I’m just going to come out and say it: I kinda hate BMW’s latest styling direction. [Whoa, check out Mr. Hot Take over here! —Ed.] The beaver-tooth nose of the M3 and M4 haven’t grown on me the way it has for others, the new 7 Series is practically a meme, the new M2 looks like a bloated Lego version of its former self, and the XM is, well, the XM. They’re all far too out-there for my taste, and in some cases, have some weird design choices seemingly there just for shock-and-awe purposes. I miss the BMW of old—think the E46 M3 or the E39 M5—with their understated elegance, remaining attractive even today without going overboard. These new BMWs are certainly not that.
So, colour me impressed when I first set eyes on the 2024 BMW i5 xDrive40. Not because it drew me in with shock-and-awe, but because it looks kind of like a new old BMW—and yes, I see the irony, in that it’s a cutting-edge EV. Finished in Brooklyn Grey Metallic, the proportions are tidy, the headlights are appropriately sized and have remnants of classic Bimmers but with sharper edges, and the grille hasn’t grown like an untreated tumour.
The tail lights are slim and simple, perhaps the most generic part of a very cohesive design motif. [Really? You’re complaining that the tails look generic after calling their other cars to out-there?! —Ed.] The side profile is clean, with the visual drama coming in the form of attractive 20-inch wheels and modest gloss black side skirts for some contrast. Outside of the Z4, this i5 might be my favourite modern BMW to look at.
The interior is a home run as well. Not as restrained as the exterior, the unique glow of the prism-textured ambient lighting is different without coming off as gimmicky. The dual-screen setup is familiar but crisp and speedy. Our tester’s interior was finished in Dark Violet and Atlas Grey merino leather, which sounds polarizing at first, but it’s a just-right amount of purple and the grey compliments it perfectly. The silver Bowers and Wilkins speaker grilles add a touch of class to finish things off nicely, as does the dark, open-pore wood trim.
And I must note, BMW interiors are among the highest-quality I’ve experienced in modern cars. Everything seems glued and screwed together like a tank, with no cheap flex or creaky noises to speak of. I’ve noticed this in most modern BMWs; luxury should mean quality and BMW is living up to it, although less piano black trim would still be welcome.
On the road, the i5 drives like a true luxury car and reminds me of BMWs of old, despite the very modern powertrain. For me, the most noteworthy thing is the ride quality: it’s properly smooth, absorbing bumps both big and small and staying quiet in the process. There are some cars that may ride smooth but the bumps reverberate throughout the cabin, or vice versa, but the i5 controls both quite well. Credit here goes to the suspension and the somewhat taller tires that help absorb impacts.
The steering is devoid of any feel, but that’s true of any modern BMW. Still, the thick-rimmed steering wheel that feels nice in hand and is properly weighted, but feels a bit video game-like. It’s suitable for a bona-fide luxury car, but for a BMW and their inherent sportiness, you would appreciate some level of feedback. Still, with the i5 leaning toward luxury, I don’t particularly mind the numbness
If you’re looking for excitement, the power might just do it. No, this isn’t the flatten-your-face M60 version with its 593 horsepower, but it’s still properly quick. The i5 xDrive40 has 389 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque, and being an EV, power is instantaneous. It’s more than enough to hide at least part of its hefty, 4,861-pound curb weight [Let me guess: next you’ll say the new M5 is too heavy! —Ed.] which the suspension and brakes do a good job of masking as well.
As luxurious as the i5 is, BMWs sporty persona is always at the ready, with a torquey powertrain and tight road manners that ensure this i5 drives much more athletic than its size and weight suggests. Power is routed to all four wheels making for great all weather traction. Range is estimated at 428 kilometres with an 84.3 kWh battery, and in the week I spent with the i5, I’d say it’s fairly accurate, if not conservative. Charging speed is a so-so 206 kW, just above average in today’s world.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the perfectly calibrated throttle response in every drive mode. No weird lurches or jumpiness, the skinny pedal is weighted appropriately and easy to modulate. It really adds to the luxury aura of the i5 in the best of ways. It sounds like a such small thing, but countless manufacturers get throttle tip-in wrong, or make the pedal feel like you’re pushing a brick or a marshmallow. The i5 does neither. It simply gets it right, making for a serene experience.
Speaking of serene, BMW has implemented what some may consider a gimmick in some of their newer vehicles, including this one. Instead of your standard drive modes, you have drive … moods? You can choose between a number of them, and they alter anything from the ambient lighting to the fake engine sounds to throttle response and even adjusting the seat bolsters and sunroof shade. The idea is to match the car to your mood; there’s a Relax mode that eases the front seat side bolsters, calms the ambient lighting, closes the sunroof, and get this—turns the fake engine noise into background spa music that changes volume and tone as you accelerate. Silly, right? I thought so too, until I used it on a late-night drive home with the wife and kid in tow: the kid fell asleep, and both my wife and I felt rather zen. There’s also an Expressive mode that makes it sound like you’re a villain making their entrance into a Christopher Nolan movie. Pretty cool.
And that’s just about the only gimmick to the 2024 BMW i5 xDrive40. The rest of it looks and feels like a proper BMW. With an as-tested price of $97,500 including the much-needed Premium Essential and Advanced Driver Assistance packages, it’s a hard car to say no to. And unlike its other stablemates, you won’t have to explain why it looks the way it does.
