Station wagons are generally not popular choices among Singaporean car buyers. The reasons for this are varied, but one commonly cited is that some people feel that wagons look like hearses, and are therefore considered unlucky for those who are particularly superstitious.

That said, wagons have their fair share of fans, albeit in rather small numbers. And for wagon lovers who want to hop onto the electric vehicle (EV) bandwagon, there is now the new BMW i5 Touring to consider.

What's great about the i5 Touring?

The biggest appeal about wagons is their space and practicality. Wagons tend to have large cargo-carrying capacities, with lots of space to accommodate enough stuff for a week-long family holiday.

On the i5 Touring, this certainly holds true. On its own, the car boasts an impressive 570 litres of boot space, 80 litres more than the i5 sedan on which it is based.

However, once you fold the rear seats down, you will then have a colossal 1,700 litres of space. That's probably enough to cart half of IKEA home, if that's what you're into.

Sounds impressive. Anything else?

As most wagons are based on regular sedans or hatchbacks, they lack the tall driving stances of SUVs, which for keen drivers is considered an advantage. The lower centre of gravity (CG) generally results in a more stable handling setup, and a wagon is usually perceived as more enjoyable to drive than an equivalent SUV.

Being based on the i5 sedan, which is the electrified version of the latest generation 5 Series, the Touring already has a pretty solid base to start with.

It is a big and heavy car, no doubt, at over 5 metres long and weighing in at more than 2.2 tonnes, but the i5 Touring masks its heft pretty well.

In eDrive40 guise, the sole drivetrain option available for Singapore, the i5 Touring delivers an output of 335hp and 400Nm of torque. That's enough to propel it from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds, which is not bad for a car of its size.

But what's more impressive though is the i5 Touring's breadth of capabilities. The car works very well as a comfortable cruiser, picking up speed effortlessly and delivering a ride quality that, while slightly on the firm side, still manages to come across as well-controlled over bumps.

And yet, when you decide to get enthusiastic, the i5 Touring gamely takes on the challenge. The latest 5 Series has a grown-up quality to it, but the Touring manages to showcase its fun side with its quick and light steering, as well as its well-sorted chassis that helps it corner with a sense of fluidity and precision.

Part of this could be down to the M Sport suspension which comes standard for the i5 Touring in Singapore, and gives the car a slightly more dynamic slant over its sedan siblings which only offer the M Sport bits as an option.

It's not quite a sports car, but for a large family hauler the i5 Touring certainly makes things enjoyable for the driver.

Cool. What else should I know?

The rest of the car is mostly similar to the i5 sedan otherwise. The interior still features the large Curved Display incorporating the 14.9-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch driver instrument panel, designed to look like one combined screen.

There is also the colourful Interaction Bar lighting element running across the dashboard, which adds a touch of vibrance throughout the interior and incorporates touch-sensitive controls to adjust the climate control functions for the car.

At the back, there's enough room to accommodate three adults, and one benefit of the wagon body style is that the roofline is higher and flatter than the sedan, which results in marginally more headroom for rear occupants.

As for the car's electric range, BMW claims that the i5 Touring is able to travel up to 548km on a full charge, which is slightly down from the sedan's claimed range of 582km, probably in part due to the Touring's slightly heavier weight.

In reality, you'll probably be able to achieve over 450km easily on a full charge even if you're somewhat enthusiastic with your driving.

Sounds great. How much is it?

Unfortunately, a car like this is not going to be cheap, and buying an i5 Touring will set you back a princely $427,888 with COE (as of January 2025), which is a full 10 grand over the top-spec i5 M Sport sedan.

However, as explained at the start of this review, a car like this is not really meant to appeal to everyone. For those who appreciate the wagon form factor, the i5 Touring offers a unique proposition to go electric, while still retaining all the good stuff that the wagon life brings.

If that sounds like the life you aspire to, then the i5 Touring is certainly well worth the money.

benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

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