opening. If you need practicality, go for the i5 estate – it has a 570-litre boot, which expands to a whopping 1,700 litres with the seats folded. That’s more than 400 litres on top of the i4’s seats-down boot space.

The i4 will be a little easier to park – for all its tech, the i5 will overhang a standard parking space. And the extra width will give you slightly less space to get out than the i4 does.

Range and performance

As you can see, the i5 uses the same two powertrains as the i4 – there’s one standard one and one high-performance M60 model. All i5s come with the large battery, meaning a long range estimate.

A little curiously, the i5 eDrive40 goes further on a charge than the equivalent i4 – despite the i5 being heavier and sitting on bigger 19-inch wheels. The figures above are for the Sport trim on the smallest possible wheels (the i4 goes down to 17-inch wheels); the gap between the range figures widens if you compare two cars in M Sport trim on 19-inch wheels.

The i4 also includes an entry-level eDrive35 version with slightly less power and a smaller battery, giving you the choice of a cheaper model if you can put up with its lower range estimate.

The i4 is slightly faster than an equivalent i5, although the difference is negligible. You would notice much more difference in the handling characteristics of these cars if you were to drive them back to back. The i4 is sportier, more agile and more rigid, whereas the i5 is more comfort-focused with a softer suspension setup and light steering. And it’s more refined than the i4 at motorway speeds, becoming nearly silent at a cruise.

Value

These cars’ list prices for new examples are only half the story. Plus, very few customers will pay the asking price because these cars find favour as company cars, so the £8,000 difference will only mean a small increase in the monthlies.

Happily, for used buyers, both of these cars drop a lot of their initial value quite quickly – as is often the case with electric car depreciation. After less than a year on the road, you can pick up an i5 for half price, so you can feel smug at having saved nearly £40,000.

We compared two 75-plate eDrive40 cars in M Sport trim with roughly 5,000 miles on the clock, and found that the i5 would only be a couple of thousand pounds more than the i4. If you’re taking out PCP finance, the monthly difference would be small – at which point it might feel like a better deal to get the larger car.

Of course, an i4 eDrive35 with its smaller battery is the cheapest way to get into an electric BMW saloon.

Which is best?

The BMW i4 is the sportier of the two cars, so it’s the one to go for if you value an engaging driving experience. It’s also available for considerably less money if you stick with its smaller battery.

But, comparing two more equal examples, the i5’s enhanced ride comfort and refinement is likely to win out – especially if you’re regularly racking up the miles. If you’re considering one of these cars for family duties, we’d recommend going for the i5 Touring estate with its cavernous boot space.

For more information on these two brilliant BMW EVs, read our BMW i4 review and BMW i5 review. Ready to purchase? Shop used BMW i4 cars and used BMW i5 cars for sale at Motorpoint.