2018 BMW i3

BMW i3

BMW’s i3 has always been a bit of an oddball, and that’s why I like it. It’s a compact rear-drive hatch with a stance that’s almost cartoonish, a cabin draped in recycled fabric and eucalyptus, and the kind of finger-snap torque that makes city driving around Sandton or Sea Point a pleasure. Nothing else feels quite like it — not the Mini Electric, not the Volvo C40 Recharge, and definitely not the Nissan Leaf. The catch? You won’t be shopping around. There’s only one on the local market right now: a 2018 REx (Range Extender) model at R429,900. Used-car roulette, then, not a test drive buffet. That REx badge isn’t just for show. Back in 2018, when public charging stations in SA were about as common as a Springbok test win in Auckland, the little petrol generator under the boot was a lifeline — on paper at least. With 100,000 km on the odo, this i3’s lived a bit, but for a car designed to be driven, that’s par for the course. What made the i3 work for local buyers was its interior, which still feels upmarket and thoughtfully built, with just enough physical switchgear to keep things simple. No confusing trim walk, no wild spec choices — you know exactly what you’re getting, because there’s only one to choose from. In a world full of options, sometimes the only answer is the one in front of you, and that’s the point.