Saloon

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the M8&nbsp;grand tourer, which costs more than £120,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has ten in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM, plus the electric iX3 and iX.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

The BMW i5 is a big, practical electric car with a well-built interior. Rivals can travel farther between charges, though.

Used BMW i5 2023-present

Some cars mark a genuine turning point – moments after which the segment is never quite the same again. The arrival of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i5/saloon/review/n26177">BMW i5</a> in 2023 may well be one of them.

You see, the i5 is based on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/3-series/saloon/review/n91">BMW 5 Series</a>, and it’s the first time this hugely popular <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/executive-cars/n2004">executive car</a> 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqe/saloon/review/n25101">Mercedes EQE</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a>, it’s based on the regular petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version. A fully electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i5/estate/review/n26831">BMW i5 Touring</a> 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.&nbsp;

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/types-of-suspension-adaptive-suspension-explained/n27085">adaptive suspension</a>, 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.&nbsp;

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+.&nbsp;

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i7/saloon/review/n25141">BMW i7</a>. There’s a large <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a> 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.&nbsp;

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.&nbsp;

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/estate/review/n23889">Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo</a>.&nbsp;

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/headlight-bulbs-what-types-are-there-and-which-is-best/n19332">LED headlights</a>, heated front seats, a Harman Kardon sound system and an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/electric-car-heat-pump/n27141">EV heat pump</a>. M Sport trim comes with a similar amount of kit, but adds a sports steering wheel, sports seats and exterior styling changes.&nbsp;

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." – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/george-hill/n23609">George Hill, Used Cars Writer</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/bmw/i5">used BMW i5</a> or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Cars For Sale</a> pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

BMW I5 Saloon

Used BMW i5 2023-present

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