BMW 5 Series Touring review

Every 5 Series Touring has a comfortable and supportive driver’s seat. It includes electric seat height and backrest angle adjustment, along with electrically adjustable lumbar support. M Sport models have bigger side bolsters that hold you more securely when cornering, and fully electric seats with memory settings are optional on all the trims.

There’s also plenty of steering wheel adjustment, and the driver’s seat drops lower than it does in the rival Mercedes E-Class Estate so you feel as though you’re sitting in, rather than on top of, the car. The enormous, cosseting armrests, positioned perfectly on either side of you, seal the deal for the 5 Series Touring being about as comfortable on a long trip as any car gets.

Bright LED headlights are also a default, which you can upgrade to clever adaptive LED units. These can stay on main beam by creating shadows around the cars in front to avoid dazzling other road users.

Every 5 Series Touring comes with BMW’s Professional Multimedia system. This packs a whopping 12.3in widescreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, in-built sat-nav, various online services, and a DAB radio. It’s one of the best systems going, with easy-to-follow menus and responsive software – more so than the Mercedes E-Class Estate's occasionally dim-witted system.