As much as I love my i3 as a commuter, and I have grown to appreciate it's quirky looks, I think this is a step in the right direction. However I agree with the OP, I hope there is a bit more forward thinking in terms of design than just the 530e and the 330e, which are fine cars, but a bit boring imho.
The iX3 IMHO is okay, but still a bit too close to the X3. The i4 looks like a good blend of i innovation and mainstream design:
My i3:
20170805 - i3 Lower Grand - IMG_1116-Edit_100 by
JMG, on Flickr