The BMW i5 Touring is the first pure-electric station wagon from an established luxury brand. Designed primarily for European markets, it’s an all-rounder for everyday driving and adventure touring, with a similar level of performance and dynamics as the BMW i5 sedan. I checked out the new electric station wagon in person at the 2024 Paris Motor Show and here’s what I think of it.
Design
The BMW i5 Touring features a sporty exterior, much of the contribution for which comes from its exclusive side profile and rear. Horizontal lines across the body and generously sized quarter glass panels emphasize its stretched proportions, while a prominent spoiler and steeply raked D-pillars give it a particularly sporty look. The L-shaped tail lights flow out well into the side profile, also highlighting the car’s wide body.
The front-end of the BMW i5 Touring is powerful and focused. Twin headlights create the signature four-eye face, while the kidney grille flaunts an illuminated surround, which, I must mention, is not to my taste.
Interior
The BMW i5 Touring has a minimalist interior and offers a lounge-style ambiance. It features a low-profile dashboard with simplistic surfacing, discreetly integrated air vents, an AR-HUD projector, a pair of sleek displays, and mood lighting strips.
The BMW Interaction Bar with ambient lighting in the dashboard and door area goes well with the Crafted Clarity glass elements on the center console. In addition to uplifting the cabin’s ambiance, these lights generate animations to communicate welcome/goodbye to the driver. Moreover, they may give the driver visual alerts, like when a smartphone connected to it gets a call. The touch-sensitive surfaces built into these strips allow the driver and passenger to adjust the climate control functions and the operation of the door and lights.
The BMW i5 Touring features a 40:20:40 split rear-seat backrest, which you can fold down conveniently through levers in the trunk. There’s 570 liters (20.1 cu. ft.) of cargo space behind the rear seat – 70 liters (2.5 cu. ft.) more than in the (Euro-spec) BMW iX. You can fold the 40:20:40 split rear-seat backrest down, conveniently through levers in the trunk if you need, and unlock 1,700 liters (60.0 cu. ft.) of maximum load volume.
My experience with the BMW i5 Touring
During my time inside the BMW i5 Touring at the 2024 Paris Motor Show, I found its interior comfortable and of top-notch quality. I didn’t like the over-reliance on touch-based input for frequently used essential functions, though.
In the front, I had good lumbar support and the under-thigh support was even better, thanks to the extenders. As a six-foot-tall person, I didn’t find the headroom praiseworthy, with my head almost touching the headliner. I found the steering wheel grippy and faced no issues with the visibility either.
In the rear, I felt that the backrest was a little upright for me but a recline function wasn’t available. That said, I had no complaints with the under-thigh support. I also liked how the seat wrapped around the corners, giving a feeling of being safely enclosed in a cocoon.
Specifications
The BMW i5 Touring is available in an eDrive40 single-motor RWD variant and xDrive40 and M60 xDrive dual-motor AWD variants. All three variants have an 81.2 kWh (net) battery pack.
The eDrive40’s powertrain produces 308 hp (335 hp with a boost function) and 295 lb.-ft. (317 lb.-ft. with a boost function) of torque. It gives the electric station wagon a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 120 mph. The model can travel up to 348 miles on a full charge, as per WLTP.
The xDrive40’s powertrain generates 389 hp and 435 lb.-ft. of torque, allowing it to hit 0 to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds and clock a top speed of 134 mph. The higher power and torque take a toll on the WLTP range – 323 miles.
The i5 M60 xDrive Touring develops 509 hp (592 hp with a boost function) and 586 lb.-ft. (604 lb.-ft. with a boost function). As a result, 0 to 62 mph comes even quicker, in just 3.9 seconds. Flat out, the i5 M60 xDrive Touring clocks 143 mph. Naturally, the WLTP range drops further down to 314 miles.
Price
In France, the BMW i5 Touring’s prices start at EUR 77,750 and go up to EUR 109,050.
TopElectricSUV says
While the market for station wagons is not growing globally, it is an important segment for premium car makers from the perspective of future-proofing their line-up. The i5 Touring’s innovative cabin space solutions and the all-electric powertrain with a reliable range would attract both fleet and personal car buyers, and appeal to drivers who don’t want another SUV. And BMW wouldn’t want their current 3 and 5 Series Touring customers to think about shopping at Audi or Mercedes when it’s time for a new car!
An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 16 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading CEOs and vehicle developers from around the world.
