#BMW IDRIVE 8 REVIEW DRIVER#
#BMW IDRIVE 8 REVIEW ANDROID#
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On the M4, the driver recorder function is now a stand-alone option.Įlsewhere, the Shadowline Package now gets M Sport brakes with red or blue calipers, and a new Skyscraper Grey metallic paint replaces Bluestone metallic.

#BMW IDRIVE 8 REVIEW SERIES#

A synthetic leather dashboard is now optional on all 4 Series models.

#BMW IDRIVE 8 REVIEW PROFESSIONAL#

The Driving Assistance Professional Package is out and the Premium Package’s head-up display is now only available on the M440i, while the Parking Assist Package has returned and adaptive LED headlights are no longer available as a stand-alone option. Gone are many buttons and controllers in favor of an emphasis on voice and touch controls - emphasized all the more because, like many other Bimmers for 2023, also gone from the lineup is gesture control.įor models on sale before March, however, the interior largely carries over. Related: 2021 BMW M440i Convertible Review: Escape Artistīoth the regular 4 Series and the performance-minded M4 soon will house BMW’s curved display, which features a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a 14.9-inch control display all running on BMW’s iDrive 8 system. It’s well suited to the new EVs.The BMW 4 Series continues into 2023 with slight revisions to its packaging, a new paint color and new pricing after its variants received a refresh for 20, but the biggest change is inside: Starting in March, all 4 Series will come with a curved display and the latest multimedia system for the dashboard and infotainment.

Version 8.0 is a worthwhile iDrive upgrade, largely dodging gimmicks in favour of a combination of slick visuals and intuitive interaction. And the voice assistant stumbles over some simple commands unless they’re phrased in a specific way. The loss of physical heating and ventilation controls, including those for the heated seats, is a backwards step.

#BMW IDRIVE 8 REVIEW ANDROID#

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported, as is increasingly normal, but here they’re integrated in the best way we’ve ever seen – with maps viewable on the instrument panel as if they were part of BMW’s own software. You’ll be able to pay for parking or charging directly from the map, and over-the-air updates ensure you’ll always have the latest version. The factory sat-nav will learn your habits, anticipating the destination you’re heading to based on past behaviour – this works surprisingly well. Information is presented via pin-sharp screens, albeit with an excess of polygons. There’s a vertical menu system that makes as much sense on a touchscreen as it does on a scroll wheel. Whether you’re familiar with previous BMW systems or it’s all new to you, you won’t take long to get up to speed, as it’s so intuitively arranged. However you navigate it, OS 8 is easy to find your way around.

But it’s our old friend the iDrive scroll wheel that’s the most welcome carry-over from the previous system, great for making adjustments on the move without taking your eyes off the road. Gesture control remains an option best ignored. You can go via the touchscreen, which feels the most natural for some interactions. You get to choose from four different ways of controlling various functions. No full-width hyperscreens here – what you get is a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch central infotainment display, seamlessly joined to look like one ultra-wide screen. The first cars to be fitted with it are the electric iX and i4, and the 2-series Active Tourer.Īs flagship infotainment systems go, it’s discreet. Underpinning the latest evolution of iDrive is BMW’s Operating System 8 – a new generation of processors, software, displays and controls. But the latest version of the iDrive information, communications and entertainment system – dubbed BMW OS8 – is claimed to be a significant step forward, and arrives on a wave of buzzwords: intuitive, intelligent, proactive, adaptive… But what exactly is it, and is it any good? It’s been a feature of BMW cabins for two decades, with regular upgrades in that time. ► New BMW iDrive OS8 reviewed► Debuted first in iX, then i4

Bmw idrive 8 review