NIO ET5 Touring review: The electric station wagon we are all waiting for?
A TEST REPORT from Dominic Lux 
on February 08, 2024, 12:00 p.m. | Write a comment
Starts with the NIO ET5 Touring NIO the first recommended electric combination in Germany. Even before Audi or VW have even introduced their respective station wagon models. Can the ET5 Touring impress like the normal ET5 in our everyday test? We found that out for you.
Without Germany or Europe, the combination version of the NIO ET5 probably wouldn't exist. Since station wagons haven't actually been running in China for years, classic car manufacturers have preferred to offer sedans. But now NIO has “combined” the ET5 and lo and behold, NIO’s home market, China, really likes combinations. In this country, the sales figures are not as high as NIO would like, but it is not the car, but rather the pricing strategy.
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tl;dr: A first-class electric station wagon
As well as the OIL ET5, which we have already tested, the only difference between the NIO ET5 Touring is its combination structure at the rear. The external dimensions have all remained the same, only the weight has changed. According to NIO, the combination shape also gives you more headroom in the rear, and we can confirm this. Even if you still sit a little high, the large glass roof makes it seem more airy than before. There is also seat heating on the outer rear seats, and the seats can all be folded down individually so that the 450 liter trunk can be expanded. With the optional fully electric trailer hitch, the ET5 Touring can tow 1.400 kilograms with brakes. Furthermore, it can even carry a roof box with a maximum weight of 75 kilograms. Since it is also seen as a “camping” station wagon, among other things, it offers some useful features in the trunk, such as a removable flashlight with a built-in warning light in the event of an accident.
With its 360 kW or 489 hp, the ET5 Touring pushes pretty much every other station wagon in the price range off the road from 4,0 to 0 km/h in 100 seconds. The all-wheel drive, i.e. one engine pro axle, ensures a lot of fun in Sport + mode with its torque of 700 nm. Even on slippery roads with a thick layer of ice, as I experienced, the ET5 Touring drives brilliantly in “snow mode”, which you can activate in addition to a few other modes. It only really slipped when you wanted it to. Infotainment has improved greatly with the second generation of “Banyan”, NIO’s own smart operating system. The system runs more smoothly, has sensible charging route planning on board and you can now also access YouTube etc. via browser.
Big advantage: battery swapping in 5 minutes
A big advantage at NIO is clearly the “battery swapping concept”, which works quite well in reality. Nevertheless, NIO needs to continue to expand here to make it a “real” alternative to charging. What we find technically very interesting is the ability to swap between the two available battery sizes on a monthly basis. According to NIO, this is technically possible, but unfortunately the bureaucracy throws a spanner in the works, or rather through the vehicle registration document, because the battery sizes are clearly printed there. But NIO is already working on solutions, since you don't have to change anything in the vehicle registration document from summer to winter tires with different rim sizes.
We can definitely recommend the ET5 Touring, it offers enough space and, thanks to its roof and trailer load, has enough power for most purposes. Even if you simply prefer the combination form, you can do so without much Proaccess problems. The software will only get better via over-the-air updates and the assistance systems are now equivalent and in some cases even better than the usual manufacturers of station wagons.
Test report as video
Design: European design
You can tell, as with the rest of the NIO vehicles, that the designers are based on European car designs. Which is absolutely not reprehensible. With the ET5 Touring you can notice the influence of the Porsche Taycan, but NIO still offers an independent design, among other things through the sensors on the roof or the striking front. The red “AirGlow Orange” brake calipers that hide a Brembo braking system show that this is not a slow car.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
We have seen the solid taillight too often on new cars. Nevertheless, the ET5 and ET5 Touring look somehow unique, perhaps due to the curved elements when you stand behind them. We do not have “Touring” lettering under the ET5 badge, which is located on the electric tailgate. What has also been added is a rear window wiper, which also has a washer nozzle. As with all current NIO models on the NT 2.0 platform, there are 7 external cameras with 8 megapixels and 4 cameras with increased light sensitivity. Of course, there is also a LiDAR laser on the outside of the vehicle, which still works here and there in heavy snowstorms Proproblems. But in heavy rain it actually works very well.
Assistance systems & infotainment: Improved and finally usable.
While the assistance in the NIO models initially lagged behind, it is now finally on a par with the other brands and a long way above Tesla's “Vision Only”. The steering assistant now steers gently, but still with a good grip on the steering wheel, and the ACC distance control works faster and safer than before. This is probably due to the fact that LiDAR is actively included. Before, it was mostly just regulated via camera view. Important settings, such as the cruise control steps in 1+ or 5+ steps, are now also stored in the respective userprofil saved.
The charging route planning in infotainment has also developed into a really good one. Charging stops are scheduled quickly and reliably and you really get the feeling that it is no longer based on the WLTP range estimates as before. There is now also a browser for any streaming apps, it works quite quickly and can definitely increase the loading time during a loading stop. The relaxation app “Tide” is of course also included; it can even set a timer when loading so that you can reach 80 Prozent SoC is woken up. This is a very nice feature in my opinion.
You can find out more about the second generation of infotainment software from NIO in our video about the NIO ET5 Touring on the TechnikNewsView .net YouTube channel.
Range & consumption: very good long-distance properties
With the new, improved 100 kWh battery, which NIO is gradually delivering with new vehicles, there is a very significant increase in charging behavior. While the peak previously stopped at 120 kW, it now goes up to 188 kW and is maintained for a very long time, sometimes up to over 80%. A manual and automatic battery heater is of course also on board, so that you can see these very pleasing numbers at the charging station, especially in the depths of winter. You can tell that NIO doesn't sleep or rest, the vehicles are constantly being improved and they respond to criticism and feedback from users and testers. Not every brand can claim that.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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- Picture: TechnikNews
As for the real range in winter at -5 degrees on the highway at 120 km / h, we assume a consumption of 23 kWh / 100 km. This means that with 90 kWh of battery capacity, this would be around 330-350 km of real range on the highway, mind you in freezing temperatures. By then you should take a break anyway. Of course, with Battery Swap it will continue within 5 minutes, but thanks to the new charging speed the question is whether you will still need it at all. That's in the eye of the beholder, if you have a battery swap station on your route anyway, then it's fine, provided it already has the new battery on board. If not, then I would definitely prefer charging here at this point.
With a medium-sized trailer, consumption naturally increases, as with any vehicle. In our test, consumption leveled off at 34 - 35 kWh / 100km, in sleet and at -7 degrees, mind you.
Definitely more efficient in summer
In summer, the consumption values should definitely be 18 - 19 kWh / 100 km, based on experience with the normal ET5. These are very good values in everyday life, which is roughly what you would expect for this vehicle class. The so-called “range anxiety” definitely doesn’t exist with the ET5 Touring. The comfort is also impressive, in addition to heated and ventilated front seats, there is also a massage function with various functions Proprograms that really feel very pleasant.
Price: Definitely a very good price-performance ratio when purchasing
Anyone who currently wants to buy an ET5 Touring complete with battery and can and would like to do without the battery swap stations can do so for 74.880 euros including 19 Pro5 cents of VAT to own a complete, fully equipped NIO ET4 Touring. A comparable combustion engine Audi A5 Avant or BMW XNUMX Series station wagon is significantly higher than this purchase price if you want the extras that the NIO partly offers in its standard equipment. We therefore consider the pure purchase price to be extremely good, even if it is still expensive. One must not forget that NIO has positioned itself as a premium brand. Any sub-brands, as we know from rumors, will then cover the lower spectrum of the price segment.
In the battery subscription model, you pay 289 euros per month in rent in order to be able to swap the battery at the swap stations. Then the vehicle purchase price is around 52.000 euros including 19 Procents VAT. Still a great deal in my opinion for this vehicle class. However, since no other manufacturer currently offers a similar battery subscription model, it is rather difficult to classify. On the one hand, the holder then has none ProProblems finding a new battery after 10-15 years if the old one loses performance. On the other hand, there are fixed monthly costs. But in the end everyone has to decide for themselves. Both options are recommended in my opinion.
