BMW’s All-New i3 Looks Like It Was Designed To Be Annoyingly Generic

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This week we have not one, but two takes on the all-new BMW i3. Also, we’ve been testing not one, not two, but three dashcams, so take a look at that too if you’re shopping around for one.

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By: Sergiu Tudose

The new BMW i3 is the carmaker’s second Neue Klasse model after the iX3, featuring a distinctive design that might take some getting used to. I just hope it looks way better in person than it does online, because otherwise we might have a crisis on our hands.

I’m talking about a “Crisis on Infinite Earths” type of crisis. Comic book Armageddon. BMW fanboys revolting. Civil War. I know I can’t be the only one feeling unsettled by the appearance of the new i3.

At first glance, it looks clean, yes. Balanced, sure. Modern in lots of ways – absolutely. It avoids anything even remotely resembling “excess”, and nothing immediately jumps out as offensive. But then I looked again, and then looked some more, and realized that something was wrong. There’s nothing to bite into, so to speak. The design is just not talking to me.

I do have high hopes that Neue Klasse styling does indeed look better in person. I’ll be driving the new iX3 this upcoming weekend and will report back to you guys asap with an in-depth review.

Allow me to read to you from the official press release and let’s break it down one paragraph at a time.

“The DNA of the BMW 3 Series, which has been successful for decades, is immediately apparent in its [the i3’s] modern 2.5-box design.” - Yeah, no. No, it isn’t. The only thing that’s immediately apparent is that the i3 looks like a sedan-shaped pod rather than a sporty four-door BMW.

“The outline of the new BMW i3 maintains the classic, sporty proportions typical of BMW. The new BMW i3 is unmistakably identifiable as a BMW.” - Also no. It is unmistakably identifiable as absolutely nothing. The overhangs are too short, the shoulder line is too low, and the car just looks too narrow, despite measuring 1.865 mm (73.4 in) in width. It’s wider than a 2026 BMW 3 Series G20, but you couldn’t tell just by looking at it.

It’s also nowhere near as sporty looking as the G20. Now that’s a vehicle that’s unmistakably identifiable as a BMW. It’s dynamic, it’s aggressive, it looks like it’s in motion even when standing still. The new i3, on the other hand, looks more like something that wants to hover, rather than make contact with the road.

I know all carmakers want to pretend like we’re the Jetsons now (thanks Elon), but we’re just not there yet as a society, and pushing quirky EVs on us is just not going to cut it. Especially when it’s at the expense of brand identity. BMW should be making EVs that look like electric BMWs. Not the other way around.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Agatie

The American public has never really warmed up to the idea of owning an electric vehicle. Even in the best times that followed the pandemic, electric vehicles have never reached 10% market share in the US. Even worse, the under-10% adoption rate has lingered for the past three years, before dropping to under 6% in 2026. This contrasts with over 25% (and growing fast) in Europe and over 50% in China. However, there are marked fluctuations in this trend. 

It's already clear that interest in electric vehicles grows exponentially as fuel prices rise. It happened during every oil crisis in modern history, even when there were no electric vehicles to speak of. Emissions regulations have been another factor that has put carmakers on notice to find alternatives to fossil fuels. That's why GM launched the EV1 in 1996. 

Still, crises, whether oil, financial, or health crises, make the greatest contribution to the development of modern cars. These are the times when the most fuel-efficient engines are developed. And also the times when the future of the electric automobile has been forged. However, there's a caveat: the high costs of going electric. This is the main reason why traditional carmakers have always reverted to ICE vehicles once oil prices subsided.

When Trump took office and vowed to kill the "green deal" and electric vehicles, ICE cars looked like a safe bet. Traditional carmakers jumped at the opportunity to sell their future for short-term profits. Battery factories and EV models were scrapped left and right, and everyone turned to hybrids as the "best of both worlds."

Only a year later, the Iran war causes oil prices to skyrocket, and the trend reverses again. Those who canceled their EV plans are starting to realize they bet on a dead horse. The average price of regular gas jumped toward $4 per gallon, while diesel is over $5 per gallon. In California, you can't find gas below $5.50 per gallon, though we're still far from the all-time-high prices from 2022.

The fate is once again making fun of the traditional carmakers, who bet on a dead horse when they scrapped EVs. Just when they thought Trump would deliver them an easy win, the president started a war that blew up oil prices and made owning a gas car a liability. As consumers once again flock to buy electric cars, the question arises: how did the car industry get everything so wrong?

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Gnaticov

If I’ve learned something about covering all kinds of vehicles over the years is never let your guard down. What does that mean? That whenever you are comfortable with the current car game, something will eventually disrupt your reality and will have you reconsider what is pretty and what isn’t.

The same goes for the technology features, as cars today have become personal computers on wheels. BMW is one of the companies that has decided to reinvent itself and step into the unknown. It has a brand new design language called the Neue Klasse, which premiered on the latest iX3, which celebrated its premiere last fall. Fast forward to this week, and the Munich-based auto marque has its second Neue Klasse model.

Christened the BMW i3, it shares nothing but the name with the electric hatch that left the assembly line for good in August 2022, after roughly 250,000 units saw the light of day. Production of this model took place at the Leipzig factory in Germany, whereas the i3 Sedan will enter production at the Munich facility. As its name suggests, this is an all-electric alternative to the future 3 Series, with which it shares very little.

One may have seen some comparisons between the BMW i3 Sedan and the future 3 Series and thought that they are almost identical, but the devil lies in the details. On top of that, the next 3er will utilize an updated version of the CLAR architecture, whereas the modern-day i3 is based on the Neue Klasse platform and shares its nuts and bolts with the iX3. Thus, it is safe to consider it a low-slung alternative to the latest BMW iX3.

The Elephant in the Room

Care to discuss the styling? It’s basically the thing that defines it. On a positive note, you won’t confuse it for any other Bimmer, for the time being, of course, because the Neue Klasse design language is coming to all future BMW models. The front fascia is said to express a mix between the old days and the modern era. There is a new kidney grille design, which is neatly integrated with the new headlights.

The DRL signature reminds us of certain Peugeots, and there is a generous air intake in the middle of bumper. The hood is now on the small side of things, and hides a small storage compartment below, which is used to store the charging cables. The new BMW i3 Sedan has flush door handles and some very clean lines across the profile. Due to the taillights, the back end is quite XM-ish, and that’s something to think about.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Cristian Agatie

Mercedes-Benz is trying another shot at conquering the luxury minivan segment with the VLE, the ultimate electric people carrier. Luxurious and chic, the VLE will soon have to convince buyers that it's better in every way than the incumbent, Volkswagen ID. Buzz. But will that be enough to earn its place on the market?

Mercedes-Benz might be better known for its limousines, like the S-Class, or its SUVs, like the GLE, but the German carmaker is more versatile than most might think. Mercedes-Benz makes arguably the most capable off-roader in the world with the G-Class, and it's also highly regarded for its commercial vehicles, such as the Vito/Metris.

Like other German carmakers, Mercedes-Benz has flooded the market with commercial vans and MPVs, confusing potential customers. It's not unusual to name a vehicle differently in certain markets. Still, Mercedes-Benz has also named its vans differently in the same market. The Vito name, for instance, has been used for its cheap panel vans, which are also available as people carriers. Meanwhile, the Viano name designates more luxurious variants for passenger transport.

However, with the third-generation model (W447), Mercedes-Benz decided to confuse people even more. The Viano name was abandoned as Mercedes-Benz made its people carrier luxurious enough to call it the "V-Class." This was meant to convey that Mercedes-Benz no longer considers it a van, but a new class in its lineup, only for minivans.

The Vito name carried over for commercial vans and entry-level passenger vans. Still, it was renamed as Metris in North America. It was a flop regardless, which is why Mercedes-Benz discontinued it in the US. Instead, Mercedes bet that its larger van, the Sprinter, would fill in the panel van position. At the same time, an even more luxurious people carrier called VLE would handle the passenger and business shuttle roles.

The Mercedes-Benz VLE might be seen as a successor to the V-Class if the V-Class were to have a replacement. However, the Germans decided to offer it exclusively as an electric luxury minivan, with the V-Class continuing its career as a combustion model. As such, the VLE is the sole successor to the all-electric EQV, adding to the confusion.

Looking at the VLE design, it's not hard to guess who the intended market is: China. The electric minivan is undoubtedly the most in-your-face model from Stuttgart, with a fake grille so huge that it would make even a BMW 7-Series G70 blush. This follows in the footsteps of recent designs like the GLC EQ, but really, the only thing I can think of is the Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept unveiled in China in 2018.

For the full article, please continue reading on our site.

By: Mircea Panait

Easily the most impressive full-electric sedan that money can buy in 2026, the all-new i3 has also been confirmed in longroof specification by its maker. Internally referred to as NA1, the i3 Touring is due in the latter part of 2026 with styling reminiscent of Theottle's latest renderings.

Theophilus Chin did not do the guesswork alone, but rather used the shadowy teaser images displayed on the screen behind group chief Oliver Zipse at the sedan's premiere in Munich. "Business customers and families will be particularly delighted," said the big kahuna.

Sitting closer to the ground than the iX3 sport utility vehicle, the i3 Touring is not coming to North America. To be produced exclusively at BMW Group Plant Munich, the zero-emission people carrier is likely to receive a full-on M version to match that of the sedan.

While on the subject of digitally envisioned wagons, Nikita Chuicko has recently worked its magic on bringing the Dodge Magnum back from the dead. Very similar in styling to what you get from the ailing Dodge brand's poor-selling Charger sedan and coupe, this Magnum is not going to materialize due to extremely low demand for wagons in the North American market.

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Over at General Motors, both Chevrolet and GMC prepare to surprise us with redesigned half-ton pickups in 2026 as 2027 models. Using both spy photos and the patent drawings for the Silverado 1500, the pixel artist known as AutoYa rendered the plusher Sierra 1500.

A very interesting blend of both old and new, the 2027 model year Sierra 1500 is more than just a good-looking truck. General Motors will also digitalize the cabin to a greater extent, and the next-generation frame should also be capable of greater towing and payload capacities.

Beyond these updates, General Motors will also debut a couple of new truck-specific V8 engines in the Sierra 1500 and its Chevrolet-branded sibling. The new small blocks replace the outgoing 5.3- and 6.2-liter units. In the C8-generation Corvette, the larger of two dual-injection engines is baptized LS6 and displaces 6.7 liters.

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Although the last week has been full of interesting spy photos, AMG has earned our attention because it continues testing 43-series GT Coupe prototypes when the C 63 and GLC 63 are steering away from the AMG division's 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four lump. For model year 2027, the GT Coupe may also drop the four-pot unit in favor of a more aurally pleasant sixer.

Coming with starry headlights and minor changes to its cockpit, the GT Coupe is certain to switch its M177-series V8 lumps to the M178 Evo introduced by the S 580 facelift. In this context, Evo stands for a lot more than only a flat-plane crank over the old cross-plane design.

Rumored with either 646 or 637 mechanical horsepower in the forthcoming CLE 63, the M178 Evo definitely suits the more exotic character of the GT 63. Together with subtle improvements for the AMG Speedshift MCT box and the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ system, the new V8 will serve the GT Coupe well in the Euro 7 era.

By: Bogdan Popa

autoevolution continued the dash cam review frenzy with two more models, both produced by 70mai. The A810S is an upgraded version of the A810 and promises 4K support with several new software gimmicks to improve performance in low light. The T800 is a different kind of beast, as it offers dual-4K support – yes, dual 4K, meaning the rear camera also has 4K resolution.

 Android Auto users have been quite busy this week. First, Google shipped a new update, bringing the app to version 15.6. The focus is still on under-the-hood changes, so no new front-facing features this time. However, Google seems to be cooking something big, and this build hides relevant hints on this front. 

Second, users have been struggling with two allegedly widespread issues. The first one causes the app to stop working on Google Pixel phones, unless users unlock their smartphones. The other glitch produces random app restarts, interrupting the experience in the middle of the drive. 

Last but not least, the Samsung Galaxy S26 started shipping to the first buyers with a major glitch. Android Auto isn't working, and all these users beg for Google to come up with a fix ASAP.

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