BMW i5 review

While many people dream of being driven around in a luxury limo, few of us will ever be able to afford either the car or a chauffeur. The BMW i5 might be the answer: it promises first-class comfort at a more attainable business-class price.

You see, the i5 is the all-electric version of the BMW 5 Series executive saloon. Indeed, the two look almost identical – the i5 wears a few "i" badges and has blanked-off front vents that help boost aerodynamics, but that’s about it.

BMW i5 video review

So, what else might you be considering if you want an electric luxury car? Well, the Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE are the i5's main rivals, but if you can spend a bit more, you could also look at the Porsche Taycan – a sporty take on the electric saloon.

Read on to find out how the BMW i5 stacks up against the best electric cars...

What’s new?
- October 2023: First i5s delivered in the UK.
- May 2023: i5 saloon launched in eDrive40 and M60 xDrive forms, both with 81.2kWh battery. Max charging 205kW.

In entry-level eDrive40 form, the BMW i5 has a single electric motor that delivers 335bhp to the rear wheels.

It doesn’t offer the same hit of acceleration as the Audi E-tron GT, Porsche Taycan or even the cheaper Tesla Model 3 Long Range, but it does feel more eager than a Mercedes EQE 350+. We timed one at our private test track accelerating from 0-60mph in 5.6sec – in other words, it has all the performance most drivers will want.

That said, if you do want to be pushed harder into your seat during acceleration, there's the performance-focused 593bhp M60 model. It has an electric motor on each axle for four-wheel drive, and slashes the official 0-62mph time to 3.8sec – only slightly slower than the pricier Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 can manage.

In terms of range, the eDrive40 can officially travel the farthest on a full charge, with a figure of around 380 miles. However, that still trails the EQE 350’s best figure of nearly 430 miles, while the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron with the bigger Performance battery option can travel up to around 470 miles for a similar price.

In our real-world winter range tests, the eDrive40 managed 253 miles on a full battery charge with a slightly disappointing efficiency of 3.1 miles per kWh (m/kWh). For comparison, the EQE 300 kept going for 300 miles with average efficiency of 3.4m/kWh. We haven't put the M60 xDrive through our own tests yet, but its official range is 315 miles, which is more competitive against the EQE 53 (306 miles).

The M60 gets adaptive suspension as standard, along with a four-wheel steering system that turns the angle of the rear wheels by up to 2.5 degrees to improve low-speed manoeuvrability. And while a Taycan feels more nimble, you still get a high level of grip, tidy body control and the weighty steering response is precise enough to let you corner with confidence.

As for the eDrive40, this feels much the same when driven up to eight-tenths, but when you push harder you find that it has less traction in wetter conditions. Without adaptive suspension (it's an expensive optional extra on the eDrive40) you also experience quite a bit more body lean through bends. That said, it still feels far more agile than the softer EQE.

The i5’s firmer set-up means that it deals with bumps in a more controlled manner and you feel less float than you do in the EQE on undulating country roads. 

It’s still more supple than the A6 e-tron at low speeds, but a small compromise is that the ride doesn’t quite fully settle down on the motorway. We suspect the optional adaptive suspension (that we tested on the car’s international launch) will provide a plusher ride. We would also avoid the largest 21in wheels if you want to maximise comfort. 

More successful is the calibration of the i5's brakes. The pedal responds consistently, allowing you to stop smoothly with ease.

You can also set the car’s energy-recovering regenerative braking system to an automatic mode, or choose from three levels of strength. The ‘high’ mode is strong enough to bring the car to a stop without you touching the brake pedal, while in auto mode, the i5 uses data from the sat-nav and onboard sensors to judge when to ramp up the effect. 

The i5 might generate more wind noise from around its door mirrors than the EQE, but it’s still a very quiet car. And the latest driver assistance tech is available to help you relax when you settle down to a cruise.

For example, there's an automated lane-change function that can steer you into the next lane automatically. You simply turn your head in the desired direction until you're looking towards the door mirror, and the car will indicate before performing the manoeuvre.

The automated steering inputs are very smooth and the system will only work once it has checked there is a gap in traffic.

“Considering the i5’s size, I find it’s easy to manoeuvre and doesn’t feel particularly wide or bulky at all.” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer

You find a suitably luxurious ambience inside the BMW i5, with everything feeling well assembled, lots of soft, padded surfaces on the dashboard, ambient lighting and glossy trim finishes throughout.

There’s no denying the i5 is a very expensive car and isn't anywhere near as plush inside as the flagship BMW i7. However, it's still significantly classier inside than both rivals, the Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE, which have plenty of initial wow factor, but feels disappointingly flimsy in places once you start touching things. 

Every i5 comes with comfortable front seats. These are supportive and offer standard electric adjustment for height and the backrest angle, although it's worth noting that adjustable lumbar support costs extra on entry-level Sport Edition trim. You don't sit as low as in some older BMW saloons, but you are closer to the ground than in an EQE.

Forward visibility also impresses, and while the view behind is more restricted, this isn't a major problem due to the fitment of a rear-view camera and all-round parking sensors as standard.

In addition, all i5s come with adaptive LED headlights, which you can leave on high beam at night (they actively shape their light field to avoid dazzling other drivers).

The 12.3in digital driver's display behind the steering wheel is placed right next to the 14.9in infotainment touchscreen, in the same housing to look like one giant curved screen. You can also pay extra for a head-up display, which projects useful information onto the windscreen right in front of your eyes.

This infotainment system runs the latest iDrive software, with a 5G sim card for connectivity. It's one of the best systems around, with sharp graphics, snappy responses and a generally user-friendly operating system.

You can control it by pressing the touchscreen, but there's also a rotary control interface between the front seats, which is less distracting to use when you're driving. Our only complaint is that you have to use the touchscreen or voice control to adjust interior temperature because there are no physical climate controls.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and a Harman Kardon sound system come as standard, with a Bowers & Wilkins upgrade available as an option. Wireless phone-charging is also included, with the tray accommodating up to two devices.

“It may not be hugely important for some drivers, but I find having to pay extra for adjustable lumbar support on Sport Edition is a bit mean at this price point.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

There’s loads of leg and head room in the front of the BMW i5, even if you've chosen a version with a panoramic glass roof. Meanwhile, storage space includes a pair of cupholders, a cubby beneath the central armrest and large door bins.

Similarly, two tall passengers will be more comfortable in the back of the i5 than they would be in the Audi A6 e-tron, Mercedes EQE or Porsche Taycan. That's not just because the i5 offers more space – its rear bench is mounted higher off the ground, so longer-legged occupants won't have to sit with their knees forced up towards their chin.

The seat base itself is also longer and provides better thigh support than the equivalent in an EQE. Unfortunately, a hump in the floor robs a central rear passenger of leg room, whereas the EQE has a flat floor. 

The i5 has 490 litres of boot space – which is marginally more than the EQE (430 litres) and a little less than the A6 e-tron (502 litres). There's also a deep underfloor storage area for cables. We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases inside – one more than we could fit in the EQE.

Being a saloon, the relatively small boot opening is a little restricting when it comes to loading larger items and the A6 e-tron’s larger hatchback opening has a clear advantage in this area. A powered bootlid is available as part of the optional Comfort Pack, but there's no storage area under the bonnet, as there is in the A6 e-tron and Taycan.

When you need more room, the rear seat back splits and folds down into three sections (40/20/40) – as it does in the Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE. If you're looking for more practicality, you're likely to be interested in the estate version. To find out more about that see our BMW i5 Touring review.

“As a car to travel in, I’d pick the i5 to be a rear seat passenger in. There’s just more room all-round for my 5ft 11 height.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

We said at the beginning that the BMW i5 promises first-class levels of refinement and comfort, at a more attainable business class price. But a business class ticket still doesn't come cheap.

Indeed, while the entry-level i5 – the eDrive40 in Sport Edition trim – fractionally undercuts the equivalent Mercedes EQE 350+, once you’ve added a few options to your i5 (and we reckon you'll want to do so) the difference between the two cars is negligible.

Even an entry-level Porsche Taycan doesn’t cost significantly more than our preferred M Sport trim, although this price gap opens up again once you've specced the Taycan to the level we think necessary.

As for the i5 M60, this is obviously even more expensive, but it does undercut the equivalent AMG EQE 53 and Taycan GTS. What's more, all i5s are available with sizable discounts on our i5 deals page.

The i5 is predicted to lose its value more slowly than the EQE, too, at a similar rate to an A6 e-tron. And, like all electric cars, it will make more sense as a company car than a petrol-powered equivalent because of the benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax savings on offer.

Both versions of the i5 have a maximum charging speed of 205kW. A 10-minute charge can add around 150 miles of range to the battery (in ideal conditions at a very fast charging point), while a 10-80% top-up will  take around half an hour.

The EQE takes a similar amount of time to top up by that amount, although both trail the Taycan’s 270kW peak charging speed and 20-minute 10-80% top-up time.

As we said, Sport Edition trim is the cheapest available, and includes 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, two-zone climate control, cruise control, heated front seats and an EV heat pump.

We think it’s worth upgrading to M Sport, which brings stylistic changes and M Sport suspension. Meanwhile, M Sport Pro fits larger 20in wheels, black exterior highlights, an illuminated front grille and a subtle rear spoiler.

In the What Car? Reliability Survey, BMW finished sixth out of the 30 manufacturers included. That was above Audi, Jaguar and Mercedes. The i5 was too new to feature as a specific model.

BMW gives you a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, and the i5's battery gets a separate warranty for eight years or 100,000 miles.

All versions of the i5 come with a host of electronic driver aids, including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and rear cross-traffic alert as part of the standard-fit Driving Assistant Pack. These aids helped the i5 score five stars (out of five) for safety when it was appraised by Euro NCAP.

That said, if you drill down into the scores you'll see that the A6 e-tron and EQE scored slightly better marks for adult crash protection.

“There are several option packs to choose from but I reckon the Comfort Pack is worth going for, with a heated steering wheel, a powered tailgate and keyless entry.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Buy it if...

- You frequently need to cater for rear seat occupants

- You’re after a big saloon that’s good to drive 

- You want a more user-friendly infotainment sytem

Don’t buy it if…

- A long battery range is a major priority 

- You’re hoping the interior is as luxurious as pricier BMWs

- You frequently need to load large items in and out of the boot

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