New BMW 5 Series Touring trades diesel engines for electrification

• Offered as a plug-in hybrid or full EV
• Up to 1,700 litres of boot space
• EV prices to start from £69,040

Continuing a trend established over 30 years ago, BMW has revealed an estate variant of the 5 Series saloon, the BMW 5 Series Touring, much to the delight of dog owners and IKEA enthusiasts worldwide. For the first time in that lengthy history, the executive estate will be offered as a full EV, in the form of the BMW i5 Touring, available now in the UK with prices starting from just over £69k.

Alongside the i5 Touring, buyers will be able to opt for a plug-in hybrid 530e model, but BMW no longer offers the 5 Series Touring with a solely petrol or diesel engine. Prices and availability of the plug-in hybrid 5 Series Touring are to be revealed later this year.

What’s new for the BMW 5 Series Touring?

The differences between BMW’s saloon cars and their ‘Touring’ counterparts are really quite straightforward. You’ll notice the much larger boot with up to 1,700 litres of storage space with the rear seats folded flat. While this is slightly less than you’ll find in a rival Mercedes E-Class Estate, at 1,830 litres, it’s a big boost in practicality over the saloon, which makes do with 460 litres.

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Boot space is identical to the old BMW 5 Series Touring, but a wider opening and standard-fit automatic tailgate should make loading and unloading luggage that little bit easier. Underneath the boot floor, you’ll find a handy storage spot for the charging cable, too.

Beyond the roomier rear, there’s little else to report. Everything fore of the rear wheels is regular 5 Series, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on whether you’re a fan of the saloon’s sharp LED headlights and illuminating ‘kidney’ grille.

The same is true inside the 5 Series Touring, with the interior carried over from the saloon. All cars come with BMW’s curved infotainment and driver’s displays, along with standard-fit sports seats trimmed in a vegan-friendly material. Leather is available as an option, along with a panoramic sunroof and upgraded sound system.

What engines are available for the BMW 5 Series Touring?

BMW will offer the Touring with a choice of two electric powertrains and one plug-in hybrid engine. The electric model, known as the i5 Touring, starts with the eDrive 40 powertrain. This uses an 81.2kWh battery to power a single, rear-mounted electric motor with 334bhp. BMW claims a range of up to 348 miles is possible, and there’s speedy 205kW rapid charging for when the battery runs low.

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Top of the food chain is the i5 Touring M60, a performance-focused model with a mighty 592bhp. It uses the same battery as the eDrive 40 model, but swaps a single-motor layout for dual-motors, providing four-wheel drive. Acceleration is suitably rapid, with 0-62mph achieved in under four seconds, but range decreases to a claimed 314 miles.

Joining the i5 later this year is the 5 Series Touring 530e plug-in hybrid. It will use the same petrol engine and electric motor combination found in the 530e saloon, with an identical 296bhp and maximum electric-only range of 60 miles.

While other markets will receive the 5 Series Touring with petrol mild-hybrid and diesel engines, these models will not find their way to the UK. If you’re after a diesel-powered estate car, you’ll have to look to rival German offerings, such as the Audi A6 Avant and Mercedes E Class Estate.

How much will the new 5 Series Touring cost and when can I order one?

The electric i5 Touring eDrive 40 starts from £69,040 in new, entry-level Sport Edition trim, while the performance-focused i5 Touring M60 starts from £99,090.

Pricing is yet to be announced for the plug-in hybrid 5 Series Touring, but we expect it to offer a substantial saving over the electric i5 Touring.

Check out our list of the best estate cars, or if you want something sportier, here’s the best fast estates…