BMW i5 review - TopCarNews

Overview
What is it?
We haven’t heard that in a while…
Presumably actual reality is no longer sufficient…
Are you sure this is a car review?
Good info. BMW seems to have turned the visual volume down a bit on this car.
What's the verdict?
Tesla Model S
Porsche Taycan
Polestar 2
Driving
What is it like to drive?
It’s a sophisticated bit of kit, then?
What about the M60?
What’s this about lane-changing tech?
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
Buying
What should I be paying?

Overview

What is it?

Do you really need to ask? This is the eighth generation of the BMW 5 Series, the car its creators believe to be the world’s most beloved business saloon. Humility isn’t a noted Bavarian virtue but with 10 million sold since the first iteration arrived in 1972, we’ll cut them some slack. Ahead even of the original 3 Series, the 5 Series is the car for which the greatest advertising tag line in automotive history – ‘the ultimate driving machine’ – was most applicable.

We haven’t heard that in a while…

Nope. BMW knocked that on the head years ago, in favour of the rather joyless ‘efficient dynamics’. But even that seems old hat in 2023. At times during a rather self-conscious presentation, you’d have thought we were there for a new smartphone or games console reveal rather than a car. The headlines here include the arrival of the i5, the first fully electric 5 Series, fitted with BMW’s fifth generation e-Drive technology, and touting all the radar, sensors and cameras that constitute a car these days.

This includes the Driving Assistant Professional and Active Lane Change Assistant, wherein the vehicle suggests a lane change and you confirm by glancing in the exterior door mirror. This is either phenomenally cool or the end of days, but certainly a new dimension for the ultimate driving machine (as with Robocop, we like to think there’s still a heart beating in there somewhere). In tandem with this, says BMW, the central area of the cockpit display is reserved for an augmented reality rendering of the vehicle and its surroundings.

Presumably actual reality is no longer sufficient…

Indeed. Or distracting enough. Also startlingly high in the presentation mix is the arrival of AirConsole, which introduces in-car gaming to the 5 Series. Connection is established by scanning a QR code on the Curved Display, which transforms the players’ smartphones into games controllers. BMW offers 20 in-built games at launch, with more to come. It’s another way of passing the time while you wait for your i5 to charge, as BMW cheerfully admits, but of minority interest if the last computer game you played was Manic Miner on the ZX Spectrum circa 1984.

Alternatively, you could stream video content, including YouTube or TiVo, depending on which country you’re in. Amusingly, a Bundesliga in-car app is available from the car’s launch. Football, right?

Are you sure this is a car review?

Yes, of course. And of a sensationally good one, as we’ll see. At launch, the electric i5 is available in two guises. The eDrive40 is rear-drive only, and it’s fitted with a rear-mounted electric motor that’s good for 335bhp and 317lb ft of torque, for a claimed range of up to 362 miles. It’ll do 62mph in 6.0 seconds and its top speed is limited to 120mph.

The all-wheel drive M60 xDrive adds a front-mounted motor worth an additional 256bhp for a total system output of 593bhp and 605lb ft of torque. That’s M5 Competition wallop in old money, but with an all-new hybridised M5 due in 2024, think of this electric one as an M5-lite. Not that there’s anything inferior about doing 62mph in 3.8 seconds, although the top speed is limited to 143mph. The M60’s range, meanwhile, is 321 miles.

Both i5s use BMW’s 81.2kWh (useable) lithium-ion battery, with 11kW charging functionality as standard. This can be increased to 22kW if the optional on-board charger is fitted. The i5 can handle a maximum DC charge of 205kW, which can take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Pre-heating is also taken care of either manually or automatically. When the navigation system is active, the battery is automatically pre-conditioned before a planned charging stop.

New charging software also adjusts the charging power for optimum results, and waste heat from the battery is used to control the temperature. In Efficient mode, the range can be extended by up to 25 per cent. There’s also an emergency Max Range mode in case that charging point you were banking on is on the fritz. Imagine that, eh. The i5 basically becomes a mobile panic room.

We won’t drive it today but a 520 is also available from launch, powered by a 2.0-litre, 205bhp, turbo four-cylinder petrol unit with 48 volt mild hybrid tech for up to 48.7mpg. Next spring will see the arrival of the (299bhp) 530e and (489bhp) 550e xDrive plug-in hybrids, both of which use a new gearbox-mounted electric motor good for up to 194bhp. BMW says these variants are set to deliver up to 56 and 62 miles of range in electric mode. A Touring is also incoming, the first to be available as a BEV, as well as PHEV or ICE. So many acronyms, so much complexity. Which is the point: this 5 Series has been designed from the ground up to tick all these boxes. Diesel, too, but not for the UK.

A long wheelbase version will be available in China, with the option of the 7 Series’ ingenious Theatre Screen. The 5 Series’ biggest markets are the US, South Korea, China, Germany, UK and Japan. BMW predicts the global mix to be 60 per cent ICE, 30 per cent BEV, and 10 per cent PHEV. But fully half of all 5 Series sold in Europe are expected to be all-electric.

Good info. BMW seems to have turned the visual volume down a bit on this car.

Indeed. Design director Domagoy Dukec recently told me that certain BMWs were definitely and deliberately ‘louder’ than others. And on the face of it, the new 5 Series doesn’t have much in common with the XM (phew). Following BMW’s adventures in polarisation, the i5 is clearly more conservatively styled. It’s impressively aerodynamic, though: the drag coefficient is 0.22-0.23 across the range, aided by an air flap control that opens intakes in the grille to add up to 16 miles to the range, while an Air Curtain tidies up the air flow past the front wheels. Lightweight ‘air performance’ wheels with inserts also help reduce emissions and enhance range.

There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with the new 5’s raked A-pillar, the dash-to-axle ratio is strong, and the graphics are compelling. But on the move it can look a bit generic from some angles and the plunging rear lacks distinction. The so-called Hofmeister kink is highlighted – unnecessarily – by having a number 5 embossed on it, and black side skirts take some visual weight out of the car’s profile. Note also the flush door-handles, better for aero efficiency.

The celebrated kidney grille is slightly less prominent here, but still gets the Iconic Glow illumination as standard on M Sport Pro and M60 xDrive models. The latter definitely punches harder visually than the regular cars, with an enlarged front apron with black surfaces and blacked out grille. There’s an ugly camera mounting in the middle of it, though.

The new 5 Series has grown: it’s five metres long, with a wheelbase 5mm shy of three metres in length.

The BMW i5 isn’t a car so much as an entire ecosystem. It can be a bewildering place to navigate, and maybe some of the new stuff here is just trying too hard or is possibly too clever for its own good.

Especially when at heart what we have here is an exceptional new car. We’ll have to wait to try the combustion versions of the new 5 Series, but if BMW’s stated aim here was to combine 3 Series dynamism with 7 Series luxury, it’s mission accomplished. The M60 xDrive is expensive, but feels every penny the billion-pound investment it surely was for its maker.

Driving

What is it like to drive?

At the risk of damning the i5 with faint praise, it’s a case of ‘expect the expected’. Following the i4, iX and i7, the i5 is another exceptional electrified BMW. Sure, anyone with a solid working knowledge of BMW’s internal combustion engines – particularly some of those charismatic straight sixes – will feel a pang of nostalgia. But in every other respect BMW can claim thought and technical leadership in the electric technical space.

Of course, this is no longer just about driving, as we’ll see. Even so, the hardware here is deeply impressive. The 5 Series uses BMW’s modular Cluster Architecture (CLAR), which underpins all the bigger BMWs, but the double wishbone front axle and five-link rear axle have been revised here to deliver improved refinement. Two examples: there’s an elastic steering gear mount on the front, while the all-wheel drive versions gain an aluminium stiffening plate. The i5’s vibration damping and acoustic properties are tremendous. M Sport suspension is standard, so the springs, dampers and anti-roll bars are all firmer. Electronically controlled dampers are an option, but the regular set-up is superb. Nasty vertical inputs are simply shrugged off. An active rear axle is an option, turning against the front wheels or in the same direction by up to 2.5 degrees. BMW’s IconicSounds software also allows you to tune the soundtrack.

It’s a sophisticated bit of kit, then?

This is certainly as dynamic a mainstream EV as anyone has managed. The eDrive40 is rapid without being outrageous, and rewards keener inputs without actively encouraging extrovert behaviour. Better just to lean into the car’s glorious interior rather than actually lean into the corners. Pull a paddleshifter labelled ‘boost’ and you get a 10 per cent/10-second energy kick. The brakes and regen are so well harmonised you barely notice them, unlike the set-up that undermines some Mercedes EQ models.

What about the M60?

The M60 xDrive is more fun. With almost 600bhp and more than 600 torques, it’s difficult to think of a scenario in which this wouldn’t be sufficient. As well as running the adaptive damping as standard, the all-wheel drive M60 also gets Active Roll Stabilisation (active anti-roll bars with 48-volt electric motors), improving agility, beefing up the steering responses, and reducing body roll. The traction control is integrated into the main ECU reducing the signal paths for interventions that BMW says are 10 times faster than before.

We’d need to evaluate it on a wet road in the depths of winter to know more, but in the dry the M60 xDrive is next-level in terms of its sheer dynamism. Progressive and natural-feeling, it does an extraordinary job of containing its mass. Its front end is mighty, and even on twisty switchbacks the sense of flow and interaction is pure-bred BMW.

What’s this about lane-changing tech?

Specify the Tech Pack Plus and you get the Driving Assistant Professional, which bundles together distance control, stop & go functionality, and steering assistance and – well remembered – a lane control aid. Combined, this equates to level 2 automation. TG.com was so busy trying to figure it all out that we missed our test route exit and ended up on a huge and rather beautiful motorway flyover not far from Lisbon…

Push a button on the flat-bottomed steering wheel and the car takes over, to the extent that a gentle head tilt to the left (or right) is all you need to do to instigate an overtake. It works, no question, but so do our hands, feet, eyes, and brain, and we prefer to use those while we’re driving.

Needless to say, the new 5 Series is fitted with every possible form of assistance, including Evasion Assistant and Crossroads Warning with brake intervention. You can also park the car using your smartphone. Manoeuvre Assistant uses GPS and trajectory data stores and replays complex parking manoeuvres.

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

OK, we’re calling it: this is the best car interior in the world. Since its debut in the iX, BMW has been rolling out its Curved Glass display across the range, but there are some important modifications for the i5, as well as some new interior elements. If the exterior design lacks conviction, that’s not a criticism we’d level at the cabin. It’s also magnificently well-made, and has the edge on the equivalent Mercedes and perhaps even Audi, too.

The Curved Glass set-up consists of a 12.3in main instrument display behind the steering wheel, that merges seamlessly into a 14.9in main screen. BMW has now reached OS 8.5, with new graphics, a clear start screen and something called ‘QuickSelect’ to simplify everything. This is very 2023: load a car until it’s practically squeaking with connectivity and digital functionality and then build in some shortcuts because most users only bother with audio and navigation.

New to the 5 Series is the Interaction Bar that first appeared on the 7 Series. It’s less showy here and consequently easier to live with. It consists of a beautifully backlit unit running the width of what we still quaintly call the dashboard, and is a lovely counterpoint to the Curved Glass display. Its surface has a crystalline appearance, which flirts with bling without becoming too Versace. The interior trim beneath it can be specced in aluminium or with a more technical carbon fibre effect.

More importantly, the IB conceals the touch-sensitive control panels for the air vents and climate control. Car designers have been trying for years to disguise air vents without compromising on their effectiveness. Well, BMW has figured it out with its ‘seam’ vents. Even the haptics are good. Go for the Comfort Plus Pack and you level up to a four-zone air con system with a solar sensor to regulate the rear temperature. The Interaction Bar is so-called because it’ll light up if you get a phone call, or warn the driver if it’s safe to exit. Have a rummage in the My Modes menu and you can personalise it. This is all less annoying than it sounds.

The centre console control panel has also been reworked for 5 Series duty, and contains the iDrive controller – although you’re more likely to use the touchscreen – a redesigned drive selector switch, stop/start button, the My Modes button (Personal, Sport, Efficient), parking brake, and thankfully a physical volume control switch. Pay extra and you can have these controls in a crystal glass. Again, it’s not as blingy as it sounds. Wireless charging is standard across the range. Harman Kardon supplies the audio, with a 205 watt amplifier; a more powerful Bowers & Wilkins system is an option. There are four USB-C ports in the car, with the option of adding more.

The 5 Series is also the first BMW to go vegan. A leather-like material called Veganza is standard, and doesn’t just cover the seats, it extends across the dashboard and door panels. You can spec it with perforations and in a choice of colours. It feels fine. Non-vegan, planet-compromising Merino leather is also available, as is a panoramic glass roof. Unfortunately, it still has the edge, in terms of tactility. The seats are newly designed, and include electric adjustment and heating as standard. The backrests of the outer rear seats extend into the doors, and the rear seat is split 40:20:40.

The regular 5 Series’ boot has 520 litres of storage volume, the i5 490 litres thanks to its rear axle drive unit.

Buying

What should I be paying?

The new 5 Series is available in M Sport, M Sport Pro and M60 xDrive specification. Prices start at £73,200 for the i5 eDrive40 and the i5 M60 xDrive costs £96,840 for the i5 M60 xDrive. For context, the entry-level, combustion-powered 520 starts from £49,850.

Things to know? The new 5 Series reduces its carbon footprint by 20 to 25 per cent in the supply chain, and up to 58 per cent across its life cycle compared to the seventh-generation version. It’s also a cutting edge ownership proposition. BMW is introducing Proactive Care, which uses AI to identify issues and offer solutions to the owner without them having to worry about it. The message is relayed via the car’s display, the BMW App, or email.

The BMW Digital Key uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) tech to turn your smartphone or Apple Watch into a key. As is the way these days, the 5 Series is effectively future-proofed via remote ‘over-the-air’ updates. BMW says it has five million vehicles on the road that can handle OTA upgrades, more than any other car maker. There’s also BMW Charging, which offers a fixed tariff at one of 466,300 charging points currently registered in Europe. BMW i5 owners will also have their monthly fees for BP Pulse and Ionity waived for the first 12 months of ownership.

The i5 is also the first BMW to benefit from the new Plug & Charge function. Digital authentication via app or charging card is no longer needed because the car authenticates itself independently through a technical interface. Owners can digitally store up to five Plug & Charge-enabled contracts from different providers in the car. Smart charging is an option via the Connected Home Charging package. Basically, the i5 should – should – take the hassle out of the still-confusing charging process.

Needless to say, the new 5 Series and i5 are a portal to options Nirvana – if that’s the word – so go easy on the configurator. There’s a world of possibility bundled together in a variety of Comfort, Technology or M-centric packages. Go big or go home.