I tested a 2024 BMW i5 M60 xDrive last week, and I have thoughts.
Hit the jump for more.
The all-electric i5 is not cheap, starting at $84,100 and checking out at $93,495 as-tested. It’s luxurious, fast, and has a distressingly low range. Read on.
Pros
- It’s quick. Yes, yes, most EVs feel quick thanks to instant torque. But this one has 593 horsepower and 586 lb-ft of torque and you feel it when you need to pass or merge.
- The “Iconic Sounds” system seems to provide both a fake-exhaust sound and some sort of spaceship-like sounds, depending on drive mode, when you tromp hard on the accelerator. We’ve mostly been skeptical of this sort of thing here at TTAC, but it actually sounded kind of cool.
- I like the boost paddle that gives you a bit more oomph for a few seconds.
- BMW got the ride/handling mix right on this one.
- The large infotainment screen extending out from the instrument cluster looks good.
- Interior comfort is nice and the materials are price appropriate.
- Highway cruising is quite comfy.
Cons
- The range was only about 150 miles at 78 percent of capacity when I picked the car up, and charging on an old-school outlet is slooooow. I didn’t have the chance to fast charge.
- The shifter has no “Park” function, you either shut the system down or set the parking brake. This is annoying and I nearly had the car roll on me a couple of times.
- Similarly, sometimes I shut the system off, but the radio was still playing, at least until I locked the doors. I’ve seen this on other Bimmers, and it remains confusing.
- I couldn’t figure out the name for the voice assistant, and clicking on it via the infotainment system and asking for its name went nowhere.
- There’s no front trunk, and therefore, no corresponding increase in storage space.
- The price feels $20K too high.
We’ll be back later this week with some scattered thoughts on the new Nissan Versa.
[Images © 2024 Tim Healey/TTAC.com]
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