The 2026 BMW i5 xDrive40i is an excellent daily driver, with a great cabin and effortless driving dynamics. It's smooth, fast, and sophisticated.

But it's born out of compromise. The i5 shares its underpinnings with the gas-powered 5 Series. That means it has to be packaged to fit big inline-six and V-8 engines, wasting a bunch of room under the hood that serves no real purpose in the electric versions.

Would I still own one? Absolutely. But it's a reminder that platform sharing between gas and electric cars makes both versions worse. The i5 and 5 Series are both heavier and less spacious than they could be. It's no wonder why BMW is moving to dedicated EV platforms in the future.

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