Compare the2025 Volvo EC40VS 2024 BMW i4

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EC40 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW i4 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the EC40 and i4 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The EC40 Ultimate has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The i4’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EC40 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The i4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EC40 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The i4 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The EC40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The i4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the EC40’s standard Hill Descent Control allow you to creep down safely. The i4 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the EC40 and i4 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the EC40 has Braking Intervention (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The i4’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the EC40 and the i4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volvo EC40 electric motors is faster than the i4 xDrive40 electric motors:

On the EPA test cycle the EC40 gets better mileage than the i4:

The EC40 can travel longer on a full charge than the i4 on a full charge:

For better traction, the EC40 has larger tires than the i4 (235/45R20 vs. 225/50R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EC40 Core has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the i4.

For better maneuverability, the EC40’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the i4’s (37.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The EC40 is 1 foot, 1.7 inches shorter than the i4, making the EC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EC40 has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the i4.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the EC40’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The i4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The EC40 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The i4 has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the EC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The i4 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the i4, the EC40 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the EC40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The i4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EC40 has a standard rear wiper. The i4 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EC40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The i4 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo EC40 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the i4.