BMW i5 Touring review – the premium electric estate to beat

Verdict – is the BMW i5 Touring a good car?

The BMW i5 Touring sets the bar very high for premium electric estate cars, and while there are few rivals to it currently, any new arrivals will have a tough act to follow. It boasts a well-finished, truly premium-feeling interior, a respectable electric range and of course that large boot. We only wish the rear seats went down completely flat and that it wasn’t so expensive.

BMW i5 Touring models, specs and alternatives

The BMW i5 Touring is an estate car based on the all-electric version of the BMW 5 Series, the BMW i5. Electric estate cars are a particularly niche corner of the market at the moment, with just a handful on sale, but the inclusion of the bodystyle in the BMW i5 lineup offers a more practical option for buyers after an upmarket company car.

For that extra practicality buyers have to spend an extra £2,300 over the saloon, which doesn’t seem like a big price hike, but it’s a very expensive car in general, with a price tag starting from around £70,000 which can reach in excess of £100,000 in higher specs with options.

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Just like the standard BMW i5 saloon, the i5 Touring is offered in an entry-level rear-wheel drive single-motor eDrive40 spec with 335bhp and the more powerful four-wheel drive M60 xDrive with a whopping 595bhp. 

The BMW i5 Touring can be had in Sport and M Sport configuration, with the aforementioned M60 xDrive getting its own list of equipment as a flagship model. Sport models get a somewhat classic look with chrome window surrounds and smaller alloy wheels, while the M Sport adds a sportier look with black accenting, bi-colour alloy wheels, a bodykit with larger air intakes and styling cues borrowed from BMW’s ‘M’ performance cars.

Electric range figures are competitive for the class, with the entry-level eDrive40 able to achieve up to 343 miles to a charge of its 84kWh battery. M60 xDrive models are capable of up to 310 miles given the fact that the same battery has to power two electric motors for four-wheel drive. Surprisingly these figures aren’t too compromised by the extra weight of the Touring estate, with the standard entry-level i5 saloon getting up to 353 miles of range and the M60 xDrive getting up to 315 miles.

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This generation of 5 Series is the first to get its own electric spinoff by way of the BMW i5, and that also makes the i5 Touring BMW’s first-ever electric estate car. Despite that meaning the BMW i5 Touring is 50kg heavier than the saloon, its range is only slightly detrimentally affected. 

While the saloon will do up to 353 miles to a charge in single motor eDrive40 guise, the Touring’s official figure is just around 10 miles short of that. The M60 xDrive in saloon form does up to 315 miles, while the Touring version has an official figure of 310 miles.
 

How efficient is the BMW i5 Touring in the real world?

We drove the eDrive40 gently on long drives in optimum temperatures for an EV and managed an impressive 4.0 mi/kWh, which we worked out would deliver a range of 325 miles to a charge. That’s probably a best-case scenario, however, with more varied driving delivering about 3.3 mi/kWh, which translates to 268 miles, so it really depends on what sort of trips you’re tackling.

What will the BMW i5 Touring cost to insure?

The BMW i5 Touring is a premium electric vehicle with impressive performance figures, so it’s no surprise that it sits in high insurance groupings. The eDrive40 models sit in groups 43 out of 50, while the 595bhp M60 xDrive is in the top group 50. While the BMW i5 Touring doesn’t have many direct electric estate cars to compare with, the Porsche Taycan and Taycan Sport Turismo also sit in the highest group no matter which version you go for, as does the well-established Tesla Model S saloon.

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Just like the saloon version of the BMW i5, the i5 Touring is offered with a choice between two configurations. There’s an entry-level rear-wheel drive version called the eDrive40 with 335bhp and a top-of-the-range M60 xDrive model with a whopping 595bhp from two electric motors – one on each axle.

Despite being the entry-level i5, the eDrive40 feels more than quick enough for most applications. Importantly, however, power delivery is smooth and it’s easy to precisely gauge your throttle input through the pedal, so you can drive the i5 Touring without it being jerky.

Refinement is also a particularly high point because of the i5 Touring’s quiet motors. The cabin is well insulated from road and wind noise at any speed. The suspension does a great job of keeping the car in check when you give it some beans, and yet over a rough road, it still feels comfortable. Comparatively, the Mercedes EQE is the more comfort-focused of the two, but the i5 Touring is more well rounded, and importantly the EQE is not offered as an estate.

Is the BMW i5 Touring good to drive in town?

The BMW i5 Touring is good to drive in town because the long pedal travel means it’s easy to modulate your throttle control and thus deliver a smooth drive in stop/start scenarios. Hardly any noise gets into the cabin at speeds under 30mph, either, making for a relaxing drive.

Is the BMW i5 Touring good to drive on long journeys?

We were impressed with how refined the BMW i5 Touring stayed even at higher speeds on the motorway. Good cabin insulation meant that there was hardly any road or wind noise making it inside, and the electric motors were quiet too.

Is the BMW i5 Touring good to drive on B-roads?

The BMW i5 Touring delivers the same levels of rear-wheel drive enthusiasm that the standard i5 saloon provides. It means that the i5 Touring feels keen through the corners which is helped by quick, light steering and a chassis setup that inspires a lot of confidence. 

Carbuyer notes

“The rest of the car keeps pace, with low levels of body roll, decent grip, and that typical BMW feeling of a rear axle that gently pushes you around each corner.” Alex Ingram, Chief reviewer

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With the latest BMW i5 and i5 Touring, the German brand has delivered a high-quality interior that’s finished with great materials and feels sturdy. While Tesla and many other brands go for minimalism with everything accessible solely through the touchscreen, the BMW i5 Touring’s cabin is a lot busier, but that actually feels somewhat refreshing.

Is the BMW i5 Touring’s infotainment and navigation system easy to use?

As with other cars offered by BMW, while the infotainment screen is touch-sensitive, it’s also possible to use it with a handy physical click-wheel on the centre console which feels very intuitive. There are also shortcut buttons near the screen which can allow for quick access to the system’s most important features, making the whole setup easy to use.

The curved screens themselves are crisp and beautiful to look at and read. Whatever processor is behind it works very well, as the system is quick to respond to your inputs. There are some nifty features such as the brand’s Digital Key Plus system which allows you to download an app to your smartphone to turn it into a key which you can share with up to five people at a time. You can even park the car from outside via the Remote Control Parking feature in the app.

Is the BMW i5 Touring well equipped?

All BMW i5 Touring models get LED headlights and tail-lights, a powered tailgate, front sports seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, a reversing camera and parking sensors as well as many other features, so it’s safe to say it’s well equipped.

What options should you choose on the BMW i5 Touring?

BMW sells a lot of its features as part of packs which can be added to the i5 Touring. The Technology Pack gets an interior camera so you can check the interior of your i5 Touring via the app, an infotainment gesture control feature which detects your hand movements as inputs to the system without having to touch it, and a parking assistant feature which brings a 360-degree camera and an auto-parking mode. The Comfort Plus Pack adds four-zone climate control, heated and ventilated comfort front seats and a heated steering wheel.

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Extra practicality is, of course, the BMW i5 Touring’s main USP over the standard saloon model. Interior space is plentiful and much more generous than that of the Porsche Taycan. Knee room and headroom is generous, so tall adults will be very comfortable in the back, while the seats are soft and contoured, offering lots of support.

Despite the extra boot space in the back, the BMW i5 Touring is actually the same length as the saloon model, so it shouldn’t be any more difficult to manoeuvre and park – if anything, the rear glass’ position right at the back of the car might make it easier to place when reversing than the saloon.

Does the BMW i5 Touring have a big boot?

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The main reason you might buy a BMW i5 Touring over the saloon is its big boot. Unfortunately, the opening tailgate glass that used to be a feature of the old 5 Series Touring models is gone – that’s a shame because it was useful for chucking small items in the back when you didn’t have enough space to open the full boot.

The boot itself is large at 570 litres with all the seats up, and that figure matches the boot offered in the standard 5 Series Touring, so there’s no compromise for having the all-electric i5. We like the fact that the opening is large and there’s a low load lip, so it will be easy to get bulky items in. Unfortunately, the rear seats don’t quite fold flat, but there’s at least 1,700 litres to play with when you fold them down.

Is the BMW i5 Touring a good tow car?

The BMW i5 Touring can tow a braked weight of up to 1,500kg – that’s about the weight of a small caravan, but be aware this will significantly decrease the car’s range.

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BMW hasn’t performed particularly outstandingly in recent Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys overall, but its 21st-place finish in 2023 is still better than many rivals, such as Mercedes in 25th and Audi in 30th. It’s behind rivals Porsche and Tesla in first and third respectively, and these brands are two key players in the premium electric car market, so BMW has its work cut out to trump them.

It’s another story for reliability, though – out of all the rival brands just mentioned, BMW has the lowest percentage of customers (22%) that experienced an issue with their car in the first year. That compares with Tesla’s shocking 40% of customers and Porsche’s 37%, while 28% of Mercedes and 23% of Audi customers reported an issue.
 

How safe is the BMW i5 Touring?

The BMW i5 was crash-tested in saloon form in 2023 by Euro NCAP, who gave it a full five-star rating. Scores were mostly consistent across the board, though its lowest rating was in the Safety Assist category where it achieved 78%. It comes with features such as a driver fatigue monitor, lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking and other safety tech.

What are the BMW i5 Touring service intervals?

Because electric cars don’t need oil changes and the like, service intervals are a little less frequent for the BMW i5 Touring than the equivalent 5 Series Touring. BMW recommends bringing your car in for a service every 20,000 miles or two years to replace the pollen filter and brake fluid, though it does recommend having tyres checked every year or 10,000 miles.

What is the warranty on the BMW i5 Touring?

BMW’s warranty is starting to look a little sub-par now, with cover if anything goes wrong for the first three years with no mileage limit. While this used to be the industry standard, brands like Lexus are offering up to ten years’ cover up to 100,000 miles so long as you get your car serviced by a main dealer every 12 months or 10,000 miles.

Should you buy a BMW i5 Touring?

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There are so few electric estate cars to compare the BMW i5 Touring with, but it’s a welcome addition to the brand’s range. It offers the extra dose of practicality some buyers favour, alongside that familiar premium feel we’ve come to expect from the brand. While rivals may be few and far between, the i5 Touring has set the bar very high, so it will take a lot to knock it from its perch when more come along. 

If there’s any area where the BMW i5 Touring does fall behind it’s the fact that the rear seats don’t quite fold completely flat, although this is a minor niggle given the fact the boot is still very large. It’s also very expensive, making it even more niche than it already is as a premium all-electric estate car. All in all, though, with the marginal increase in price over the saloon model, the i5 Touring is a great choice for buyers after that extra versatility.

What is the Carbuyer pick of the BMW i5 Touring range?

The i5 Touring drives as well as any BMW should, and we think the eDrive40 has enough power and will actually be more than enough fun for most drivers, while costing significantly less than the M60 xDrive.

BMW i5 Touring alternatives

There are few direct rivals to the BMW i5 Touring, but if you’re to consider a mix of electric and petrol-powered estate cars your options do increase. 

• Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo
• Volkswagen ID.7 Estate
• Mercedes E-Class Estate
• Audi A6 Avant

How we tested the BMW i5 Touring

We’ve tested both the BMW i5 saloon and i5 Touring estate on British roads in 2024.