The BMW 5-series has been the best overall BMW vehicle. Pretty much every 5-series from the E12 to the iconic E34 to the V10 powered E60, has been exceptional to drive and comfortable to be in. But now the BMW 5-series is going all-electric. So does the new 2024 BMW i5 M60 continue the strong legacy of the 5-series?
Performance
Motors – The 2024 BMW i5 is available with two powertrain options for the Canadian market. There’s a dual-motor xDrive40 with 389 hp & 435 lb-ft of torque (290 kW & 590 Nm) or this M60 variant with 593 hp & 605 lb-ft of torque (442 kW & 820 Nm) . In the United States, there’s also an eDrive40 with a single-motor layout that produces 335 hp & 295 lb-ft of torque (250 kW & 400 Nm).
Getting back to this M60 variant, it is a very quick sedan. It is heavy at 2,380 kg (5,247 lbs) but thanks to xDrive and the instant torque of the electric motors, it can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. There’s a lot of drama and theater as the car gets ready to launch and accelerate up to 100 km/h. With launch control activated, the back wheels vibrate which is felt through the entirety of the car. It’s meant to induce drama to what is a sterile powertrain.
Never once did this big sedan feel slow or lacking any straight line performance. Most of the time however, the car only provides around 500 hp. In the Personal (or normal) drive mode, the power is toned down for better day-to-day drivability. At the pull of the Boost paddle on the steering wheel, full power is provided for 10 seconds. You can pull the paddle again to reset the timer and continue having full power or you can switch the car to Sport mode and have full power all the time.
Others who have reviewed this car commented about how snappy the accelerator response is. This would make the car jerky when setting off from a stop. While it’s true that the response is immediate, it is possible to be smooth with the accelerator pedal.
Battery, Charging, & Range – The i5 M60 has an 84.3 kWh battery back mounted in the floor. This allows the car to drive for an estimated 412 km (256 miles). During my week with the car, I noticed an average energy consumption of 21.5 kWh/100km (2.89 Miles/kWh). With that kind of efficiency, I could have theoretically driven the BMW i5 M60 for up to 392 km (243 Miles). Pretty close to its rated efficiency.
Recharging the car takes 30 minutes at a level 3 DC fast charger from 10% to 80% at a rate of 205 kW. Level 2 charging takes approximately 8 to 9 hours from 10% to 100% at a maximum rate of 11 KW.
Braking – The 2024 BMW i5 M60 has Low, Normal, Strong & Adaptive regen braking modes. The Adaptive provides regenerative braking based on the speed of the vehicle ahead of the i5. If the car ahead remains at a constant speed or if there is no car ahead, then no regen braking is applied. If the vehicle ahead slows down, regen braking is applied based on the rate of deceleration. However, this mode will not bring the BMW i5 to a complete stop. It’ll slow it down to about 7 or so km/h at which point you’ll have to press the brake pedal to completely stop the car. If you don’t want to touch the brake pedal while driving, simply switch the shifter from D to B and that will enable the one-pedal mode.
Under more spirited driving situations, the large brakes have plenty of power to bring the heavy car to a stop. The pedal feels firm and it doesn’t do anything funky like move on its own under heavy regen braking like some other EVs. My only minor complaint is that it’s difficult to bring the car to a complete stop without making my head bob forward. The brakes grab for the last few inches of stopping. There is a way around to avoid slight head bobbing when stopping by enabling the one-pedal mode. The stop is smoother in this mode.
Handling – The 2024 BMW i5 M60 broadly follows similar driving characteristics as some other BMW vehicles. As in, it has a very quick steering and a planted front end that changes direction quickly. But while this car responds quickly through the bends, the steering feel is lacking and is more suited for city streets rather than the Nurburgring. Having said that, the car hides its hefty weight through the corners. Not only does it have rear-wheel-steering with 2.5 degrees of angle, but it comes equipped with standard rear-axle air suspension and optional adaptive M suspension Pro with active roll bars. All of these features work together to keep the car’s body flat as you begin to turn the steering wheel and to give the feeling of nimbleness.
It’s impressive what this car can do through back country roads but it is by no means an electric M5. The fast steering and slick roll bars hide the weight but they can only do so much if the car gets pushed too hard into corners. Weight is the achilles heel of electric vehicles and while this one does wonders with what it has, it still feels most at home doing 200+ km/h down an autobahn rather than twisty mountain roads.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – For an M Performance vehicle, the 2024 BMW i5 M60 is a superbly comfortable sedan. Through corners the active roll bars prevent body roll to their best ability but in straight lines, they loosen up and allow the suspension to absorb the bumps in the road. It is a very effective system and I found myself driving a bit more quickly over rougher roads in this i5 M60. I also didn’t try to avoid potholes or manhole covers as much in this car as I have done in other luxury sedans.
Interior Space – The 2024 BMW i5 is a spacious sedan. At 6’4”, I have zero complaints for leg space or headroom in the front seats. I also have no complaints with space in the back seats. Plenty of legroom and headroom is just enough. I also can’t complain about the seats as the fronts provide ample support & comfort while the rears don’t provide as much support, they are very soft. However, if you are relegated to the middle seat in the back, you have to contend with a central hump. The BMW i5 shares its platform with the gasoline version of the 2024 5-series which does need the center hump for the driveshaft & exhaust system.
In the trunk, the BMW i5 M60 has 490 L (17.3 cu-ft) of cargo space. The trunk opening is wide but the trunk gets narrower closer to the back rests of the rear seats. The gasoline 5-series has a bit more cargo capacity than this electric version. Under the trunk floor, there’s a small compartment for the charging cable or other small items, and the i5 has nothing but cables under the big plastic trim piece in the front.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The cabin of the 2024 BMW i5 M60 is serene & calm. Very little road noise intrudes and like all other electric vehicles, there are no electric motor noises nor any vibrations from the powertrain. You can add some noises in the cabin through the Iconic Sounds which play through the stereo system whenever you plant your foot on the accelerator pedal.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2024 BMW i5 M60 starts at $95,000 CAD ($84,100 USD)which is $11,300 CAD ($14,000 USD) more expensive than the i5 xDrive40. This demo car came equipped with an as-tested price of $112,850 CAD ($90,900 USD).
Gadgets – With a price like that, the BMW i5 M60 has all the basics covered. From heated & ventilated front seats, to a power operated trunk, to a large moon roof, it has it all. It’s also equipped with an ambient lighting system that I’d say is closer to dethroning Mercedes-Benz with its ambient cabin lighting.
Where this car really shines, is with the advanced driver & convenience features. For a start, it can park itself. Not only can it detect other vehicles and park between them but it can also detect the lines of a parking stall on the asphalt and park between them, either backwards or forwards. It can also exit the parking stall and should you drive down a narrow street with no way to make a 3-point turn, the car can perfectly follow the same path it took to get there in reverse. You just control the speed of the reversing speed.
On highways, the car allows for hands-free driving if it’s equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance Package. This system works at speeds of up to 130 km/h and it will effortlessly and precisely navigate corners all while keeping the car perfectly centered in the lane without any driver input. The car can also change lanes by itself whenever the driver turns on the indicators or if there’s a slower vehicle ahead, the i5 can suggest a lane change. At that point, the driver only needs to glance left or right at the side mirrors and the car will initiate the lane change. If you encounter heavy traffic on the highway, the traffic jam assist will bring the car to a stop and set off again once traffic starts moving.This is by no means a level 3 autonomous driving system but give it a couple more years and it probably will be.
The infotainment system is iDrive 8.5 which looks very similar to the iDrive 9 system that is in the BMW X2. The home screen is the navigation system with a few different widgets to the left side. This is a customizable system with a favorites menu accessible with a swipe from the top of the screen. The navigation system can not only take you on the most efficient route when setting a destination, but it can also tell you what your battery charge will be at your destination. If you need to travel for long periods, it will automatically guide you to a charging station along the way as well as let you know how long you need to stay at it. This system also has built-in games which you can play while waiting for the car to get recharged. Simply scan the QR code once the app launches and then you can use your smartphone as a controller.
Interior Design – The new i5 takes some interior design inspiration from the BMW i7. It is a minimalist design with very few physical controls and a lot of capacitive touch and screen controls. However, some controls require a light swipe such as the air vents while others require a hard push such as the memory seats. And of course, like many modern BMW vehicles, climate controls are embedded in the touchscreen. Some of the functions can be controlled through voice commands or hand gestures, but I’m old fashioned. Give me a few simple controls for the climate.
The materials of the cabin are great. From the top of the dashboard to the lower portions of the cabin, it’s all soft leather or soft plastics. One material I could do without are the glass controls, particularly on the center console. In direct sunlight, these reflect a rainbow of colours directly into my retina while driving.
Exterior Design – Say what you will about BMW’s questionable modern design language but I quite like the look of the 2024 i5 M60. It has a big grille but it looks better horizontally rather than vertically like the BMW iX. I also like that BMW didn’t try to add fake exhaust tips to the back. It’s a cohesive design that doesn’t attract too much attention to it but also has a presence of luxury.
Safety – The safety list on the 2024 BMW i5 M60 is as long as the options list. Not only does it come equipped with a lot of standard safety & driver aids, the only option on this M60 is the aforementioned Advanced Driver Assistance Package which includes the highway assist and the Driver Assistant Professional.
Warranty – Like all other BMW vehicles, the 2024 BMW X5 40i is covered by a 4 year / 80,000 km new vehicle warranty in Canada. In the United States, it’s 4 years or 50,000 miles. The battery is covered for 8 years or 160,000 km in Canada & 8 years or 100,000 miles in the United States. For more information on Canadian BMW warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, the new 2024 BMW i5 M60 is a good luxury car. It does have some things that I find annoying such as the lack of physical buttons and the glass controls that shine sunlight directly into my eyes but as a whole package, it still exudes a feeling of luxury and prestige. Driving wise, the straight line acceleration will get your heart pumping but like many other EVs, it doesn’t have the same nimbleness as a gasoline counterpart. You can feel the weight through corners. But this car is best at providing a serene atmosphere while you’re driving on highways and on city streets.
Thank you to BMW Canada for providing the vehicle. www.BMW.ca
2024 BMW i5 M60 Gallery
