We’ve finally had the chance to drive the all-new version of the BMW 5 Series – and it’s kind of a big deal. Even though we’re now living in the age of the SUV, this traditional three-box saloon is still one BMW’s biggest money spinners.
In 2022, BMW sold more than 5,200 examples of the 5 Series saloon and almost 2,500 examples of the 5 Series Touring. To give those figures some context, the X5 SUV (which is undoubtedly the more fashionable vehicle right now) only sold 8,279 examples in the same year.
With sales figures like that, it was crucial that BMW got this eighth-generation 5 Series right. So, the brand played it more conservatively with this new model, swerving the truffle-snouting kidney grilles and brave lighting designs found on the 4 Series and 7 Series in favour of a more evolutionary approach.
We’re not going to beat about the bush, here. BMW has absolutely nailed it. The new 5 Series is by far the best executive saloon on sale today, even in this rather lardy 550e guise. Scroll down to find out just how much of a thrashing it’s handing out to its rivals.
What’s new?
Quite a lot. This new model is based on BMW’s familiar CLAR underpinnings, but it’s one of the most intelligently packaged cars in the company’s range. That’s because, for the first time, the 5 Series is also available as an electric car – and BMW has managed to carve out some space in the saloon’s body for all the electrical gubbins without affecting its practicality.
Those huge black side skirts might be a tad unsightly, but they mask a clever cavity under the cabin designed to hold the electric model’s battery pack. What’s even cleverer is that BMW utilises the same space to hold the plug-in hybrid models’ batteries. That means they’re as practical as the standard 5 Series, which gives them a huge advantage over the Mercedes E-Class PHEV. The E300e sacrifices a massive 180 litres of boot space to its batteries.
BMW has chucked a shedload of technology at the new 5 Series, too. Inside, it feels remarkably like the 7 Series luxury limo, sharing the same dual-screen infotainment system and minimalist dashboard. Naturally, that parts-sharing has jacked the price up – but the 5 Series is far better built than any of its rivals, which helps to justify the cost.
What are the specs?
If you want a combustion engine 5 Series in the UK, you have three options to choose from for the time being. The entry-point is the 520i, which has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 205bhp and 243lb ft of torque. BMW says that’s enough poke for a 0–62mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 143mph.
To help boost its efficiency, BMW gave the 520i a 48-volt mild hybrid system. It has a diddy electric motor mounted to its eight-speed automatic gearbox which takes some of the load off the engine when accelerating. BMW says it allows the 5 Series to return between 44.1 and 49.5mpg under official WLTP conditions.
Above the 520i, there are two plug-in hybrid powertrains which we’ll focus on for this review. The first is the 530e. It also has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, but it’s teamed with a 181bhp electric motor and a 19.4kWh battery pack. It has a combined output of 295bhp and BMW claims it can return up to 470.8mpg and cover up to 63 miles on electric power alone.
At the top of the tree, there’s the 550e (which is the model we’ve been driving to write this review). It defies the stalwart eco-friendly convention of downsizing, because it uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine as its starting point.
It’s paired with an even more powerful 194bhp electric motor and, combined, the system churns out a whopping 482bhp and 516lb ft of torque. That’s enough for a 0–62mph time of 4.3 seconds which, to give you an idea of the performance on tap, is only a second slower than the previous-generation BMW M5.
Naturally, fuel economy is less impressive considering the extra weight and the larger engine. The 550e has the same 19.4kWh battery as the 530e, so it can only manage a pitiful 313mpg in official WLTP tests, while its maximum electric range falls to a pathetic 56 miles. It makes you wonder why BMW bothered at all, doesn’t it?
What’s it like to drive?
Really good. We’ve only sampled the 550e model so far, but we were almost floored by how excellent it is. It has a phenomenal amount of pulling power – a mere tickle of the throttle is all that’s needed to scythe past most things short of a Lamborghini.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that BMW has turned the 5 Series into nothing more than a cruise missile, though. It’s properly good in the corners, too. After the M5, the 550e is the heaviest petrol-powered 5 Series you can buy, tipping the scales at more than 2200kg – but it’s abnormally agile thanks to the combined effect of two complimentary factors.
These are BMW’s clever rear-wheel steering system and the fact that most of the car’s weight has been lumped along its spine. This means the 550e doesn’t suffer from excessive under- or oversteer, as it would if its weight was concentrated over the front or rear axle respectively. It’s neutrally balanced, just like the old car.
Granted, the added weight of the battery and the additional grip afforded by the four-wheel drive system mean the newcomer isn’t quite as playful as the previous model, but it’s still an engaging experience. The biggest difference is that the speeds required to make the car break loose are a significant cut above the old car – you certainly won’t get it out of shape on the road.
Like all BMWs, the damping is set on the firmer side of comfortable. It’s never unpleasant, but a European Mercedes E-Class on air suspension is considerably more compliant. But then, the E-Class doesn’t go around corners anywhere near as well.
And boy, does the 5 Series corner well. Chuck it at a bend and the front end bites hard before the rear-wheel steering finds its groove and thrusts the car into the corner like it’s been lashed to the apex. That rear-steer setup makes the 5 Series feel far shorter than it is, too – we had to constantly remind ourselves of its rather hefty dimensions when we were threading it through rural Lincolnshire’s narrowest back roads.
Body control is good even in comfort mode but, for maximum cornering ability, you can switch the adaptive dampers into Sport mode. In this harshest setting, they tie down the 550e’s bulk remarkably well. Naturally, you sacrifice a bit of pliancy, but it’s worth it. The E-Class wishes it could corner with the same composure.
Despite also needing to control the rear wheels, the 5 Series’ steering is quick, well-weighted and utterly natural – and that really gives you the confidence to enjoy its sorted chassis to the fullest. Sadly, like most BMWs, it doesn’t offer a great deal of feedback.
That conspires with the PHEV system’s unexpectedly immediate grunt to make the 550e feel rather like a racing simulator at full chat. It’s an incredibly competent car, just not one overflowing with character. Can we criticise it for being too perfect?
What about the interior?
It’s exceptional. We’ll start with the quality, which blows the E-Class out of the water and into the neighbouring parish. We couldn’t detect a single squeak or rattle, even though most of our testing was conducted on battered back roads.
BMW’s technology is similarly impressive. Every version of the 5 Series is fitted with the firm’s Curved Display infotainment system, which combines a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen under one giant piece of bow-shaped glass. It’s a fantastically user-friendly setup, thanks in equal measure to its ultra-sharp graphics, lightning-fast processors and smartphone-like menu design.
It’s teamed with BMW’s tremendous iDrive rotary controller – and every time we drive a BMW, we wonder why more manufacturers haven’t poached the same idea. The dial on the centre console is used for navigating around the central screen (even when you’re using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), which means you barely need to divert your attention away from the road to adjust the stereo or tweak your nav. It’s so much safer.
In fact, the only irritating feature about the 5 Series’ cabin is its air vents. The gust being forced through them makes a deafening racket on anything other than the lowest setting and the controls are utterly stupid. The vents are opened and closed with touch-sensitive sliders, which feels like a gimmick too far. Still, every diamond has its flaws.
Verdict
If you’re in the market for an executive saloon, you can’t do better than this. The new 5 Series might be larger and heavier than the car it replaced but, thanks to some clever engineering, it’s even more comfortable while offering a similarly engaging driving experience.
The 5 Series’ interior deserves a special mention, too. It’s spacious, it’s packed with attractive and user-friendly technology, and it’s been assembled with the same meticulous care as a Breitling watch. And BMW’s iDrive system is brilliant.
In fact, the only real criticism we have is that the 5 Series feels rather expensive for what it is. Everyone’s knees in the CAR magazine office buckled when we learned our 550e test car, (which, to be fair to BMW, was fitted with a few options) cost just £625 shy of £100,000. The same amount of cash could get you behind the wheel of an even larger Mercedes S-Class limo.