THE touring, in all its various monikers — estate, wagon, station wagon, shooting brake — has embraced its status as the unlikely frontrunner for many brands.
The former workhorse has galloped up the pecking order through a combination of more powerful engines, clever marketing and repositioning as a more exclusive car in a brand’s line-up.
Estates don’t sell in large numbers, especially since the arrival of SUVs, so the recent preference, by the German marques in particular, to load them up with a powerful engine and top-tier bells and whistles, have made them more interesting to drive.
Hence these souped-up stationwagons have become the choice of the well-heeled who wish to have something cool and less common.
Plugging Some Old Into The New
With electric vehicles (EV) well positioned to be part of the sweeping changes reshaping transportation, there are still some familiar elements that will carry over and prevail from the ICE (internal combustion engine) age. The electric estate would certainly assume its place in the line up of cars coming clean.
The BMW i5 Touring eDrive40 M Sport reviewed here, is quite the mouthful with its model nomenclature, but don’t let that take away from the fact that some old yardsticks for measurement will continue to shape this category of EV.
The new i5 Touring balances practicality with presence and functionality with performance.
With the new family look of BMW — love it or loath it — well entrenched, all that’s left is to see how that is incorporated into the larger form.
The advantage the i5 Touring has is it doesn’t have as much metal in your face as an SUV. The lower former factor, with the extended rear gives it a bit more play for a more streamlined look.
Available in a range of colours, including three optional BMW Individual paint finishes, the standard equipment includes 20” M aerodynamic wheels whose design and construction methods reduce both weight and air resistance.
Rich On Bells And Whistles
Packed with all the latest features and performance capabilities, the i5 Touring does handle rather sharply. Responsive due to the instant torque available in an EV, it’s decidedly swift when it has to be.
Despite coming in over 5 metres in length, its rear-driven wheels allow for nimbleness on the move. Special rubber mounts for the rear axle carrier optimise agility, ride comfort and cuts down on vibration.
The electric motor generates 250kW of power, with a maximum torque of 430Nm available immediately. With the Boost function engaged, the i5 Touring propels itself from 0-100kmh in just over six seconds, accompanied by the appropriate BMW IconicSounds Effects pumped through the 12 Harman Kardon speakers. There’s an option for an 18-speaker B&W system as well.
With a range of around 550km, and ample boot space, this certainly would make for a nice set of wheels for a long drive.
MORE AFTER THE VIEW
Charging Up
Customers will receive a BMW Wallbox with the purchase price of *$420,000 along with 10,000kW of charging over 3 years at Shell Recharge stations.
Loaded with a full slate of driving assistance, this estate is designed to keep you safe. And if what’s offered is not enough, Driving Assistant Plus and Driving Assistant Professional are available as options.
Comfort On The Go
Given the limitations of what the electric motor is able to offer petrolheads, there’s an overcompensation of drive modes to choose from. Of the 7 various drive modes, you can certainly feel the difference in performance in some.
In Sport, for example, the drive becomes livelier and even the seat gets excited at the possibilities, gripping the driver a little more tightly.
In Silent, everything unnecessary cuts out. Some of the other modes on offer are more about aesthetics and will probably not be used much once the novelty wears off.
Wide Screens
Most of the information you’ll need to access will be available on the sweeping, curved screen, which is becoming more impressive the further along BMW interior design gets. The fully digital display system consists of a 12.3” information display and a 14.9” control display.
On that combined screen you can adjust the sound system, air-conditioning levels, check on the status of the car and wirelessly connect with your mobile phone. Add to that the head up display, and most of your key information is readily available.
The new BMW iDrive also offers in-car gaming. Smartphones and the BMW curved display will keep you occupied, say, while your battery is being charged (30 minutes will get you to 80%).
While loads of connectivity features are on offer, along with remote access via the My BMW app, many drivers are going to use their smartphones, for the practical reason of familiarity. The BMW app can sometimes be too involved when it comes to looking for specific locations, and has been prone to glitches, especially after an over-the-air operating system download.
A problem you will likely face is if you’re sharing the car with another driver, each with their own key present, when the different configurations and play lists may confuse the system into paralysis.
In the cabin, the extra space that the touring affords, results in more elbow room. While it feels and looks like leather, you’re sitting in a full vegan interior. From the Veganza seats to the dashboard, door panels and the new steering wheel, your conscience can be clear that no animals were put to the sword.
BMW i5 Touring eDrive40 M Sport RATING
Styling: 8/10
Interior: 7.5/10
Connectivity: 7.5/10
Ride: 8/10
Handling: 8/10
Power: 8.5/10
Overall: 8/10
*Please reconfirm price with dealers.
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