► One of the few EV estates
► 340bhp in total
► Lets see if it’s any good
In the grand Venn diagram of automotive life, the intersection between electric propulsion and traditional family estates is tiny. And if you want it to be ‘premium,’ you’re down to a choice of one – the BMW i5 Touring you see here. Mercedes and Volvo, previously estate stalwarts, favour SUVs. The Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo isn’t that roomy. And VW’s ID.7 Tourer has been well received, but seems lacking in that something special.
Our i5 Touring is the lower-power eDrive 40 model, with an 81.2kWh (net) battery juicing a 340bhp motor that drives the rear wheels. It sits below the frantic M60 xDrive and it’s in mid-spec M Sport Pro guise for a £78,450 on-the-road price.
You’ll want for nothing on the luxury, dynamic, entertainment, and safety fronts. Highlights include M Sport suspension and brakes, adaptive LED headlights, electrically adjustable front seats in faux leather, high-gloss trim, and an illuminated double-kidney grille.
To this add a further £15,640 of optional packages and equipment, including a panoramic sunroof (£1600); 21-inch alloys (£2000); a Technology Plus pack (£3300) that adds self-parking, digital dash, head-up display, and more; a stunning Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system (£1250); and a Comfort Plus pack (£4600) for opulent goodies including cooled and heated front seats and four-zone climate control. That makes £94,995, or £5000 down and 35 payments of around £1570.
It took me all of two minutes to get the hang of driving the i5, but two hours to work my way through all the on-screen menus, including watching a lot of video tutorials, to comprehend all the i5’s many features.
The BMW rarely feels anything but big, especially around town and at lower speeds. Rolling refinement is exceptional, and the ride on those vast 21-inch wheels is surprisingly good, but if I were specifying this car myself, 19s would be on my list.
I’m going to upgrade my aged offline Chargemaster wallbox for an app-managed Ohme Home Pro unit, that together with my BEV-friendly Octopus electricity supply should ensure I can charge at the best rates. Just as well, as range hovering around the 230-mile mark means I’ll be using it a lot.
Logbook (BMW i5 Touring)
Price: £78,450 (£94,995 as tested)
Performance: 81.2kWh battery, e-motor, 340bhp, 6.1sec 0-62mph, 120mph top speed
Efficiency: 3.7 miles per kWh (official), 2.8 miles per kWh (tested)
Range: 301 miles (official), 227 miles (tested)
Energy cost: 11.5p per mile
Miles this month: 427
Total miles: 427