Used BMW i5 2023-present review

Some cars mark a genuine turning point – moments after which the segment is never quite the same again. The arrival of the BMW i5 in 2023 may well be one of them.

You see, the i5 is based on the BMW 5 Series, and it’s the first time this hugely popular executive car has been available with pure electric power. While this marked a big moment of change for the class and for BMW, the i5 didn’t exactly rip up the rulebook because, unlike the bespoke Mercedes EQE and Porsche Taycan, it’s based on the regular petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version. A fully electric BMW i5 Touring was also made available.

Engines and performance: The entry-level version of the i5, called eDrive40, is rear-wheel drive and produces 335bhp from its single electric motor. With 0-62mph taking 6.0sec, it’s similar to the EQE 350+ (6.1sec) but slower than the Taycan (4.8sec). We suspect there’ll be few complaints about its performance, though, because it gets away from the line surprisingly quickly for such a big car. You certainly never feel short on power.

The only other version of the i5 available is the four-wheel drive M60, which is faster than it has any right to be. It produces a mighty 593bhp from its dual electric motors and darts from 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds. That’s a fraction slower than the AMG EQE 53 and Taycan GTS, but it’s definitely not slow.

With a big executive car, you’ll want to minimise charge stops. Thankfully, a large 81.2kWh (usable capacity) battery enables the eDrive40 to do 357 miles, which is good but not quite a match for the EQE 350+ (422 miles) or Taycan (422 miles). As you’d expect with its vast power output, the M60 drops this to 315 miles – that’s more than the AMG EQE 53 (306 miles) but less than the Taycan GTS (394 miles).

In our real-world winter range test, the eDrive40 managed 253 miles on a full charge with a disappointing efficiency figure of 3.1 miles per kWh (m/kWh). For comparison, the EQE 300 managed 300 miles with average efficiency of 3.4m/kWh. We haven’t got any figures for the M60 version yet.

Ride and handling: The i5’s suspension is set up quite firm, so you feel less float over undulating roads than you do in the softer EQE, but the ride never quite settles down. The adaptive suspension, which is optional on the eDrive40 and standard on the M60, provides a plusher ride, so we’d recommend seeking that out if ride comfort is a priority. We would also avoid the largest 21in wheels, particularly on the eDrive40.

More successful is the calibration of the i5's brakes. The pedal responds consistently, allowing you to stop smoothly with ease. The steering is light, but quick, allowing you to place the car accurately on the road. Refinement is impressive, too, with minimal wind noise on the motorway.

The i5 is a big car, but without the adaptive suspension, you experience quite a bit of body lean in the bends. That said, it’s far more agile than the EQE 350+.

As for the M60, we wouldn’t say it’s fun to drive, but grip levels are high, body lean is minimal and the steering has a weighty response. The M60 also gets four-wheel steering that turns the angle of the rear wheels by up to 2.5 degrees, helping to improve low-speed manoeuvrability. Overall, the Taycan is the more nimble car, but the M60 happily flows down a twisty road, staying impressively composed in the process.

Interior and practicality: The i5’s interior has a similar level of pizazz to the flagship BMW i7. There’s a large infotainment touchscreen that sits as the main focal point, while lots of soft, padded surfaces and glossy trim grace the surrounding areas. While the EQE has a similar wow factor, it feels disappointingly flimsy in places once you start prodding things. The i5 feels much better built by comparison.

The large screen combines a 12.3in digital driver's display with a 14.9in touchscreen, both in one housing to look like one giant curved screen. A head-up display was available as an option.

The infotainment system runs the BMW’siDrive software, with a 5G sim card for connectivity. It's an intuitive setup, with sharp graphics, snappy responses and a generally user-friendly operating system, albeit with a vast array of submenus to delve through. The climate controls are also located on the screen, which are small and fiddly to use.

You can control the screen via the touchscreen, but the rotary controller on the centre console is less distracting to use when you're driving. We prefer it to the EQE’s system, which is touchscreen-only.

Getting comfortable behind the wheel of the i5 is super easy and general visibility is good. The driving position is quite odd because you sit up quite high for an executive car, almost as if you’re driving an SUV. In fact, it’s lucky the i5 has lots of parking aids as standard, because it’s a big car that can be tricky to manoeuvre in urban areas and car parks.

As you’d expect, there’s lots of leg and head room in the front of the i5, even on cars fitted with the panoramic glass sunroof. Similarly, two six-footers will be more comfortable in the back than in the EQE and Taycan, because the rear bench is mounted higher off the ground, meaning tall occupants won't have to sit with their knees around their ears. This is because of the location of the battery under the floor.

In the boot, there’s 490 litres of space, which is more than the EQE. We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases inside – one more than we could fit in the EQE. There's also an underfloor storage area for the charging cables.

For even more boot space, we’d steer you towards the i5 Touring. It has a 570-litre boot, which is more than the 446 litres of the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo.

Trims and equipment: There are three trim levels with the i5. The entry-level option is Sport Edition, which includes 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, climate control, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats, a Harman Kardon sound system and an EV heat pump. M Sport trim comes with a similar amount of kit, but adds a sports steering wheel, sports seats and exterior styling changes.

M60 adds a few more features, such as an illuminated grille surround, a Bowers and Wilkins sound system and electrically adjustable front seats with driver memory.

We’d recommend looking for cars with the optional Comfort Plus Pack if you can, because it comes with lots of desirable features, including keyless entry, a powered boot lid, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and four-zone climate control.

"The i5 has six driving modes: Personal, Sport, Efficient, Expressive, Relax and Digital Art. The last three, in my view, are gimmicks and don’t really change anything, other than the sound and interior lighting." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

If you're interested in buying a used BMW i5 or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

The i5 has depreciated heavily since it was introduced in 2023, which means it’s a bit of a used bargain. An eDrive40 model from 2023 or 2024 costs from £35,000, which is almost half its original value. This will get you an M Sport model, too, being the most popular trim level on forecourts.

Newer cars from 2024 and 2025 start from £38,000 and £40,000 respectively, while M60 cars command the highest premium, with prices starting from £50,000. For an i5 Touring, expect to pay £5000 more than an equivalent saloon.

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Charging

Both versions of the i5 have a maximum charging speed of 205kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up takes around half an hour. That’s similar to the EQE, but the Taycan’s 270kW peak charging speed means it can do the same top-up in around 20 minutes with a suitably powerful charger in the right conditions.

Road Tax

The i5 is subject to the standard flat rate fee of £195 per year. All cars cost more than £40,000 new, too, which means an additional £425 of luxury car tax is added on top from years two to six of the car's life.

Servicing

A five-year ‘BMW Service Inclusive’ plan is available with the i5. It costs £910 and includes a vehicle service check in accordance with BMW guidelines, a micro filter change and a brake fluid change.

Warranty

From new, the i5 comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, which is pretty standard for the class. The i5's battery is covered by a separate eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Insurance

The i5 eDrive40 sits in insurance group 43, which means it will be cheaper to insure than the EQE and Taycan, which sit in groups 48 to 50 (the highest group). The M60 sits in group 50.

Safety

The 5 Series scored five stars out of five for safety when it was appraised by Euro NCAP in 2023. All versions of the i5 come with plenty of electronic driver aids, too, including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and rear cross-traffic alert as part of the standard-fit Driving Assistant Pack.

Reliability

The i5 is too new to feature in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but the BMW i3 and i4 placed first and second in the electric car category, which should inspire confidence. BMW also performed well as a brand, ranking sixth out of 30 manufacturers.

To find out more about used BMW i5 reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

Motor

The eDrive40 is the best version to go for. It’s the cheapest to buy, plus it has the longest range. The M60 is too expensive and it’s not fun enough to justify its price.

Specification

M Sport is our recommended trim. It comes with the same level of kit as Sport Edition, but adds a few sporty styling details for a similar price. It’s also the most common on the used market. Seek out a car with adaptive suspension if you can for a more comfortable ride.

Our favourite BMW i5: eDrive40 M Sport

The Porsche Taycan is an electric car that can genuinely put a smile on your face. It’s fun to drive, with impressive straight-line performance, beautifully weighted steering and agile handling. Used prices are reasonable, too, but reliability is poor, according to the What Car? Reliability Survey.

If you want an electric car with a long range, the Mercedes EQE is worth a look. It’s refined and comfortable to drive, but it does fall short of the i5 for interior usability and quality. The seats in the back aren’t as comfortable, either.

The BMW i4 is a brilliant electric car. It’s not as big as the i5, but it has a cheaper price, a similarly long range and a user-friendly interior. Performance is a bit stronger, too, while a hatchback boot opening aids practicality.

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If you're interested in buying a used BMW i5 or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.