BMW i5 Touring eDrive40 M Sport Review: Consummate All-Rounder

What we like:

Great build quality

Handsome looks

Only full-size luxury wagon in the market right now

What we dislike:

Interior user interface can be improved

Not exactly the ultimate driving machine

Interest in wagons has reached fever pitch, and BMW is clever to capitalise on this with the 330i Touring last year as well as this brand spanking new i5 Touring. Unlike Mercedes or Audi in recent years, BMW has very deliberately brought in its Touring models, specified them to the tastes of the cognoscenti and marketed them heavily.

It seems to have worked as BMW now appears to have completely dominated the market for new luxury wagons. Make no mistake though that it was a decision fraught with risk, as wagons are not within mainstream tastes in this part of the world. But it paid off.

When we reviewed the new G60 in both 520i and i5 guises, we clearly found favour with the i5 for its power as well as the better steering feel and damping that came with the M Sport package. So BMW started with a good base when it picked the M Sport i5 variant of the Touring. It is the only version available.

With 340 hp and 400 Nm, the i5 Touring attains that sweet spot of being quick but not excessively so, doing the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.1 seconds. You also get an extra 30 Nm when you pull the single Sport Boost paddle to the rear left of the steering wheel. In fact, with only a single rear electric motor, it manages to retain the characteristic RWD balance of a BMW which is very satisfying when behind the wheel.

Equipped with sports steering that offers speed-dependent power assistance, as well as M Sport suspension that is lower than the standard items by 8 mm, the i5 Touring is probably the sportiest of its peers. But if you compare it with its predecessors, the G6X 5 Series in general has become even more luxurious, heavier and consequently less driver-focused. For most buyers, it would probably be irrelevant though.

They would instead appreciate the interior, which is indeed built to a very high standard and is very well specified, with a heads-up display, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and soft touch materials all round. BMW has always pushed the limits of imagination when it comes to ambient lighting, and in the i5 they made it a key part of the night time aesthetic. The drive sounds - put together by Hans Zimmer, no less, makes it all the more magical. However, I could do with climate control being separately controlled from the infotainment screen.

The main appeal of the Touring body shape is its long roofline as well as the added practicality of the bigger boot. Measuring 5.06 m, the i5 Touring cuts an elegant presence on the road, especially with its Iconic Glow front kidney grilles. Open its automatic tailgate and it swings upwards to reveal a low loading sill as well as 570 litres of capacity with the seats up, a full 80 litres more than the sedan. With the second row seats fully folded down, you get a maximum of 1,700 litres. The i5 Touring is truly a very complete car.

The bottom line is, the $10k premium over the i5 sedan is well worth it in my opinion. Against the sea of sedans in the market, the Touring will stand out in the future resale market, and may even pay for its own premium. It, too, doesn’t have any direct competitors at the moment, until Audi brings its electric A6 Avant e-tron to the market. If you’re looking for a luxury electric wagon, the i5 Touring comes up as a top pick at the moment.

Photos by James Wong

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