i4 Gran Coupe

Make
BMW
Segment
Sedan

If you're not aware, the moose test is quite a big deal in many European countries. New vehicles are often subjected to the strenuous evasive maneuver to see how they will respond to an unexpected obstruction in the roadway. Sometimes, large vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class surprise us with their performance in the test but there have been a few surprisingly poor contenders.

The BMW i4 is the latest to underwhelm the team over at km77.com. The test unit in question, a white eDrive40, surprised the test driver with sudden oversteer halfway through the maneuver. But the entry speed of 77 km/h (47.8 mph) overwhelmed the BMW. While it turned in quickly, the back of the car stepped out and sent the electric Bimmer hurtling towards the cones on the other side. It may look dramatic, but the tester notes the ESC and counter-steering prevented any scary situations.

At 73 km/h (45 mph), the BMW put on a much better show. There's a hint of initial understeer before the vehicle corrects itself and performs the maneuver without hitting any cones. But, as the tester notes, the soft suspension doesn't allow for quicker times. Interestingly, the Tesla Model Y did a much better job and was able to safely avoid the obstacle at 52 mph - better than the high-performance BMW M4 even.

Any speed higher than 45 mph results in a fairly dramatic showing; the BMW can't quite cope with the sudden movement and hits several cones in the process. "The biggest drawback we found is that the driver needs to be cautious when driving because...some throttle, braking, and [steering inputs] end up having a strange [effect on the rear end]."

In the slalom test, the BMW doesn't do much better. With the ESC disconnected, the i4 loses control and slides off the track.

It's not all bad news, though. The tester says that with an experienced driver behind the wheel, the BMW i4 is a fun and engaging car to drive. We've seen just how agile it can be after a professional driver piloted the i4 up China's treacherous Tianmen mountain pass and, recently, the more powerful M50 put on an impressive show at this year's Simola Hill Climb.

Rather surprisingly, the BMW X3 aced the test earlier this year. Despite the higher center of gravity and slower steering, the compact luxury SUV blitzed through at 48 mph and only showed signs of stress at 51 mph. As a reminder, the base model i4 eDrive40 produces 335 horsepower, allowing it to hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. The battery-powered German has a maximum range of 301 miles and a starting MSRP of $55,900 (before incentives).