Our Cars: BMW 5 Series Touring - July

BMW 5 Series Touring 520d M Sport

Week ending July 22
Mileage 7285
Miles driven this week 565

Summer’s almost here, and it doesn’t look as though I’ll be spending much of it in our BMW. The 520d’s easy-going nature, space and refinement mean that it’s proving a popular choice with staffers heading to the continent. Will Nightingale currently has the car in France, and it’ll go back there with Mr Ed-in-chief Hallett barely five days after its return. In the meantime, I have the car on a couple of decent journeys, since inheriting it from Jim Holder. Likes? The Variable Damper Control on this car improves the basic ride quality no end over a regular 520d’s set-up. Dislikes? The engine characteristics mean that it’s quite easy to bog down in low revs - and the manual gearbox means there’s nowhere to hide when it comes to stalling.
John.McIlroy@whatcar.com

Week ending July 8
Mileage 6210
Miles driven this week 680

The 5 Series Touring isn't the biggest executive estate car around: that'll be the Mercedes Estate. It's certainly practical, though. I've put our example's loadspace capacities to the test recently, lugging around gardening kit, stones, a pair of spaniels and bicycles. Although not all at once. It's been well up to the job. There are handy features, too: the rear window opens separately and the rear seats fold when you pull a handle in the boot.
Leo.Wilkinson@whatcar.com

Week ending July 1
Mileage 5530
Miles driven this week 520

Can a car be too manly? My wife certainly thinks the 5 Series is. She reckons reverse gear is hard to engage (as with all BMW cars, it’s located with a very firm push left and up) and finds the M Sport steering wheel too thick to grasp comfortably.
Jim.Holder@whatcar.com