The BMW i5 Touring is currently the cheapest 5-series Touring – Back to Basics

BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring – €79,622

Didn’t the new BMW 5-series shine in this section before? Certainly, but then it was about the sedan. As a 520i, it is also cheaper than the fully electric i5, so we looked at a relatively modest petrol model. The new BMW 5-series Touring is not available as a 520i for the time being, although the range will be supplemented in the future. Petrol models and plug-ins are not available yet, so you have to make do with the 520d diesel – from €80,143 – and the i5. It is currently available as a rear-wheel drive eDrive40 and as a four-wheel drive M60 xDrive. The power difference is considerable, but with the 340 hp of the entry-level car you are well equipped. What’s called: the sprint from 0 to 100 takes 6.1 seconds. Fast charging is also nice and quick with a maximum of 205 kW (30 minutes from 10 to 80 percent) and once the 81.2 kWh battery is full, you can cover a maximum of 560 kilometers in the best case.

You have to look for external differences between the electric i5 and a traditionally powered 520d with a magnifying glass. The 19-inch Triplex wheels of the i5 are optional for the diesel, because it is standard on 18-inch. Furthermore, the i5 naturally has the obligatory ‘i’ in the grille, the front and rear logos have a blue border and the frame of the reflectors at the back appears slightly different in the configurator. We also clearly see the battery pack hanging under the car, especially from the side and behind. In practice this will probably not be so bad.

The i5 above, the 520d below. Note the wheels, but also the slightly lower bumpers and skirts.

The standard headlights are impressive, because BMW installs adaptive LED lights with ditto high beam as standard. Window frames and roof rails are chrome-plated, very chic. Unfortunately, this does not provide too great a contrast here, because the bodywork is always made in uni-Alpinweiss without any additional charge. The contrast with the interior is significant, because it is of course completely black in the basic version. The ‘Veganza’ upholstery looks like leather, but it is not. The ‘vegan’ in the name says it all: no animal skins have been used. Nowadays, BMWs without M-sport often get a two-spoke steering wheel, and that is no different with the i5. The headliner is also made in a slightly lighter shade, black is part of the version with M decoration. Anyone hoping for a panoramic roof, a popular option at BMW Tourings, will of course be disappointed in the entry-level model. Perhaps also in a more expensive i5, because the optional glass roof can no longer open these days. It therefore follows the path of the window in the tailgate, which, unlike previous BMW Tourings, can no longer be opened separately.

The valve itself opens electrically as standard and that is not the only luxury that i5 buyers can count on for the basic price. BMW, for example, installs heated sports seats as standard, apparently with those nice seat extenders that the brand is known for. They are not electrically adjustable. The large ‘curved display’ on the dashboard is always there and is linked to an audio system with 6 speakers. Those who want more can turn to one of the two optional audio systems in this regard. The ‘BMW Connected Pack Professional’ is standard and provides, among other things, navigation and wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Automatic climate control with two zones is of course part of this luxury station wagon. Cruise control is present, but adaptive cruise control is not. This is included in ‘Driving Assistant Plus’, an option for 1,067 euros. We also miss keyless entry on the basic 5, and at €994 it is also a pricey option. The ‘Comfort Pack’ is hard to resist, because for €2,495 you get ventilated and electrically adjustable front seats with memory, 4-zone climate control and rear seat heating. A heated steering wheel costs €320 and other decorative moldings cost €500 or more. The ‘fake leather’ can be made in a different color for around €1,000. Real leather is also possible, but that will cost you almost 3 grand. Finally, an exterior color costs just under €1,300 extra in most cases. As is often the case in the higher segments, it is virtually impossible to stay off the options list. Although you can secretly live very well with such a basic i5.