The G61 BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring M Sport is a slinky station-wagon with style and space
Instead of the number of golf-bags the i5 Touring will accommodate, we prefer to think of the estate’s 570-litres boot-space in terms of doggos.
Mind, this can be expanded to 1700-litres with the second-row 40:20:40 split-fold seats folded-flat. The combination of a low loading sill with wide loading aperture also means it is very easy to stow stuff into the business-end of this station-wagon.
You might be interested to learn that the cargo-carrying capacity is identical, regardless of whether it is the ICE or EV variant of the 5 Touring.
See also: MINI Aceman SE Drive Review : Ace of Hearts
If you can’t tell yet, we really like wagons and not necessarily the fast ones either.
Despite what you think about the state of BMW’s current design offerings, the brand’s Touring models are fabulously-styled – look at the gorgeous 3 Series Touring for instance.
See also: BMW G90 M5 Drive Review : Purple Reign
The station-wagon body-style appeals to a niche audience in Singapore, with the traditional three-box sedan and ubiquitous crossover continuing to garner the most attention among the masses.
A wagon isn’t necessarily for utility, which is the impression most folks have of something that wears such a practical shape.
In some cases, it is a stamp of discreet wealth. Why? The owner clearly doesn’t care what you think and / or has a selection of other cars in the garage to choose from when the Touring’s level of space isn’t needed.
Thanks to BMW’s flexible drive architecture, each 5 Series Touring model will have both ICE and EV variants, just like its 5 Series sedan counterpart.
With its 5060mm x 1900mm x 1515mm (LxBxH) proportions and a commodious 2995mm wheelbase, the sharply chiselled i5 Touring is far from stealthy.
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With the standard M Sport package, the i5 Touring wears its size loud and proud, with a sporty stance thanks to the 8mm lowered ride and 20-inch M aerodynamic wheels.
The BMW Iconic Glow around the “kidney-grilles” adds to its sense of occasion when the i5 Touring prowls the streets at night.
The cabin is well-appointed with storage bins, while the double-combo of 12.3-inch and 14.9-inch “Curved Display” screens quickly ensnare your attention – if you’re wondering, it runs on the BMW OS 8.5.
Fortunately, the key functions are still controlled by physical switchgear so one doesn’t have to worry about blindly stabbing at the touchscreen on the move.
Further adding to the interior ambience is the BMW Interaction Bar, a backlit unit with a crystalline surface structure that boasts dynamic illumination and also features touch-sensitive control panels for the climate-control system.
The interior is completely vegan, which includes the surfaces of the seats, the dashboard, door panels, as well as the redesigned sports steering wheel.
It rides well, with great body control over pock-marked surfaces. This may only be an eDrive40 (as opposed to the sportier M60), but don’t diss it before you drive it.
There’s a sweet balance to its chassis that sees its rear-drive power output and handling work harmoniously together for wonderfully fluid responses to helm inputs.
For such vehicles, outright speed isn’t the objective for us. We want something nicely balanced that we can hustle effortlessly and reasonably briskly without ever fearing for life and limb, or losing one’s licence in the process.
It is quick enough for Singapore street-use, so you won’t have to worry about inadvertently touching silly speeds, which is a real concern for high(er)-powered EVs.
Like the current crop of BMW i models, the steering-mounted Sport Boost paddle gives you a momentary steroidal hit (from 400Nm to 430Nm) to execute quick overtaking manoeuvres.
Regardless of where you see the future of EV headed, we reckon that such transportation workhorses with 450-550km range are great for city commutes, and even for the semi-regular upcountry excursion into Malaysia, especially if there’s charging at your destination. (Pictured above: even at 53%, it's good for a range of approximately 300km)
At just under S$420k with COE (price is correct at time of writing), the i5 Touring eDrive40 may not be the cheapest proposition. After all, there's an entrance fee if you want to jump on the estate bandwagon, but you do get what you pay for.
BMW i5 eDrive40 Touring M Sport
Battery 81.2kWh, 400V
Power 340hp
Maximum torque 430Nm (with Sport Boost)
0–100km/h 6.1secs
Top Speed 193km/h
WLTP range (combined) up to 548km
Kerbweight est. 2.2-tonnes
Price S$417,888 (with COE)
