The BMW i8 is a compact car built from 2014 to 2020. Most were assembled in Germany — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: Hybrid. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the i8 is
The BMW i8 is a compact car that BMW built from 2014 to 2020 — 7 model years. It has been offered with Hybrid power. Its closest siblings in the BMW range: M4, M2, i3.
Where the i8 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 8 i8s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WBY | 2014-2020 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a BMW VIN decide which of these 1 lines your i8 belongs to. What every character in a i8 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a BMW i8 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
BMW i8 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment i8 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 i8 have? Power & range
The BMW i8 is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.5L 3-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the BMW i8, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 1.5L · 3-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | AWD | Premium and 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 i8 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the BMW i8. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | i8 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 8 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 10 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $8,865/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 18 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the BMW i8?
The i8 is a compact car, built from 2014 to 2020. Engines offered: Hybrid.
Where is the BMW i8 made?
Across 8 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 i8 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 i8 reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 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 i8?
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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