VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
BMW i42022–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a BMW i4
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
BMW i4 Years to Avoid
5 recalls · 38 complaints
9 reported injuries
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3 recalls · 15 complaints
8 reported injuries
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5 recalls · 10 complaints
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 1 past investigation into the i4 became recall.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of October 28, 2026.
BMW i4 — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 74 | 38 | 61 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 1 | 6 | — | — | 74 | 53 | 67 | Good |
| 2024 | 3 | 15 | 8 | — | 64 | 66 | 65 | Caution |
| 2023 | 5 | 38 | 9 | — | 49 | 76 | 58 | Avoid |
| 2022 | 5 | 10 | — | — | 72 | 83 | 76 | Caution |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known BMW i4 Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the i4 compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year i4 to buy?+
The 2025 BMW i4 scores highest on our Buyer Score (67/100) — combining a reliability score of 74/100 with a value score of 53/100. It has 1 recall and 6 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which i4 years have the most problems?+
The 2023, 2024, 2022 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2023 i4 leads with 5 recalls and 38 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common i4 problems?+
The most frequently reported BMW i4 issues involve: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.