BMW 5 Series review

Introduction

Few cars have such a wide range of talents as the BMW 5 Series. Larger and more comfortable than the company’s hugely popular 3 Series yet only slightly more expensive, it's been at the heart of BMW's range ‘since God were a lad'.

In that time the 5 Series has become almost the default choice for those looking for a smaller luxury car, helped by the fact that it's consistently been the best of its kind. For proof, look at how successful it's been in our Car of the Year awards over the years.

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2.0 530e 22.1kWh M Sport Saloon 4dr Petrol Plug-in Hybrid Steptronic Euro 6 (s/s) (299 ps)

Expected annual mileage	5000
Term months	48
Deposit months	12
Monthly payment	£689.54
Initial payment	£8,274.48

Step-by-step

Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.

• Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
• Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
• Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end

What you get

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• Full manufacturer’s warranty
• Road tax and roadside assistance included
• No admin fees
• Free returns within 30 days*

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£8,274 initial payment, 48 month contract, 5000 miles p/a. Subject to status and conditions.

• Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
• No balloon payments
• Road tax included

Part of the reason for this sustained success is that BMW has done a great job of keeping the 5 Series up to date. The current version has already had a comprehensive mid-life facelift that saw the introduction of LED headlights as standard, a larger front grille, a more aggressive bodykit and a smattering of extra standard equipment.

What’s more, the 5 Series offers you plenty of choice when it comes to finding the perfect version. For a start, there are seven engine options, including petrols, diesels and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). There's also the high-performance BMW M5 Competition – with 616bhp, that's a thoroughbred performance car.

You can have rear or four-wheel drive, too, and there are two trims: entry-level SE and the sporty looking M Sport that most people choose. There's an estate version too, the 5 Series Touring, for extra load-lugging space if you need it.

Of course, the BMW 5 Series' main challengers also have their merits and produce ranges to suit various budgets and needs. So, are the key rivals – namely the Audi A6, the Jaguar XF and the Mercedes E-Class – even better?

Read on over the next few pages of this review to find out. We'll compare the 5 Series with the best luxury cars out there, and also tell you which trim and engine choices make the most sense.

Don’t forget, we can also help you to save pots of cash when you buy a 5 Series or any of its rivals if you search our free What Car? New Car Buying pages. It has lots of very good new luxury car deals.

Overview

The BMW 5 Series is a better all-rounder than its direct rivals, combining a classy and user-friendly interior with impressive refinement and handling. Just bear in mind that some items of equipment that you’re likely to want are expensive options, and fully electric models (including BMW’s own i5) are cheaper to run as company cars.

Our pick

2.0 520i MHT M Sport Pro Saloon 4dr Petrol Hybrid Steptronic Euro 6 (s/s) (208 ps) review

RRP £56,110

Pros

• Composed handling
• Beautifully finished interior
• Class-leading infotainment

Cons

• Gearbox can be slow
• You’ll want to add some options
• Electric rivals cost less in BIK tax

Our pick

2.0 520i MHT M Sport Pro Saloon 4dr Petrol Hybrid Steptronic Euro 6 (s/s) (208 ps) review

RRP £56,110

Trims available

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M Sport Pro

Upgrading from M Sport to M Sport Pro trim brings stylistic changes, such as black exterior highlights, a subtle rear spoiler, an illuminated front grille, red brake callipers and 20in wheels. Whether these things are worth the extra outlay is a matter of personal taste.

M Sport

M Sport trim is the cheapest available, and includes 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, climate control, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and ambient interior lighting. It's our pick of the range, although we would be tempted to add the optional Comfort Plus Pack.

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

Even in entry-level 520i form, the BMW 5 Series isn’t slow (0-62mph takes 7.5 seconds), but you do have to rev it quite hard if you want to get up to speed in a hurry. In addition, while its standard eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts smoothly and smartly most of the time, if you ask for a sudden burst of pace, it can pause noticeably before changing down with a jolt.

For a more responsive drive, you’ll want to look at the BMW 530e plug-in hybrid (PHEV). That version is more powerful, and the addition of an electric motor helps fill in any gaps when you want a burst of acceleration, cutting the 0-62mph time to 6.3 seconds. The other 5 Series PHEV – the 550e – is even quicker, cutting two seconds off the sprint time.

Better still, both have good electric-only ranges, with the 550e officially managing 55 miles on a charge, and the 530e capable of 63 miles. That said, the Mercedes E300e trumps both, managing around 70 miles.

BMW car models tend to be at their best when specified with adaptive suspension but even on the standard passive set-up the 520i and 530e handle well. Body movements are more tightly controlled than they are in an Audi A6 or Mercedes E-Class and the precise, well-weighted steering adds to your confidence in corners.

On the downside, you feel some fidget over poorly surfaced roads, especially in the heavier PHEV, but no version of the 5 Series is overly jarring when it hits a larger bump or pothole.

As for refinement, the engine in the 520i is smooth and quiet enough at a steady cruise, with a pleasingly rorty edge when pushed hard. The same can be said for the 530e, but being a PHEV, at slow speeds it can drive on electricity alone, making for some silent driving around town.

When speeds increase, there’s more wind noise from around the 5 Series' door mirrors than there is in a Mercedes E-Class but it’s still a quiet car.

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

"Despite its extra weight over a regular 5 Series, I found the BMW 530e plug-in hybrid surprisingly good to drive. It managed the battery’s heft with ease." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

Every BMW 5 Series has a comfortable and supportive driver’s seat, with electric adjustment for the seat height and backrest angle, plus electrically adjustable lumbar support.

Forward visibility is good. And while the view behind the car is more restricted, that's not a huge problem due to the standard rear-view camera and all-round parking sensors (a 360-degree bird’s eye view camera is available as an option).

In addition, all versions of the 5 Series come with adaptive LED headlights, which you can leave on high beam because they automatically shape their beam to avoid dazzling other drivers.

A head-up display that projects sat-nav instructions and your speed on to the windscreen is optional. Meanwhile, the standard 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.

As well the touchscreen for controlling functions, the 5 Series also gives you a control dial and shortcut buttons between the front seats. They make it far less distracting to make menu selections and change settings than the systems in the Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class.

Voice control is included too, while a system that allows you to operate certain functions with gestures is optional – although it doesn’t really improve usability, and feels like a bit of a gimmick that’s not worth the extra outlay.

On the other hand, you’re certainly not short-changed by the 5 Series' standard of assembly, and it’s a match for the rock-solid Audi A6 in this regard. All the materials you come into contact with look and feel expensive, whereas the Mercedes E-Class is flimsy in places.

A DAB radio and a Harman Kardon stereo come as standard in the 5 series, with a Bowers & Wilkins upgrade available as an option. Wireless phone-charging is also included, along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring.

"While the 5 Series' standard Harman Kardon stereo is really good, I'd argue that the optional Bowers and Wilkins system is one of the best out there, giving your music more depth. It’s quite expensive though." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

There’s loads of leg and head room in the front of the BMW 5 Series, even with the optional panoramic glass roof fitted. Meanwhile, storage includes a pair of cupholders, a cubby beneath the central armrest and large door bins.

Rear space is comparable with key rivals, meaning two six-footers will be comfortable, but a central rear passenger gets a narrower seat and has to straddle a hump in the floor.

The 5 Series gives you 520 litres of boot space (a bit more than the all-electric BMW i5, which has 490 litres). That’s slightly down on the 540-litre capacity of a non-PHEV Mercedes E-Class but more than the Mercedes E300e (370 litres).

Like the E-Class, the 5 Series has rear seats that split and fold in a versatile 40/20/40 configuration. The Audi A6 and Jaguar XF have the same set-up. For even greater practicality, consider the estate version – the BMW 5 Series Touring – which can take 570 litres of luggage below its load cover and has all the same engines.

"I find it impressive that BMW has managed to keep the 5 Series plug-in hybrid’s boot the same size as the mild hybrid – something that can’t be said for the Mercedes E-Class." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

The BMW 5 Series looks quite pricey compared with the Audi A6 and Jaguar XF but it’s significantly cheaper than the Mercedes E-Class on a like-for-like basis. Better still, the 5 Series is predicted to depreciate slightly slower than that rival (and all the others, for that matter), helping to keep PCP finance rates down.

The 530e PHEV treads the middle ground when you consider company car tax bills, costing more than the Mercedes E300e (the E-Class's longer electric range gives it a lower BIK tax rating) and lots less than an Audi A6 PHEV.

It’s worth noting that if the fully electric BMW i5 is on the list of company cars you’re allowed to choose from (and it might not be due to its high lease price) it will cost less to run than any PHEV – as will other electric cars and electric SUVs.

M Sport trim is the cheapest available for the 5 Series, and includes 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, climate control, adaptive LED headlights, heated front seats and ambient interior lighting.

Upgrading to M Sport Pro brings black exterior highlights, a subtle rear spoiler, an illuminated front grille, red brake callipers, Alcantara across the interior and 20in wheels.

Unless M Sport Pro's styling really appeals, we'd recommend you instead spend your money on the Comfort Plus Pack, which includes keyless entry, a powered boot lid, a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and four-zone climate control.

In the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, BMW finished eighth out of the 31 manufacturers included – above Audi, Jaguar and Mercedes, but a fair way below Lexus, which came second.

The three-year unlimited-mileage warranty BMW gives you is also inferior to the Lexus equivalent, which lasts 10 years or 100,000 miles if you get your car serviced at a Lexus dealer.

In terms of safety, the 5 Series scored the full five stars out of five when it was assessed by Euro NCAP. Its best score was 89%, for Adult Occupant protection. All versions come with a host of electronic driver aids, including 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 a bit of a shame that most of the BMW 5 Series’ options are sorted into packs, because it means you can’t get things like the brilliant head-up display without paying lots for a pack." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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