Final Report: Missing you already
When you spend half a year with a car you admire, it’s not easy to give it back to the manufacturer. In fact, it really wasn’t that easy, as giving this car back to its maker turned out to be one of the longest periods of time I ever spent in its driving seat. Why, you might ask? Well, my last trip should have been an easy trip to the Cotswolds, to drive the new electric Mini hatch. However, a road traffic accident on the M40 resulted in the motorway being shut, and me being stationary for four hours – which ultimately gave me plenty of thinking time about this report and what exactly it was I liked most about the i5.
Firstly, it has got to be the interior design and comfort – important when spending long periods behind the wheel. Despite the i5 being in sporty M Sport Pro trim, I’m pleased to say the ‘Comfort Seats’ live up to their name. Even after long periods behind the wheel, they were always comfortable – but at the same time supportive. Rear space was also good, with no moaning from my kids, and earning respect thanks to the rear-mounted charging points for their phones and iPads. There was also the practicality of the 490-litre boot, which came in very useful on several occasions.
I still stand by my comment that the i5 has possibly BMW’s best modern interior, yet. The curved infotainment display, made up of two screens, that sat on top of the i5’s dashboard looks contemporary. Standout feature is the ‘Interaction Bar,’ that looks like cut glass, changed colour and has touch-sensitive buttons. We also benefitted from several option packs, but one interior highlight that made a real impact on long drives, was the impressive optional (£1,250) Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
The 21in alloys weren’t a feature that we expected to be able to link in with the i5’s comfort and refinement vibe. Yet its ride generally impressed me and my passengers, at how comfortable and compliant it was – and excelled on long trips.
Then there was the drive itself, which as BMW proved previously with the iX1 and i4, feels surprisingly ICE-like, thanks to the i5’s control weights, such as the throttle and brakes. As a result, inputs required from my feet were smaller and more precise – giving more confidence and a smoother drive. This worked well with the precise steering and handling, and the ‘Boost’ paddle put a smile on my face with the extra torque, making overtaking even easier than usual.
Outside, the i5’s styling suited our car’s Brooklyn Grey paint, combined with the optional M Carbon styling pack (£1,750), and the de-chrome that’s standard on performance-orientated M Sport trims. Although we thought the lit LED kidney grille was a bit much, and the 21in Individual aero BiColour Jet black alloy wheels (£2,000) proved to be susceptible to potholes, hid the uprated red painted ‘M Sport’ brake calipers, and were over-fussy in design, in our opinion.
BMW UK’s general manager of corporate sales, Matt Collins, was keen to tell me in an interview earlier this year, about how well-received the i5 had been. However, they, like us, probably think the £76,200 starting figure for the i5 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro was chunky. Then, there were the options fitted, resulting in an eye-watering £94,375 price for our car. The recently introduced ‘Sport Edition’ answers many of the pricing questions, with its lower P11D figures, still decent levels of standard equipment, and it’s available in even more attractive ‘Touring’ estate form.
BMW i5 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro
P11D: £76,200
Price as tested: £94,375
Official range: 362 miles
Our average consumption: 2.6 miles/kWh
Mileage: 5,462 miles
6th Report: Saloon or Touring?
Back in 2021, just before I started as Business Car editor, I was very lucky to run a BMW 330e M Sport Touring X Drive long-termer for another title. Despite being a sector smaller, with a shorter family, this Touring proved to be what I reckon is the perfect 3 Series all-rounder for fleet. It looked great, in M Sport trim had all the kit we needed, was fast – yet frugal, the interior was big enough for me and my family, and when it came to a family holiday, the Touring’s extra boot space and easier access impressed at how useful it was.
A chance to spend a week with an M3 Touring, not only convinced me that fast Touring estates were cool, but it was also all the performance car I think I’d ever need.
Spin forward to the end of last year, and not long after we’d driven the i5 saloon, official pictures and details of the heavily hinted Touring estate versions were released. This was just before this i5 was delivered, and while I was made up to spend an extended period with what I think is the best executive EV, I couldn’t help wishing it was the Touring estate version in exactly the same spec.
Five months in, and at the recent SMMT driving day at Millbrook, I was surprised to see UK-registered versions of the Touring 40, and M60 on BMW’s stand. So, I was pleased to get the opportunity to drive the 40 which was still under embargo, as the international launch event was still on. A full review will follow, but first thoughts of the i5 Tourer’s styling are that there are no real surprises, and it’s perhaps even more attractive than the saloon.
Inside, the biggest change is the boot, which jumps from 490 litres to 570 litres and up to 1,700 litres with the rear seats folded. It is uncompromised boot space, as there is room for the charging cables and large loading bay cover underneath. Although, sadly unlike previous Tourers, the rear window doesn’t open separately.
On the move, I couldn’t detect any difference in the drive from our own saloon long-termer, so think refined, rapid, and fun. If we had the opportunity – would we swap into an i5 Touring? Yes, as there doesn’t seem to be any compromises to the drive, the extra practicality is welcome, and the i5’s shape suits estate proportions. Plus, for the moment, other than choosing the more expensive Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo, there are no other class rivals.
Carrying on the discussion of the i5’s looks, an odd recent German car park spot, was a Czech-registered 520d. The diesel 5 Series is now a model that isn’t offered in the UK, but I had to double take this BMW, because the small wheels and chrome trim of this car really change the look. Personally, I prefer the more modern de-chromed styling of our car.
As our i5 enters its last month in my care, it continues to impress with its refined long-drive ability, with over 800 easy miles alone covered in the past month. In fact, we went past the 5,000- mile mark on a bank holiday family trip. So, I treated our car to a well-deserved exterior and interior valet – it’s wearing its miles well and is virtually unmarked.
As the weather improves, we’re also seeing an increase in this BMW’s available range. We’ve still not been able to match BMW’s official 362 miles figure, but the warmth has equalled the highest, at 304 miles.
5th Report: Heading North
Like with the Audi E-Tron GT in January, urgent family business in April saw me undertaking the same trip to North Lincolnshire in the i5. Would I still be impressed with this car after almost 300 miles behind the wheel – in a day?
06:55: The BMW app pings my phone to tell me the i5 is fully charged, it’s a shame about the unseasonably cold spring weather, as this means a 255-mile range. That’s not going to be enough for me to avoid a visit to a public charger before home tonight.
09:10: Having already sent the destination address to this car via the app, all I need to do before getting going is to load up water, energy drinks, and snacks. Then start the BMW, ‘Efficient’ mode is engaged, flick it into maximum regen ‘B’ drive, oh and get comfortable. Nice and easy.
10:15: After stop-start traffic on A-roads, we finally hit the A1. The i5 has proved to be reasonably efficient getting here, with the battery reading over 80% – and with 210 miles of range. A ‘splash and dash’ style charge on the way back down the A1 this evening looks feasible.
10:45: First proper dual carriageway around St Neots, and the first chance to set this BMW’s adaptive cruise control at the national speed limit. This is combined with ‘Speed Assist,’ active lane keeping aids, and an active lane-change assistant. The cruise control works well enough keeping within local limits, but its dedication to keeping you at posted speeds and distances, at times proves restrictive. Still, the overall comfort and refinement of the i5 so far impresses, the maps on the head-up display are turning out to be more useful than the 14.9in infotainment screen, and the sound quality of the optional Bowers and Wilkins sound system is mega.
11:15: The A1 has been pleasingly quiet, and 100 miles have passed by so quickly, I’m surprised when the sat-nav announces we’ll be leaving the A1 in half a mile at Newark. The range is still showing over 160 miles, with another 40 to go until my destination, so I’m able to roughly estimate I’ll arrive with about 120 miles left. Easily enough to get back down to the Instavolt chargers at Colsterworth, near Grantham.
12:15: 144 miles later and we’ve arrived. The range, at 117 miles is pretty much what I’d estimated. And I feel good. The last 40 miles have been on slower A-roads, but the i5 has kept me entertained with its precise steering and handling. The driver’s seat remained impressively comfortable too – although it feels good to stand after three hours behind the wheel of this BMW.
16:30: the range is now at 110 miles, and it’s time to head for home. Before then we will need to charge, and the sat-nav is telling me I’ll get there by 6pm, with just 12% battery and 52 miles range. This will be the perfect opportunity to test BMW’s claims of being able to charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes!
18:00: I’m pleasantly surprised to have the choice of two Instavolt Chargers. Power is quickly hooked up, and I’m watching the i5 charging. I’ve got just 85 miles until home, so I reckon another 50 miles on top of what I already have will be safe. After roughly 30 minutes, I have 50% battery and 120 miles of range – all for £22, which didn’t seem bad.
20:00: I’m home – tired but impressed. Would I do it again? Yes, but only after a few days of rest! The BMW i5 is a great EV, but more range and chargers would make it perfect.
4th Report: Executive state of charge
It says something about BMW’s success in normalising EVs, that I found myself paying more attention to an ICE-engined new 5 in a local car park, a 520i in fact. I even took a picture of it, as it was the first one I’d seen on the road! Afterwards, it had me thinking how the executive and electric market has changed in a relatively short time.
Before the pandemic, I’d have probably been doing the same for an i5, marvelling at the fact it was an EV, with the 520 or latterly the 530e the fleet norm. The i5 is still a relatively new car – it was launched in October last year, and to date I’ve only seen a few on the roads, and now just the one Five Series.
March was back to relative normality with the i5, with it carrying me to various meetings and events. As such, this BMW’s navigation, which uses the latest iDrive software, came in handy. Problems with the rotary controller that I mentioned in the last report haven’t reoccurred thankfully, and I’ve felt confident enough to use voice control too, also with very satisfactory results.
I’ve also found the prompts to clean the rear camera (which was helpful as it was dirty!), and to turn off the rather over-zealous speed warning intuitive, too. BMW really is at the top of its game here.
After my discussion about the i5’s ride and big wheels in my last report, I must admit that I remain conflicted. Most of the time, despite the 21in wheels, it impresses at how comfortable, composed, and agile it is. Then, on a recent trip, I pushed this BMW harder, and there seemed to be more roll and float than I remember. I’m going to check the tyre pressures in the first instance and keep an eye on how the i5 drives.
Talking about the drive, the first time I drove the i5, I pondered the usefulness of the single left-hand paddle on the steering column, which operates the ‘Boost function.’ What does the ‘Boost function do, I hear you ask? Well, if you pull it, it gives you an extra 22lb ft of torque, for 10 seconds, making this BMW feel far more able than normal. Anyway, I’ve changed my opinion, as the more I’ve driven the i5, the more I’ve found it really useful – especially when overtaking. I also find it puts a smile on my face.
On the move, while the i5 hasn’t been any more efficient, now the weather is getting warmer 250 mile+ charges are a reality – and this figure is trustworthy.
With nearly 700 miles covered in the past month, and despite our i5’s Brooklyn Grey paint doing a valiant job hiding most road muck, I managed to find time between the spring showers to give this BMW a well-deserved clean. I still believe it’s one of the German brand’s best-looking current designs. Although in my view, the alloy wheel design is too fussy and therefore difficult to clean. However, it was while cleaning said wheels that I noticed how BMW manages to hide the visual bulk that hinders many other EVs. Hidden under the i5’s floor, the extra height the battery pack adds is cleverly hidden by the lower cut-out and chunkier side sills.
You notice the extra height inside too, as even in its lowest setting, the seat and driving position doesn’t feel as low as you could get it in the previous G30 saloon. Ah well, that’s progress I suppose, and it doesn’t stop the i5 still being a great executive EV in my opinion.
3rd Report: Planted and refined drive
The BMW i5 is a real opinion divider it turns out, as I ended up in heated debate about the ride when compared with rivals on a recent launch. As I’ve said before, given the 21in wheels that are fitted, the i5 has impressed me with how comfortable and compliant the ride is whatever the journey. Despite some noticeable body float (that affects other EVs and is the result of that heavy battery) mainly on A and B roads, it has surprised me at how sporty and dynamic it feels, too.
A perfect example of this, was that I spent a weekend driving a hybrid executive rival, on 20in wheels, with a far harsher ride. Then, coming back to this BMW for a trip to the Cotswolds for a launch, it again made me grateful for the BMW’s more supple set-up. So, while there are more dynamic EV rivals, and smaller wheels might be even more comfortable, I’m very happy with this BMW’s set-up. More good news is that I’ve thankfully managed to keep all the wheels round!
This 110-mile drive again highlighted the supportive ‘comfort’ front seats, that live up to their name. All I needed to do was then select ‘drive,’ my ‘drive mode’ (usually ‘efficiency’ to make the most of the range) and pick my music on the excellent optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system, via the physical wheel. Having a physical wheel is far preferable to the touchscreen set-up in the previous iX1 in my opinion, however I must admit this wheel’s operation has been a bit hit and miss this month, with me instead having to resort to touching the screen instead – which is not ideal. I’ll be keeping an eye on this, to see if there’s a fault.
Despite a dark and wet M4, I was then impressed at how planted and refined the i5 felt at the national speed limit, along with the excellent adaptive LED headlights, making for a confident stress-free drive.
Two hours later, I arrived at my overnight hotel. I was tired, but think I was a lot less tired than I would have been if I was driving an ICE-powered car. The i5’s range has been something I’ve been wondering about since its arrival. More range is always welcome, but through winter, the most I’ve seen has been 255 miles – some way off BMW’s claimed 357 official figure. I believe the i5 is quite efficient – well more than the 2.6 miles/kWh figure for this month would suggest. I got to the Cotswolds with 60% and 150 miles left of the range, in spite of motorway speeds, and the cold, wet weather, meaning I was having to use extra kit which is a battery drain. This meant I’d have enough charge to get to the event early next morning, and I took advantage of an offered free charge to top-up for the way home.
Despite comments from friends that the i5 has a particularly long nose considering there’s no engine underneath that long bonnet, this BMW’s styling continues to grow on me. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the best-looking models in the range. It continues to suit the Brooklyn Grey paint with black and carbon detailing. I’ve also found that Brooklyn Grey is a good colour to hide road muck, after a wet and muddy month.
Spring is almost here, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the i5 will cope.
2nd Report: Comfortable and competent
Following the i5’s alloy wheel incident, I’m pleased to say my BMW returned checked, fully valeted and with an replacement front offside wheel, after two weeks back with them, and I have to admit I really missed it.
Its return unfortunately almost coincided with me having some planned surgery. Although I enjoyed a couple of short drives before a trip to the hospital. But ultimately, the i5 was parked for over a week while I recovered. Being chauffeured around was a serious loss of independence, and I was very keen to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible. When I felt well enough to try, it was the i5’s key I gingerly grabbed, for my first drive taking my daughter to her Cubs meeting.
Despite the i5 being in sporty M Sport spec, I’m pleased to say the ‘comfort seats’ live up to their name – being ‘comfortable,’ but at the same time supportive. When I was seated comfortably, I was grateful at how undemanding it was to get the i5 started and moving. The only slight frustration being that the driving mode has to be set every time (the same as the iX1 I previously ran). I’m sure a reader, or someone at BMW, would be able to tell me a way not to have to do this!
I’m happy to not be stretching over my shoulder, too. With the excellent rear camera and parking sensors, there’s no need, giving me confidence as I manoeuvre off for my first drive. The i5’s control weights, such as the throttle and brakes, feel surprisingly ICE-engine like. The inputs required from my feet are smaller and more precise – giving more confidence. In my opinion, some EV manufacturers still aren’t getting this right. A recent drive in a Volkswagen Group car highlighted the throttle response being almost being hyperactive – making it hard to keep that model smooth at low speed – then lacking in feel when stopping.
On the move, despite riding on 21in alloys, and doing without the more powerful M60’s adaptive suspension and four-wheel steering system, our i5 continued to impress me with how comfortable and compliant the ride is on the short cross-country drive.
I always seem to have plenty to say about my long-termers’ headlights, but the i5’s LEDs are possibly the best of their type – quick to change to full-beam, but also reactive to other traffic. With the Bowers & Wilkins stereo, that has quickly connected to my phone, it’s playing music with a punchy, but sophisticated feel. I realise how much I’ve missed driving this car – even in what has been a relatively short time.
In fact, the only part of its interior that disappoints, are the column stalks. These are the same as those fitted to our old iX1 and even the i7, and while they work well enough, they feel cheap in operation..
Despite my limited use of the BMW this month, again the i5 has proved what an excellent all-rounder it is. My main frustration now, is that my recovery could hold me back from driving and learning more about this car. Hopefully (almost) normal service will be resumed next month.
1st Report
The last, seventh-generation BMW 5 Series was a tough act to follow. Even after it was discontinued in the autumn of last year, myself and the other Business Car Award judges couldn’t think of a better executive choice, and so it walked off again with the 2023 award.
For this, the eighth generation, the focus has changed and the all-electric i5 is the result. BMW has not forgotten their combustion roots, with a petrol and a couple of hybrids also available – but the main fleet focus is the i5 eDrive 40 and range-topping M50 versions.
With the early return of our much-liked iX1, BMW kindly offered an i5 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro replacement, which arrived in the run-up to Christmas. We’d already experienced the i5 at the UK launch, where we got to drive the 40 and M50 back-to-back and considering the keen pricing, came away thinking that, just like the i4, the eDrive 40 in M Sport Pro trim, was all the i5 fleet was going to need.
Outside, thankfully the 5’s styling is toned down over the 7, and the result is attractive, sleek and with sharp detailing. It really suits our car’s Brooklyn Grey paint, combined with optional M Carbon styling pack (£1,750), and the thorough de-chrome that’s standard on performance-orientated M Sport trims. Although the optionally lit LED kidney grille is a bit much and the 21in Individual aero BiColour Jet black alloy wheels (£2,000) are over fussy in our opinion – more on those later.
The i5’s wheelbase has been increased by 20mm to 2,995 and the extra space is most obvious in the rear – plus my kids are already keen on the USB charging points on the back of the front seats. I still stand by my comment that this is possibly BMW’s best modern interior, yet. The latest curved infotainment display, made up of two screens, sits on top of the i5’s dashboard and look contemporary. The horizontally designed dashboard features an ‘Interaction Bar,’ just like the 7 Series, and looks like cut glass, changes colour and has touch-sensitive buttons. We’ve benefitted from several option packs, but one interior highlight that has made a real impact so far, must be the impressive Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
The £76,200 starting figure was already chunky in our opinion, however, with all these options added, the result is an eye-watering £94,375 price tag – it will be interesting to see over the course of the next six months which we think are worth the money and which are the ones we could do without.
Even in the relatively short time it has been with us, the i5 impressed by again proving to be a brilliant all-rounder. First job was to test the decent 490 litres of boot space, which on our car could be extended with the split/fold rear seats – perfect for taking a faulty fake Christmas tree back to the shops. Then there was a cross-country visit to Bicester Heritage for a manufacturer event, where the i5 proved what a refined and comfy companion it can be on longer journeys. Followed by a few Christmas shopping trips, where again the boot space was much appreciated.
All was going well, until a couple of days after Santa visited, we were coming down the A1 after another family visit, when I think I hit a pothole. I say, ‘I think,’ as it was on a particularly dark unlit section of the dual carriageway. Anyway, it was a big enough noise to make me wonder whether we’d make it home. Thankfully, there was no tyre pressure monitor light on the dash and the steering felt fine. However, when checking the front wheel, the following morning, it was obvious the edge of the 21in wheel had been flattened thanks to the impact.
Anyway, the upshot is, that BMW wanted to check the i5 over and fit a new wheel, so as I write, the car is with them. More on this and better news next month.
