Text by Tom Appel
2024 BMW i5 eDrive40
Specs
Class: Premium Midsize Sedan
Color: Cape York Green
Miles driven: 203
[table “11111” not found /]
Battery capacity: 84.3 kWh
EPA-estimate MPGe: 97 city/94 hwy/96 combined
EPA-estimated driving range: 270 miles
Consumer Guide range estimate (ideal conditions): 300 miles
Snow Performance: N/A
Base price: $66,800 (not including $995 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Special paint ($650), Premium Package ($2850), M Sport Package w/21-inch wheels ($4800), Sky Lounge Roof ($600)
Price as tested: $76,695
Pros and Cons
The great: Expected BMW drive experience
The good: Better-than-stated range, smart and upscale cabin
The not so good: Limited rear-seat legroom
Review
While crossovers now account for most of BMW’s U.S. sales, it has long been the 3-Series and 5-Series cars that defined the brand’s character. The cheeky and dynamic little 3-Series stormed onto the sport sedan scene a few decades ago, while the midsize 5-Series added room, comfort, and luxury to the formula, establishing a seriously loyal following of enthusiast drivers, many of whom still patronize the marque.
The question being asked here is, can a European performance icon maintain its bona fides after swapping its petroleum-fueled soul for a battery-powered motor or two? Here’s the deal…
Trim Levels
New for the 2024 model year, the i5 is an electric variant of BMW’s 5-Series lineup, which is comprised only of sedans in the U.S. Offered for ’24 are a rear-drive single motor model dubbed i5 eDrive40, and an AWD dual-motor i5 M60. The eDrive40 is rated at 335 horsepower and is EPA rated to travel 295 miles on a full charge on its base 19-inch wheels and tires. The M60 boasts a big 590 horsepower and up 270 miles of range.
For 2025 an AWD xDrive40 joins the lineup. The trim level features two motors for a combined 389 horsepower and up to 266 miles of battery range.
New for 2025
For 2025, i5 prices range from $68,275 to 85,275. And as we noted early, the only significant change to the i5 lineup for ’25 is the addition of the AWD base model.
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2024 i5 eDrive40 with the Premium Package, M Sport Package (which includes 21-inch wheels). All told, our test car, seen here in extra-cost Cape York Green, came to $76,695.
While the i5 is mechanically related to the gas-powered 5-Series, it boasts unique exterior styling and interior trim. And, in a market in which every Genesis model is outfitted to rival Bentley in cabin appointments, BMW’s restraint in this regard is refreshing.
Cabin
This in not to say that the i5 feels in any way cheap—it does not—but that the brand’s designers spent time deciding where and how to apply bright trim, and even leather. Indeed, the two-toned cabin, accented with bits from the M Performance Package, has a serious, stoic feel, reminding drivers and occupants that BMW’s are still meant to be serious performance-oriented vehicles.
That said, the cabin is comfortable and reasonably roomy. Smallish door openings mildly complicate entry and exiting, but there’s plenty of big-guy space once situated behind the wheel. Rear seat space is similarly generous, though kneeroom can be limited if the front seats are adjusted all the way back.
Controls and Connectivity
The i5’s instrument panel and touchscreen are located on the same single panel, though the displays are separate. The look is clean and efficient, and both readouts are bright and easy to read. We found the iDrive 8.5 infotainment interface relatively easy to operate, with most-used functions obviously situated and easy to manipulate. Our test cars Harmon Kardon-brand auto system served up outstanding sound quality, and was especially impressive reproducing the mid-century American jazz favored by this author.
Ride and Handling
Underway, the i5 cabin is especially quiet, adding an eerie quality to sudden bursts of acceleration. Ride quality is also excellent, with the suspension filtering out most road imperfections while still permitting a health—sporty—amount of road feel to keep the drive exciting. That said, we did note a certain amount of excess wheel travel—felt mostly as float—after encountering large bumps or potholes. While the initial damping happens as it might in any sporty car—with control—a secondary motion, as the car rebounds upward, feels exaggerated, resulting in more cabin motion than found in non-electric BMW models. We suspect weight of the battery is the culprit, and not every driver/passenger took note of the motion. It’s a little thing, but once you notice it, it’s hard to ignore.
Power and Performance
But a little extra post-impact suspension motion is easily forgotten when things get twisty, as the i5 handles about as well as any 5-series BMW, which is to say, very well. We especially appreciate the firm and communicative steering, and the controlled body motion in corners and on on-ramps. And while 335 horsepower many not sound like a lot by contemporary EV standards, we found our test car’s immediate throttle response and straight-line gusto more than rewarding. BMW claims the i5 eDrive40 will reach 60 mph from a dead stop in 5.7 seconds, a figure which feels very conservative to us. Additionally, we consistently found the car’s mileage range to be conservative. In mild weather and driven in a relaxed manner, we expect that our test car would easily travel 300 miles on a full charge.
And, while we generally don’t comment on exterior design, we find the i5 both sleek and modern looking, and especially appreciate the car in this color.
Value
While $77,000 is a lot of money for a car, it isn’t too much for a sophisticated midsize sedan with a classy, understated cabin, plenty of power, and world-class handling. For folks in the Snow Belt, the addition of an AWD base car to the lineup is a big deal. Be aware that options quickly inflate the bottom line of this, or any, BMW. And to quell any doubts, though electric, the i5 is a fine driving machine, and a worthy model in the 5-Series lineup.
Listen to the Car Stuff Podcast
2024 BMW i5 eDrive40 Pictures
Click below for enlarged images
