The BMW i5 retains many design elements that BMW fans know and love, while adding new, modern features that help bring the car into the modern age.

BMW’s design team seems a little restless. In just the past few years, they have unveiled (and started to roll back) massive changes to its classic and beloved kidney grille, launched concept designs for future cars like the Vision Neue Klasse, and released crazy-looking vehicles like the BMW XM. But between those headline-making announcements, the company has also been plugging away at new and modern vehicles that both push BMW design forward, while remaining true to what drivers have loved from BMWs of the past ? and there?s perhaps no better embodiment of that than the BMW i5 EV.
What’s Old Is New Again After BMW started rolling out new cars with oversized kidney grilles, the backlash was immediate. While the kidney grille is an iconic aspect of BMW design, many fans hated the company taking that design element and stretching it to oversized proportions. Thankfully, the all-electric BMW i5 retains a much more classic look, at least in overall shape.
The “sportier” grille on the BMW i5 M60
The car is actually available with two kidney grille designs ? depending on the trim you get. The higher-end i5 M60 that I recently drove has a slightly sportier kidney grille that has accent lighting around it. Sure, the accent lighting is a little over the top ? but you can turn it off in the car’s se...