BMW i5 Luggage Test: How much fits in the trunk?

BMW's official specs indicate that the BMW i5 has a 17.3 cubic-foot trunk. "Wow!" you might say, if you've been keeping track of sedan trunk volumes. Oh, you haven't? Weird. Well, that would be more than the 16.7 cubes you'll find in a Honda Accord, which can not only swallow all six standard Luggage Test bags, but the 38-quart cooler that's usually reserved for testing more voluminous SUVs. The i5's Accord-besting volume is even more impressive when you consider it's the electric version of the 5 Series, and presumably has at least some packaging sacrifices to be made for its platform's need to pull double duty as an ICE and electric vehicle. Well done BMW!

Not so fast. The second you pop the trunk, it's readily apparent that the i5 doesn't have anywhere close to 17.3 cubic-feet of space. At least not using the same measurement method as seemingly every other car maker. This is not a new phenomena. The 3 Series also apparently has 17 cubic-feet, but yeah, it really doesn't.

I'm sure at some point you're going to read that the i5 has "impressive trunk space" or even "class-leading trunk space" because that's certainly what the specs would indicate. In terms of actual space, though, it doesn't. That spec is deceptive. I can't imagine BMW is going out of its way to create this deception; it's probably just a case of engineers using some measurement they prefer for reasons A, B, and C. But I also can't imagine anyone at BMW minds the fact that its sedan trunks can be advertised as bigger than they are relative competitors. (I need to note that BMW's SUVs don't seem have this problem).

So how much really can fit inside? That's what I'm here for.

As with every Luggage Test, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller blue roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).

First, like many EVs, there is a sizeable underfloor storage area. The i5 doesn't have a frunk (more on that soon), so I'll probably have to stow the emergency charge cord down there.

For the purposes of cramming the most luggage possible in the trunk, though, you may need to relocate that charge cord and use the space for a bag. That's exactly what I did. Fancy bag goes here.

As for the main trunk compartment, the first clue that this ain't your typical 17.3-cubic-foot trunk is that it's not very tall. The above comparison isn't ideal given the camera angle and the different bag used, but you can clearly see that there is plenty of space above the biggest blue bag in the Accord's trunk (above right). There is none above the similarly sized gray bag in the i5 (above left).

Making that lack of height worse are those old Luggage Test villains, the remote back seat release latches. These are certainly handy, but I can't tell you how often they've prevented me from fitting an entire bag inside a trunk, resulting in a whole bunch of useless leftover space. The i5 is another example.

Another issue is this weirdly shaped area on the left side of the trunk. It's useless.

OK, let's see how much can fit.