Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
91–110 MPGecombined; city 92–114, highway 88–106; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$4,200–$5,110U.S. average; Ohio $4,480–$5,440 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA electricity prices for Jul 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2026 i5. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 0 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 i5. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2026 i5 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2025 M5 Sportswagon, 2025-2026 M5, 2024-2025 750e xDrive, 2025-2026 550e xDrive, 2023-2025 I7, 2023-2025 7 Series, 2024-2026 i5, and 5 Series vehicles. The electrical wiring harness for the air conditioning system may become damaged during replacement of the cabin air filter.
Risk: A damaged wiring harness can short-circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the air conditioning system’s electrical wiring harness and add a retaining strap/bracket to the harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 13, 2026.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2026 i5, the latest on Aug 31, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (2), power train (1).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Specs
EPA class: compact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 10 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
i5 eDrive40 (19 inch Wheels) Rear-Wheel Drive
250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 310 miles of range
114 / 106 / 110 MPGe
i5 eDrive40 (20 inch Wheels) Rear-Wheel Drive
250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 300 miles of range
110 / 102 / 106 MPGe
i5 eDrive40 (21 inch Wheels) Rear-Wheel Drive
250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 278 miles of range
102 / 93 / 98 MPGe
i5 M60 xDrive (19 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
192 and 250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 277 miles of range
100 / 98 / 99 MPGe
i5 M60 xDrive (20 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
192 and 250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 266 miles of range
96 / 92 / 94 MPGe
i5 M60 xDrive (21 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
192 and 250 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 259 miles of range
92 / 89 / 91 MPGe
i5 xDrive40 (19 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
190 and 230 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 278 miles of range
99 / 97 / 98 MPGe
i5 xDrive40 (20 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
190 and 230 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 272 miles of range
97 / 94 / 96 MPGe
i5 xDrive40 (21 inch Wheels) All-Wheel Drive
190 and 230 kW EESM
Automatic (A1)
Electricity 259 miles of range
92 / 88 / 91 MPGe
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data