Comparison: Ground clearance BMW i3 vs. competitors 2024

Let's delve into the fascinating world under the BMW i3, not to explore its whimsical undercarriage electronics, but rather its ground clearance - a figure of paramount importance to speed bump enthusiasts and urban adventurers alike. Ground clearance, for the uninitiated, could be considered the automotive equivalent of wearing platform shoes; it's all about how high you're lifted above the mundane surface of the road. The BMW i3, with its urbanely futuristic design, steers the conversation towards how it stands – quite literally – in comparison to its forebears, contemporary siblings within the BMW lineage, and, crucially, those pesky rivals that are always up for comparison.
Table of contents:

BMW i3 - How has the ground clearance changed over the generations?

In the tale of the BMW i3 from its inception, we see a staggering... 1 mm drop in ground clearance, from the original 140 mm in the 2013-2017 model to a slightly more road-hugging 139 mm in its 1. Facelift iteration from 2017-2022. While some may argue that losing a millimeter is neither here nor there, it is, perhaps, a subtle nod to improved aerodynamics or the designers' desire to keep us ever-so-slightly more grounded. Regardless, this mild adjustment shows that the i3's evolution is as much about refinement as it is about revolution.
The difference in Ground clearance between first generation (i3 I01) from 2013 and last generation (i3 I01 (1. Facelift)) from 2017 is 0.1cm mm.
The ground clearance of the current generation of i3 is 139 mm.

The ground clearance compared to other BMW models

When it comes to its BMW brethren, the i3's ground clearance is akin to standing on one's tiptoes amidst a crowd of loafers. With the sportier and more svelte members of the family like the M Series singing their ground-hugging anthem with clearances as low as 113 mm in the M4 CSL Coupé, the i3 appears almost towering with its comparatively lofty 139-140 mm stature. It aligns more closely with the crossovers and taller sedans in the BMW family, nudging the notion that it's not just about how fast you go, but also about where you can go.

BMW i3 vs other current cars by BMW

(Ground clearance)
Ground clearance: i3 vs. other models by BMW
Variant nameGround clearance
4{series} M4 CSL Coupé 113 mm
Z4 M Performance Roadster 114 mm
Z4 Roadster 117 mm
8{series} Cabrio 118 mm
5{series} M5 CS Limousine 119 mm
3{series} M3 CS Limousine 119 mm
3{series} M3 Limousine 120 mm
4{series} M4 Coupé 120 mm
8{series} Coupé 121 mm
4{series} M4 Cabrio 121 mm
3{series} M3 Touring 122 mm
2{series} M2 Coupé 123 mm
4{series} Cabrio 124 mm
8{series} M Performance Cabrio 125 mm
i4 125 mm
i4 M Performance 125 mm
4{series} M Performance Cabrio 126 mm
8{series} M8 Cabrio 127 mm
4{series} Coupé 127 mm
8{series} Gran Coupé 128 mm
8{series} M Performance Coupé 128 mm
8{series} M Performance Gran Coupé 128 mm
2{series} M Performance Coupé 128 mm
4{series} M Performance Coupé 129 mm
8{series} M8 Coupé 130 mm
8{series} M8 Gran Coupé 130 mm
3{series} M Performance Limousine 130 mm
3{series} M Performance Touring 130 mm
2{series} M Performance Cabrio 130 mm
5{series} M Performance Limousine 131 mm
5{series} M5 Limousine 132 mm
i7 136 mm
i7 M Performance 136 mm
i5 M Performance Limousine 136 mm
7{series} 136 mm
7{series} M Performance 136 mm
i5 M Performance Touring 137 mm
6{series} GT 138 mm
5{series} Touring 140 mm
3{series} Limousine 140 mm
3{series} Touring 140 mm
4{series} Gran Coupé 140 mm
4{series} M Performance Gran Coupé 140 mm
2{series} Coupé 140 mm
2{series} Cabrio 140 mm
5{series} Limousine 144 mm
i5 Limousine 146 mm
i5 Touring 147 mm
1{series} 153 mm
1{series} M Performance 153 mm
iX2 167 mm
iX1 170 mm
2{series} Active Tourer 171 mm
iX3 179 mm
X2 182 mm
X1 M Performance 189 mm
iX 203 mm
iX M Performance 203 mm
X3 204 mm
X3 M 204 mm
X3 M Performance 204 mm
X4 204 mm
X4 M 204 mm
X4 M Performance 204 mm
X1 205 mm
X5 M 212 mm
X6 M 212 mm
X5 214 mm
X5 M Performance 214 mm
X6 216 mm
X6 M Performance 216 mm
X7 221 mm
X7 M Performance 221 mm
1. 4{series} M4 CSL Coupé 113 mm
2. Z4 M Performance Roadster 114 mm
3. Z4 Roadster 117 mm
4. 8{series} Cabrio 118 mm
5. 5{series} M5 CS Limousine 119 mm
6. 3{series} M3 CS Limousine 119 mm
7. 3{series} M3 Limousine 120 mm
8. 4{series} M4 Coupé 120 mm
9. 8{series} Coupé 121 mm
10. 4{series} M4 Cabrio 121 mm
11. 3{series} M3 Touring 122 mm
12. 2{series} M2 Coupé 123 mm
13. 4{series} Cabrio 124 mm
14. 8{series} M Performance Cabrio 125 mm
15. i4 125 mm
16. i4 M Performance 125 mm
17. 4{series} M Performance Cabrio 126 mm
18. 8{series} M8 Cabrio 127 mm
19. 4{series} Coupé 127 mm
20. 8{series} Gran Coupé 128 mm
21. 8{series} M Performance Coupé 128 mm
22. 8{series} M Performance Gran Coupé 128 mm
23. 2{series} M Performance Coupé 128 mm
24. 4{series} M Performance Coupé 129 mm
25. 8{series} M8 Coupé 130 mm
26. 8{series} M8 Gran Coupé 130 mm
27. 3{series} M Performance Limousine 130 mm
28. 3{series} M Performance Touring 130 mm
29. 2{series} M Performance Cabrio 130 mm
30. 5{series} M Performance Limousine 131 mm
31. 5{series} M5 Limousine 132 mm
32. i7 136 mm
33. i7 M Performance 136 mm
34. i5 M Performance Limousine 136 mm
35. 7{series} 136 mm
36. 7{series} M Performance 136 mm
37. i5 M Performance Touring 137 mm
38. 6{series} GT 138 mm
39. 5{series} Touring 140 mm
40. 3{series} Limousine 140 mm
41. 3{series} Touring 140 mm
42. 4{series} Gran Coupé 140 mm
43. 4{series} M Performance Gran Coupé 140 mm
44. 2{series} Coupé 140 mm
45. 2{series} Cabrio 140 mm
46. 5{series} Limousine 144 mm
47. i5 Limousine 146 mm
48. i5 Touring 147 mm
49. 1{series} 153 mm
50. 1{series} M Performance 153 mm
51. iX2 167 mm
52. iX1 170 mm
53. 2{series} Active Tourer 171 mm
54. iX3 179 mm
55. X2 182 mm
56. X1 M Performance 189 mm
57. iX 203 mm
58. iX M Performance 203 mm
59. X3 204 mm
60. X3 M 204 mm
61. X3 M Performance 204 mm
62. X4 204 mm
63. X4 M 204 mm
64. X4 M Performance 204 mm
65. X1 205 mm
66. X5 M 212 mm
67. X6 M 212 mm
68. X5 214 mm
69. X5 M Performance 214 mm
70. X6 216 mm
71. X6 M Performance 216 mm
72. X7 221 mm
73. X7 M Performance 221 mm

How does the ground clearance of the BMW i3 compare to it's nearest competitors?

Pitting the i3 against the automotive playground's other contenders brings a mixed bag of results. The Infiniti EX, for example, lords over with a tenacious 149 mm, clearly aiming to conquer more than just tarmac territories. Meanwhile, the Audi Q5 sports a 200 mm clearance, an undoubted champion in the limbo dance of ground clearances. On the flip end, the Hyundai IONIQ and Mazda 2 Hybrid stand with their bellies closer to the ground at 140 mm and 135 mm respectively, making the i3's ground stance appear rather middling. And let's not even start with the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Klasse at 187 mm, which must think there's a flood coming. In this varied landscape, the BMW i3 stands as a testament to balance - neither scraping its undercarriage at every opportunity nor aspiring to be a makeshift SUV. It's the urban electric, after all, designed for those concrete jungles, not to go gallivanting off into the savannah.

BMW i3 vs. similar cars

(Ground clearance)
Ground clearance: BMW i3 vs. similar cars
Car modelGround clearance
Skoda Enyaq iV 2021187 mm
ARI Motors 902 2023170 mm
Sono Motors Sion 2021165 mm
Daewoo Nexia 1995160 mm
Elaris Leo 2021160 mm
ARI Motors 452/802 2019150 mm
Fiat Topolino 2023150 mm
Citroen Ami 2024150 mm
MG MG3 2024148 mm
Aiways U5 2020148 mm
Honda e 2020145 mm
BMW i3 2017139 mm
GWM ORA 03 2024135 mm
ARI Motors Soleno 2024135 mm
MG Marvel R 2021134 mm
Elaris Dyo 2023127 mm
BMW i4 2021125 mm
Renault Zoe 2013120 mm
1. Skoda Enyaq iV 2021 187 mm
2. ARI Motors 902 2023 170 mm
3. Sono Motors Sion 2021 165 mm
4. Daewoo Nexia 1995 160 mm
5. Elaris Leo 2021 160 mm
6. ARI Motors 452/802 2019 150 mm
7. Fiat Topolino 2023 150 mm
8. Citroen Ami 2024 150 mm
9. MG MG3 2024 148 mm
10. Aiways U5 2020 148 mm
11. Honda e 2020 145 mm
12. BMW i3 2017 139 mm
13. GWM ORA 03 2024 135 mm
14. ARI Motors Soleno 2024 135 mm
15. MG Marvel R 2021 134 mm
16. Elaris Dyo 2023 127 mm
17. BMW i4 2021 125 mm
18. Renault Zoe 2013 120 mm

Similar cars

BMW i4
Ground clearance:
-10% (125 mm)


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