The BMW i3 is a compact car built from 2014 to 2021. Most were assembled in Germany — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: Plug-in hybrid, Electric. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the i3 is
The BMW i3 is a compact car that BMW built from 2014 to 2021 — 8 model years. It has been offered with Plug-in hybrid, Electric power. Its closest siblings in the BMW range: M4, i8, M2.
Where the i3 is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 173 i3s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WBY | 2014-2017 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a BMW VIN decide which of these 1 lines your i3 belongs to. What every character in a i3 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a BMW i3 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
BMW i3 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment i3 owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the BMW i3 have? Power & range
The BMW i3 is offered with 2 powertrains — Electric, 0.6L 2-cyl Plug-in hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the BMW i3, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Electric motor | Single-speed | RWD | Electricity |
| Plug-in hybrid | 0.6L · 2-cyl | Single-speed | RWD | Premium Gas or Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The i3 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the BMW i3. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | i3 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 17 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 180 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,304/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 115 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the BMW i3?
The i3 is a compact car, built from 2014 to 2021. Engines offered: Plug-in hybrid, Electric.
Where is the BMW i3 made?
Across 173 cars in our records the split is: Germany (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the BMW i3 warranty?
New models carry 4 years / 50,000 miles basic cover and 4 years / 50,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the i3 reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific i3?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
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