New BMW 5 Series Touring review

According to research, the pandemic saw a big increase in dog ownership, with millions of households choosing to get one. Many of those owners will have found themselves considering suitable estate cars to carry their new pet around – and the BMW 5 Series Touring we're reviewing here is one of the most luxurious.

After all, the Touring version gives you many of the benefits of the 5 Series executive saloon but with a bigger boot and a more user-friendly hatchback opening.

However, while it sounds very promising on paper, there are plenty of other big deluxe estate cars to choose from. So in this review we’ll be comparing the latest BMW 5 Series Touring with the Audi A6 Avant and Mercedes E-Class Estate.

We’ll also explain which engine and trim combination makes the most sense (whether or not you're a dog owner). Read on to find out how it performs...

Even in entry-level 520i form, the BMW 5 Series Touring is pretty quick. With 0-62mph taking 7.8 seconds, it matches the Mercedes E200 Estate and is slightly faster than an Audi A6 Avant TFSI. We’ve yet to try the 520i Touring, but in the 5 Series saloon the engine does need working hard to get up to speed.

We have tried the 530e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Touring and it’s very capable. It tends to favour the electric motor, which itself is very strong and feels punchier than the E-Class PHEV’s, getting up to 40 to 50mph without calling on its 2.0-litre petrol engine very often.

In Sport mode the petrol engine and electric motor combine, cutting the 0-62mph time to 6.4 seconds. The other 5 Series Touring PHEV – the 550e – has four-wheel drive and is even quicker. Its 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine helps to cut two seconds off the sprint time.

Both PHEVs have good electric-only ranges, with the 550e officially managing 55 miles on a charge, and the 530e capable of 60 miles. That said, the Mercedes E300e trumps both, managing up to 68 miles. There’s also a diesel engined E300de, which is a rare combination in this class.

So far we’ve tried the 5 Series Touring on standard passive suspension and its firmer set-up means it handles corners with more composure than the A6 Avant and E-Class Estate. There’s much tighter body control and the precise, well-weighted steering adds to your confidence.

Unlike the A6 Avant (and the all-electric BMW i5 Touring), the 5 Series Touring isn’t available with four-wheel steering, which helps that rival disguise its size and makes it more manoeuvrable than the Touring at low speeds.

The ride is mostly calm and there’s less fidget than in an E-Class Estate when both cars are fitted with 20in wheels. However, while the 5 Series Touring cushions against speed bumps well, it does thump more than that rival when it trips up over sharper ridges and dimples, resulting in occupants being jostled around in their seats more.

Even so, that occasional thunk will be worth it for some buyers, especially since it feels better tied down than the softer E-Class Estate over undulating roads.

We’ve yet to try it, but you can have a 5 Series Touring with adaptive suspension that allows you to adjust the softness of the ride. It’s limited to the pricier 550e xDrive.

As for refinement, the 530e PHEV can drive on electricity alone, making for some silent driving around town. The petrol engine wakes up smoothly and only generates a slight grumble when worked hard.  

Wind and road noise are kept at bay, even at high speeds. While both cars are very quiet, the 5 Series Touring thumps a bit more than the E-Class when dealing with harsher bumps, but it does have a touch less road noise than that rival on motorways.

The 5 Series Touring also has a consistent brake-pedal response that helps you judge how much input is needed to bring the car to a smooth stop very easily. It’s much better than the grabby response in the E-Class Estate.

To read about the most powerful version, M5 of the 5 Series Touring, see our BMW M5 review.

"I didn’t quite match the 530e’s official battery range but I wasn’t far off. I’d only use a few miles’ worth of petrol for my commute to and from the office." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Every BMW 5 Series Touring has a comfortable and supportive driver’s seat that holds you securely when cornering. You have to adjust the steering wheel into position and slide the seat back and forth manually, but there’s plenty of range available and the rest of the driver’s seat is adjusted electrically (including for height, reclining and lumbar support).

A 12.3in digital driver's display sits side by side with a 14.9in infotainment touchscreen to give the illusion of a big curved display. The driver’s display is clear and offers more lay-outs than the one in the Audi A6 Avant. A head-up display that projects sat-nav instructions and your speed on to the windscreen is part of the optional Technology Pack.

The dashboard is well laid out with a few physical controls on the centre console. However, the 5 Series Touring has the edge over rival estate cars thanks to a control dial between the front seats that allows you to scroll and make menu selections. It's far less distracting manner than using the touchscreen-only systems in the A6 Avant and Mercedes E-Class Estate.

A small quibble is that the air-vent controls are a bit fiddly because you can’t see the direction they’re pointing in.

The front pillars are fairly chunky, but they are positioned out of the way so you can see out relatively easily at junctions and roundabouts. You get big wing mirrors and large side windows to help with visibility over your shoulder, and a tall rear screen that gives you a good view out the back.

The 5 Series Touring has front and rear parking sensors as standard, although a rear-view camera is part of the Technology Pack.

The standard adaptive LED headlights can stay on full beam because they automatically adjust to avoid dazzling other road users.

The Touring's 14.9in infotainment touchscreen includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, sat-nav, various online services and DAB radio. The software in a couple of our test cars has been glitchy and struggles to load up Apple CarPlay, but the system is otherwise quick to respond and has crisp graphics.

The main App menu is completely inundated with icons, but there is at least a search bar to help you find the function you want.

Annoying, with PHEV versions, you can’t simply switch between Hybrid and electric-only mode at the press of a button, as you can in the M5 Touring or the E-Class Estate. You have to find it in a sub menu, which requires too many presses and makes it highly distracting.

It’s the same story if you want to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking because there are no paddles on the back of the steering wheel.

The standard-fit 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is good, but it’s not as clear or punchy as the Bowers & Wilkins upgrade or the Burmester system in the E-Class Estate.

In terms of quality, the materials used in the 5 Series Touring are a bit better than those in the Audi A6 Avant while the fit and finish feel more robust than in the E-Class Estate.

Similarly, most buttons and switches are well-damped, and there’s plenty of ambient lighting – although the E-Class Estate has a bit more visual swagger.

You can choose different trim inserts in the Touring, including wood and carbon fibre. They run the length of the dashboard and add to the upmarket feel. There is also the option to have the rotary dial, the volume control and gear selector made of glass.

"To me, having to adjust all the hybrid settings individually in a sub-menu on the touchscreen simply over-complicates things and almost feels like an afterthought, or even a cost-cutting exercise." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

The BMW 5 Series Touring is just as spacious as the saloon version up front and, like the Mercedes E-Class Estate, feels a bit more airy than the Audi A6 Avant. There's plenty of leg and elbow room, and the optional panoramic roof doesn't eat into head room. 

There's loads of storage space too. The glovebox is a good size, there’s a rectangular cubby under the central armrest, two cupholders, a tray that holds two phones and wide door pockets that'll each hold a small water bottle.

There’s plenty of head and leg room in the 5 Series Touring for a pair of 6ft adults to sit behind similar-sized folks up front. With both cars fitted with a panoramic roof, there’s more head room in the back of the Touring than the E-Class Estate. The Touring doesn’t offer quite as much foot space under the front seats though, so you can’t stretch out your legs quite as much.

Like in the E-Class Estate, there’s a tall central tunnel along the centre of the floor that the middle passenger has to clamber over and straddle. If you’re trying to fit three burly occupants side by side, shoulder room will be tight. That said, it’s the same story in other estate cars.

Rear storage space could be better. You get a pair of cupholders integrated into the fold-down centre armrest, but the door bins are small and have a limited access area while the back of the front seats don’t have any pockets.

The 5 Series Touring has a good, square-shaped boot space with a 570-litre capacity (up to the parcel shelf and with the rear seats in place). It’s usefully bigger than the A6 Avant's (503 litres) but smaller than the E-Class Estate's (615 litres). More positively, the PHEV Touring doesn’t lose out on any space, unlike the E-Class PHEV, which has much less than non-PHEVs, at 460 litres.

There are a couple of shallow storage areas under the boot floor for the charging cables and other kit. While the floor itself isn’t height-adjustable, there is a hydraulic strut that helps raise it to ease access. 

Boot features include a 12V power socket and a hook, and integrated levers allow you to fold the rear backrests down remotely in a 40/20/40 split. With the rear seats folded down, you get a long, flat load bay all the way through to the front seats, and the boot floor is flush with the tailgate opening so there’s no lip to lift heavy items over. A powered tailgate is standard on all Tourings.

"I think it’s a shame that on the 5 Series Touring you can't open the window on the tailgate. It’s a great feature on the smaller 3 Series Touring." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

Broadly speaking, the BMW 5 Series Touring is more expensive than the Audi A6 Avant and cheaper than the Mercedes E-Class Estate.

The 520i makes the most sense for private buyers, with its lower list price and official average fuel economy of around 46mpg, which is slightly better than an equivalent A6 TFSI and E200. 

In the 5 Series Touring range, the 530e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the best choice for company car users because it attracts the least BIK tax. Its lower P11D price makes it a little more affordable per month than the E-Class PHEV but the difference is small. However, it’s worth noting the fully electric BMW i5 Touring will cost less to run than any PHEV.

If you can keep the PHEV’s battery charged up and make use of its electric range, you’ll save a fortune on fuel. Just remember that if you don’t charge the battery and you're running on the petrol engine alone, fuel economy will be disappointingly low and even worse than the 520i’s, because of the extra weight of the big battery it has to lug around.

Alternatively, the E-Class Estate is available as a diesel PHEV with better fuel economy. That rival also has a CCS fast charging socket as standard, allowing you to plug into a public EV charger to top up the battery more quickly.

The desirability of the BMW badge helps keep other costs down. Resale values are among the best in the class, so if you're a private buyer you'll get back a decent chunk of the list price when you part exchange. Leasing and PCP finance rates are usually competitive too, and discounts are available if you're prepared to haggle. Or, to avoid haggling altogether and still get a hefty discount, check out our New Car Deals service.

Entry-level M Sport trim is the one we’d go for. It’s the most affordable and still comes with plenty of luxuries. They include 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, two-zone climate control, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and ambient interior lighting.

M Sport Pro comes with larger 20in wheels, a gloss-black front grille with lighting, part-leather and suede upholstery, and M Sport colour-coding on the seatbelts.

Keyless entry is available as an option on its own, or as part of the Comfort Pack, which also adds a heated steering wheel and rear USB ports integrated into the back of the front seats.

In terms of reliability, BMW finished eighth out of 31 manufacturers in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, above Audi and Mercedes. We don't yet have figures for the latest 5 Series Touring.

Every BMW 5 Series comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which is slightly better than the three year, 60,000 mile cover provided by most of its rivals.

When it comes to safety, the 5 Series scored the full five stars out of five when it was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2023. It provided an adequate amount of crash protection for adults up front and scored full marks for those in child seats in the rear. All versions come with blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and rear cross-traffic alert as part of the standard-fit Driving Assistant Pack.

"I think it’s great to see a wide range of paint finishes available on the 5 Series Touring, although I reckon our test car’s £3300 matt grey option is a bit punchy." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

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