Our cars
Comfortable and competent
We’re grateful for the i5’s ‘Comfort’ seats and refined ride.
BMW i5 eDrive 40 M Sport Pro
P11D price £76,200 As tested £94,375 Official range 362 miles Our average consumption N/A Mileage 1,955
Standard equipment: M Sport suspension, M Sport brakes with red calipers, BMW Individual Lights Shadow Line, M Sport seat belts, adaptive LED headlights, ambient lighting,
Options: Brooklyn Grey metallic paint (£900), 21in Individual aero bicolour jet black alloy wheels (£2,000), dark silver M accent combined with carbon fibre and high gloss silver threads (£400), panoramic glass sunroof (£1,600), sun protection glass (£470), Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system (£1,250), M carbon exterior styling (£1,750), Technology Plus Pack ( £3,300), Comfort Plus Pack (£5,000)
Martyn Collins
Following the i5’s alloy wheel incident, I’m pleased to say my BMW returned checked, fully valeted and with an replacement front offside wheel, after two weeks back with them, and I have to admit I really missed it.
Its return unfortunately almost coincided with me having some planned surgery. Although I enjoyed a couple of short
drives before a trip to the hospital. But ultimately, the i5 was parked for over a week while I recovered. Being chauffeured around was a serious loss of independence, and I was very keen to get back behind the wheel as soon as possible. When I felt well enough to try, it was the i5’s key I gingerly grabbed, for my first drive taking my daughter to her Cubs meeting. Despite the i5 being in sporty M Sport spec, I’m pleased to say the
‘Comfort Seats’ live up to their name – being ‘comfortable,’ but at the same time supportive. When I was seated comfortably, I was grateful at how undemanding it was to get the i5 started and moving. The only slight frustration being that the driving mode has to be set every time (the same as the iX1 I previously ran). I’m sure a reader, or someone at BMW, would be able to tell me a way not to have to do this!
I’m happy to not be stretching over my shoulder, too. With the excellent rear camera and parking sensors, there’s no need, giving me confidence as I manoeuvre off for my first drive. The i5’s control weights, such as the throttle and brakes, feel surprisingly ICE-engine like. The inputs required from my feet are smaller and more precise – giving more confidence. In my opinion, some EV manufacturers still aren’t getting this right. A recent drive in a Volkswagen Group car highlighted the throttle response being almost being hyperactive – making it hard to keep that model smooth at low speed – then lacking in feel when stopping. On the move, despite riding on 21in alloys, and doing without the more powerful M60’s adaptive suspension and four-wheel steering system, our i5 continued to impress me with how comfortable and compliant the ride is on the short cross-country drive. I always seem to have plenty to say about my long-termers’ headlights, but the i5’s LEDs are possibly the best of their type – quick to change to full-beam, but also reactive to other traffic. With the Bowers & Wilkins stereo, that has quickly connected to my phone, it’s playing music with a punchy, but sophisticated feel. I realise how much I’ve missed driving this car – even in what has been a relatively short time. In fact, the only part of its interior that disappoints, are the column stalks. These are the same as those fitted to our old iX1 and even the i7, and while they work well enough, they feel cheap in operation.. Despite my limited use of the BMW this month, again the i5 has proved what an excellent all-rounder it is. My main frustration now, is that my recovery could hold me back from driving and learning more about this car. Hopefully (almost) normal service will be resumed next month.
Why we’re running it
To see if the all-electric BMW i5 can revitalise the executive class.
www.businesscar.co.uk | February 2024 | 43
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