2024 BMW i5 review

A new BMW 5 Series used to be a Big Deal.

We'd publish spy shots of the next-gen version, speculate at length about performance and specifications, attend the international first drives and then pitch the car into a comparo against an E-Class or an A6 when it arrived in Australia.

Last year, on these shores, the 5 Series shifted 457 units. Yes, that still represented the biggest share in its sector, but it's not a lot of cars. In bald terms, each BMW dealer in Australia will sell one 5 Series per quarter.

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Therefore, it's understandable if the launch of the latest 5 Series, dubbed the G60 generation, has slipped under your radar.

The make up of the range is unusual too. Here in Australia, we get a sole entry-level 520i, powered by an unspectacular 147kW 2.0-litre turbo four, and a pair of electric i5 variants. Not wishing to issue any spoilers, but these are quite hilariously superior to the one with a tailpipe, which we'll ignore for the time being.

You'll need deep pockets though. When the last G30 5 Series launched in 2017, there were a couple of sub-$100k options and the range-topper – at least until the M5 arrived – was the $136,900 540i.

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That won't even buy you the entry-level i5 today. For that privilege, you'll need to set aside $155,900 before you start ticking boxes. It does buy you a very special car though.

The BMW i5 eDrive40 is a single-motor, rear-drive sedan that develops 250kW and 430Nm, which, coincidentally, is virtually lineball with the previous-gen 540i. It draws charge from an 84kWh battery pack (81.2kWh net) and features a driving range of up to 550km. Flog it from standstill and it'll reach 100km/h in 6.0 seconds. Quick then, but not one of these EVs that threatens to detach your retinas when you mat the right-hand pedal.

Should you feel that retinas are largely superfluous addenda, budget $215,900 for the erstwhile range-topper, the i5 M60 xDrive. If you're fluent in BMW-speak, you'll realise that this is a dual-motor, all-wheel drive confection, in this case generating a vast 442kW and 880Nm, and will smash its way to 100km/h in a vanishing 3.8 seconds.

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The range dips somewhat to 506km, due to the fact that you have an increased draw from the same-sized 84kWh suite of lithium-ion modules. Pesky physics/chemistry.

The i5 is a big car. For those of you who measure things in terms of Chris Bangle-era cars, it's the size of his aesthetically challenging E65 7 series sold from 2002 to 2008. For those who don't, it's 5060mm long, which is 97mm longer than its G30 5 Series predecessor.

Unfortunately that length doesn't translate fully to cabin space, as rear leg room increases by 5mm. Width is up 32mm, height rises by 36mm and wheelbase by 20mm.

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It's also – to this eye at least – a fairly handsome thing. That extra length lends the i5 a certain sleekness, with a clean and deft blend of trapezoids and Beziers to its detailing.

The grille is nowhere near as prominent as on certain other BMW models, which the more conservative 5 Series clientele will doubtless approve of. Should you feel the subtler grille is starving you of attention, you'l be reassured to hear that it features the Iconic Glow function from the 7 Series. Yes, it's illuminated.

Step inside and the cabin is similarly slick. There's a lot of materials, textures and depth of design to take in. Compared to something like a Tesla, it feels as if the investment into the cabin is from another dimension and the materials quality is superb.

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February 2024: i5 Touring pricing

BMW’s gone and revealed an electric wagon – and it’s coming to Australia. Get all the details at the featured story linked below.

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It's a shame that BMW saw fit to install possibly the ugliest speaker grille cum air vent in automotive history right atop the dash, a hideous riot of circles and bisecting angles which reflects in the windscreen.

Ergonomically, things are good. There's a dual wireless phone charger, plenty of storage, a hugely adjustable steering column and the main 12.3” digital dial pack is hugely configurable.

BMW's latest Operating System 8.5 features Youtube video streaming on the big 14.9” centre screen as well as a feature the kids will absolutely adore – AirConsole in-car gaming where you can use smartphones as wireless controller. This utilises local wifi and the latency when playing is reassuringly low.

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I'd prefer it if the driver's seat could be set a little lower, but otherwise, it's a solid cabin.

Our test i5 40 was fitted with BMW's optional $5700 Comfort Package, which seems a bit of a no-brainer, adding a heated steering wheel, roller sunblinds, ventilated Comfort seats up front, seat heating in the back, and four-zone air conditioning.

It also introduces BMW CraftedClarity Glass, which sounds esoteric, but which replaces many of the plastic touchpoints on the centre stack with Swarovski cut glass. The glass rotary controller for the infotainment feels beautiful in the hand and its damped detents are reminiscent of boutique hi-fi hardware.

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Those numbers make the electric Five seem about as sporting as dynamiting fish in a barrel.

The equipment list is extensive and all i5s include a 17-speaker, 655-watt Bowers and Wilkins stereo, adaptive matrix LED headlights, a panoramic glass roof, Parking Assistant Professional,BMW Connected drive functionality, head-up display, Driving Assistant Professional pack and M High Gloss Shadowline body styling.

BMW claims that this generation Five offers the luxury and comfort of a 7 Series and the sportiness of a 3 Series. It comes closer to the former, but the latter claim's a bit of a stretch when the i5 eDrive 40 tips the scales at 2205kg and the M60 is a hefty 2380kg. Those numbers make the electric Five seem about as sporting as dynamiting fish in a barrel.

We get to drive the eDrive 40 first. Throttle tip-in is silky, the steering office a pleasant little vibe through the rim, but is otherwise accurate but somewhat inert, an elastic steering gear mount mopping up the lion's share of undesirable feedback such as electric motor ripple.

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The brakes deliver an excellent handover between re-gen and friction retardation.

It's a genuinely well-calibrated package. Ride quality is good too, the i5 riding on an air-suspended rear end with adaptive dampers. Agility is helped by Integral Active Steering, or four-wheel steering, which turns up to 2.5 degrees.

The variance between the different drive modes are surprisingly subtle, and the 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres offer far more tenacious grip and reassuring response than the Conti EcoContact 6 disasters we'd tried on the 520i. It's punchy enough to feel as if the torque is somewhat neutralising the impression of weight, but it pays to remember that this is a big sedan and judge it accordingly.

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Plant the throttle and it sounds agreeably exciting.

No, it's not a six-pot howl, but the Hans Zimmer-designed Iconic Sound Electric delivers a rising whoosh as you accelerate that's neither irritating nor offensively gratuitous. Exceed the speed limit and there's an ultra-subtle double buzz applied to the steering that's helpful and not overly intrusive.

Step into the i5 M60 xDrive and it all feels a bit more serious. That sweet balance of the 40 gets somewhat sledgehammered by the sheer torque of this powertrain. 820Nm will do that for you. It's an addictive experience just to zip down on-ramps, but I have to wonder how soon that novelty would pall and leave you wondering whether it was entirely wise to cross your BMW dealer's palm with another $60K.

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The heavier M60 does get a few items missing from the M60, aside from another 6-phase electric motor.

The Comfort Package is fitted as standard, as is Adaptive M Suspension and Active Roll Stabilisation. Twenty-inch wheels are fitted as standard and will eke the most out of that claimed 506km range, but it's likely that most customers will choose the no-cost option of 21s.

Talking of range, the i5 features a neat function called Max Range Function. Should you arrive at a public charger which is out of order or busy, this function then disables all extraneous draws on the battery and increases range by up to 25 percent in order to get you to the next available charger.

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The DC charging rate of all i5s is a maximum of 205kW, with 22kW AC onboard.

A battery pre-conditioning function is fitted to help you get the max speed out of your charger, and BMW claims a 10-80 percent charging time of 30 minutes, with a 10 minute charge adding 156km.

Range is helped by an ultra-aggressive aero figure from just 0.23Cd, helped by a flat floor, active vents, air curtains in the wheelarches and aerodynamic alloy wheel designs.

There's also an Efficiency Trainer in the iDrive system which will offer tips on eco driving, if you feel you're not getting the best from the car's range. A five-year Chargefox subscription is included, and BMW also offers a Gen 3 wallbox for fitting at home that will run you $1199 including GST.

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The i5 feels a mature product, following on from the excellent iX1, i4 and i7 electric vehicles.

Drive one back to back with an ICE 5 Series and it feels as if this car is just better suited to battery power, leaning into the luxury, refinement and smooth step-off required of an executive sedan. What's more, BMW doesn't make a great song and dance about its electrification and that will doubtless appeal to a certain class of buyer.

Sit inside and there's no particular learning curve to shin up. It all just works. The i5 eDrive40 feels like a more cohesive and better value package than the range-topping M60 xDrive, but the latter deserves credit for not trying to be an electric M5.

As good as the i5 is, it'll likely remain a rare sight on our roads. The price and form factor will see to that. BMW seems undeterred. It has 12 battery electric vehicles on its books and will have 15 by mid 2024. Quietly and unobtrusively, BMW is pushing for genuine market authority in this space.