Back Story:
My Model Y lease is ending, and I’ve been exploring options for a replacement. This was my second Tesla. Getting a new Model Y was not appealing because it feels outdated, especially with the new Model 3 Highland release. Tesla not updating the Model Y was a big miss.
I test-drove the Model 3 Highland, and it’s definitely an improvement in terms of feel, overall quality, and sound isolation. I didn’t mind the new turn signals on the wheel, but the vision-based park assist was disappointing and less accurate than having a 3D surround view. It seems Tesla went too far in simplifying and cutting costs by removing sensors.
The Model 3 Highland, while nice, didn’t excite me. In my opinion, they should have made more changes than just the headlights and taillights to keep it fresh. Also, Tesla’s color options have become quite dull, especially since Teslas are so common on the road now.
Additionally, Tesla’s lease-return team is very unresponsive. They rarely answer phone calls and take weeks to reply to emails with generic responses. The customer service is terrible.
I visited a BMW dealer out of curiosity and ended up leasing an i4 M50 for about the same price as a Model 3 Long Range. Despite the higher sticker price on the BMW, the dealers are offering significant discounts.
Initial Impressions:
The BMW has much better ride quality, sound isolation, and overall material quality compared to my Model Y. The Model 3 Highland falls somewhere in the middle, but the BMW’s materials are still much better.
BMW has nailed the EV driving dynamics, on par with Tesla. The one-pedal driving is smooth, and the throttle mapping is excellent.
The M50 model is incredibly quick, probably comparable to the Model 3 Performance rather than the Long Range.
The hatchback style trunk on the i4 offers more usable cargo space than the Model 3, though the Model 3 has more rear legroom.
The i4’s brakes are much larger than Tesla’s, stopping about 11 feet quicker than the Model 3 according to my research.
The Harman Kardon sound system in the BMW is noticeably clearer and better than the Model Y’s sound system, though the Model Y still sounds good. I didn’t get to test the Highland’s sound system.
The tech in the BMW is surprisingly close to Tesla. The UI is comparable in responsiveness, and features like driving assist, app integration, and drive recorder are closer to Tesla than I expected.
BMW offers many customization options for exterior and interior colors, allowing for a unique car unlike many Teslas on the road.
The range on the BMW is closer to Tesla’s than stated. Tesla overestimates range, while BMW underestimates it. The Tesla might have a slight edge, but the difference seems negligible.
Having a dealership for support and questions is a huge plus for me. While I appreciate Tesla’s no-negotiation policy, their lack of customer service is unacceptable. I hope this changes in the future.
Tesla’s frequent software updates are nice, though only a few each year add meaningful new features. I might miss this on the BMW.
I’ll miss the Tesla frunk, especially for take-out food to avoid car smells. It’s disappointing that BMW didn’t include this feature.
The Tesla weighs less, which might hurt the BMW’s efficiency, but I don’t notice it while driving.
I’ll miss Tesla’s charging network, but I rarely use public chargers, so it wasn’t a deal-breaker. The BMW came with 2 years of free Electrify America charging. I hope the BMW gets Supercharger compatibility in 2025.
Overall, I’m very happy with my decision. It’s exciting to have something new and different since the Tesla had become boring to me. The BMW has “personality,” with different drive modes that change the car’s feel, styling, and colors. It’s important to keep an open mind and try new things instead of sticking to one manufacturer.