Tow Car Awards 2026: Overall winner
If you’re looking for a great tow car that will also be enjoyable to drive solo, you need one of our Tow Car Awards winners. Here we look at our overall Tow Car of the Year...
BMW 5 Series Touring 530e M Sport
KEY FACTS: List price £61,190 Best price £51,999 Kerb weight 2140kg 85% match 1819kg Towing capacity 1800kg Towball limit 100kg
This year’s contenders are an impressive bunch. Some familiar favourites, such as the Kia Sportage and Land Rover Discovery, shine brightly after recent updates. Meanwhile, in other classes, newcomers like the BMW iX3 and Volkswagen T-Roc establish fresh benchmarks.
As good as these cars are, though, none is quite as capable as this year’s overall champion, the BMW 5 Series Touring estate.
Most importantly, the 530e plug-in hybrid version we tested is extremely stable. Towing at 60mph felt utterly secure. And even at 70mph at the test track, there wasn’t so much as a twitch.
The 530e proved safe and responsive in emergency manoeuvres, too. Powerful brakes stop car and caravan quickly. Or if you need to swerve, it’s composed and controlled – even more so than this year’s other class winners.
Such punchy performance does not come at the expense of fuel economy, either. While towing, we saw 38.5mpg with a healthy battery charge, dropping to 24.3mpg with the electric range showing as zero.
Drivers will enjoy the 530e’s even more in regular driving, thanks to punchy performance, accurate steering, and a deft balance of ride and handling. Many journeys can be completed using electricity alone, thanks to the all-electric range of up to 59 miles.
That makes for low running costs for private buyers and especially company car drivers, who will benefit from low tax rates thanks to carbon dioxide emissions of 17g/km.
Inside, the 530d is as luxurious and comfortable as you’d expect for the price. The driving position is spot-on for long journeys and there’s generous room for adults in the back seats.
What’s more, unlike most plug-in hybrids, the boot in the 530e hasn’t been compromised by the need to find space for the battery; as with conventionally powered versions, the capacity is 570 litres with the rear seats upright.
A list price north of £61,000 does make this an expensive car to buy. However, once this generation of the 5 Series starts to appear on used forecourts in numbers, it will be within reach of many more buyers.
The winning combination of stability, practicality and performance makes the BMW 530e Touring this year’s champion.
OUR RATINGS: Towing 5/5 Solo driving 5/5 Practicality 5/5 Buying and owning 4/5 Overall 5/5
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