# BMW iDrive 8: 10 Facts You Need to Know



## kspenser (Sep 18, 2019)

I writing this as an FYI and not intended to start a flame war but I finally got to sit in an i4 at an event and played around with the new iDrive. This post is specifically about functionality of the new system and nothing else. It's terrible. It's a huge step backwards. I didn't know where else to post this since this was the only relevant thread about it. I have watched about a dozen YouTube'rs drive the i4 and iX and give their reviews all of them had varying degrees of familiarity with BMW's based on how they spoke about iDrive 8. Clearly some had a good reference point to version 7 and others just gushed over the curved display and "layout" of the new tiles/apps etc but most of them remarked about the most egregious decision BMW has made since the awful 3 and 4 series grille's-the removal of climate control buttons. It's horrendous to use. It's terribly designed. Nothing about it is functional. I am not in the market for an i4 or iX so I thought, "who cares-maybe this is just the new EV design language only.." BUT THEN the new 3-series was just announced, and the new X1, and today was the new X7 M60i and they all have this updated design language with iDrive 8. The most annoying thing is how you navigate in the software to and from the seat heating/cooling and back to the main AC/Climate controls. It's the worst UX design I've seen in a long time. I can't really describe it but just search on YouTube for a review and someone will have a video of it. I used to sell my friend's on how intuitive and amazing BMW's iDrive system was, how they keep improving it and with each iteration give you more detail and layout and design choice. Version 8 is none of this. The "10 great facts above" might be a good reference point but number 7 is the biggest problem-the way it's written is like BMW knows it's terrible from a UI and UX standpoint so they have to jump in front and convince you it's better but it's not. I also think the new landscape-oriented app tiles are not a good idea either. This is what happened from Version 5 to Version 6. iDrive 6 had great improvement to the driver's dashboard but the left to right nature of the UI on the central infotainment screen wasn't great. I was ecstatic when I saw that iDrive 7 was focused on user navigation and quick menu shortcuts, coupled with the customizable layout with a split screen mode allowing you to choose what to put where. Now iDrive 8 reverts back to version 6's terrible navigation with just elongated, left to right boxes and they think that more is better because of the wider screen. The only thing I can compare this to is when Audi decided to remove the MMI's rotary controller and chose double touch-screens. It was a terrible decision and made drivers have to look away from the road more and the UX and UI is/was annoying to navigate. The rotary controller is still here to stay with BMW but it doesn't help or augment the driver like it does in current generations with iDrive 7. I am honestly anxious that I won't be buying a new BMW for a long time unless in a few years the feedback is so bad that they redesign a version 8.5 or put physical buttons back in the cars with an LCI update to something. For those of you excited about getting a new BMW next year or soon and love the large curved displays, just know you'll seriously hate how iDrive 8 works. As I was learning it and playing with it the final takeaway I had was, "I guess I would get used to it after a while, but I wouldn't enjoy it at all..." and that's sad-if the infotainment system would potentially detract from the overall driving experience then I can't buy it. I'm hoping my '22 X5 45e will last 10 years....sigh....


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## banrek (7 mo ago)

I'm digging the new look, feels more modern.
In a sense it's a bit maybe going too far, I'm not a fan of the majority of the functions being integrated into the touchscreen, it complicates things.
The AI probably will be a fail, as most are, personal assistants don't get to be very inteligent.
This is the direction most manufacturers are going though so who am I to go against the flow.


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## iklo (Jan 17, 2011)

How far can customization go? Can I turn off all of the multicolor ambient garbage and leave only speedometer and tachometer recreating the Classic BMW look? Furthermore, can I change the shape of the dials: is it possible to have the tachometer needle go clockwise like the rest of the world does?


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## SS (Dec 20, 2001)

kspenser said:


> I writing this as an FYI and not intended to start a flame war but I finally got to sit in an i4 at an event and played around with the new iDrive. This post is specifically about functionality of the new system and nothing else. It's terrible. It's a huge step backwards. I didn't know where else to post this since this was the only relevant thread about it. I have watched about a dozen YouTube'rs drive the i4 and iX and give their reviews all of them had varying degrees of familiarity with BMW's based on how they spoke about iDrive 8. Clearly some had a good reference point to version 7 and others just gushed over the curved display and "layout" of the new tiles/apps etc but most of them remarked about the most egregious decision BMW has made since the awful 3 and 4 series grille's-the removal of climate control buttons. It's horrendous to use. It's terribly designed. Nothing about it is functional. I am not in the market for an i4 or iX so I thought, "who cares-maybe this is just the new EV design language only.." BUT THEN the new 3-series was just announced, and the new X1, and today was the new X7 M60i and they all have this updated design language with iDrive 8. The most annoying thing is how you navigate in the software to and from the seat heating/cooling and back to the main AC/Climate controls. It's the worst UX design I've seen in a long time. I can't really describe it but just search on YouTube for a review and someone will have a video of it. I used to sell my friend's on how intuitive and amazing BMW's iDrive system was, how they keep improving it and with each iteration give you more detail and layout and design choice. Version 8 is none of this. The "10 great facts above" might be a good reference point but number 7 is the biggest problem-the way it's written is like BMW knows it's terrible from a UI and UX standpoint so they have to jump in front and convince you it's better but it's not. I also think the new landscape-oriented app tiles are not a good idea either. This is what happened from Version 5 to Version 6. iDrive 6 had great improvement to the driver's dashboard but the left to right nature of the UI on the central infotainment screen wasn't great. I was ecstatic when I saw that iDrive 7 was focused on user navigation and quick menu shortcuts, coupled with the customizable layout with a split screen mode allowing you to choose what to put where. Now iDrive 8 reverts back to version 6's terrible navigation with just elongated, left to right boxes and they think that more is better because of the wider screen. The only thing I can compare this to is when Audi decided to remove the MMhI's rotary controller and chose double touch-screens. It was a terrible decision and made drivers have to look away from the road more and the UX and UI is/was annoying to navigate. The rotary controller is still here to stay with BMW but it doesn't help or augment the driver like it does in current generations with iDrive 7. I am honestly anxious that I won't be buying a new BMW for a long time unless in a few years the feedback is so bad that they redesign a version 8.5 or put physical buttons back in the cars with an LCI update to something. For those of you excited about getting a new BMW next year or soon and love the large curved displays, just know you'll seriously hate how iDrive 8 works. As I was learning it and playing with it the final takeaway I had was, "I guess I would get used to it after a while, but I wouldn't enjoy it at all..." and that's sad-if the infotainment system would potentially detract from the overall driving experience then I can't buy it. I'm hoping my '22 X5 45e will last 10 years....sigh....


To be honest, you're dead on, except your complaints about the Widgets...the ability to have the map up and scroll through various widgets is absolutely amazing! Other than that, iDrive 8 is a step backwards, and I'm pissed. I have 7 in my M8CC, had it in my 21 X7, and now I have 8 in my 23' X7. While the 23' drives head and shoulders above the 21', the 8 button removals, etc., have me absolutely going crazy to the point I'm beginning to resent this new car I love for so many other reasons. They've taken away the buttons, given us a very slow application that requires many extra steps, the need to find the menu (crashing the vehicle prior to then due to all the time it takes), and they've removed many important features I had even on the 21'! I'm extremely technical, and 8 simply is not too Driver Friendly AT ALL!!! Someone is gonna crash their car thanks to the stupid button removal/requirement to fiddle through tons of menus just to get to one darn feature that could've been done with one press of a button in a split second. 

I love the screen now that I have it. I love the looks of the menus. I absolutely do not like how daunting every infinitesimal task can be to accomplish!


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## msport34 (Nov 14, 2021)

I have had some time with I drive 8! The graphics and screen are amazing. Love the new features of it. That being said. I wish there were some buttons that remained to have a blended experience.


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## BacHANsUbeaBlesy (23 d ago)

iDrive 8 looks amazing!


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