BMW 530d Touring
FIRST DRIVE Large-capacity estate gets BMW’S traditional straight-six
IN Issue 1,472, we drove the new BMW 520d Touring and declared it one of the most complete cars money can buy. But if you like your wagons with more grunt, then the 3.0-litre 530d might be just the ticket.
It uses a 261bhp six-cylinder diesel, and with 620Nm of torque on offer, it’ll sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.8 seconds, and hit an electronically limited 155mph. The smooth power delivery allows you to build speed quickly and effectively without the need to adjust the car’s settings via the car’s Driving Experience Control.
All 5 Series Touring models feature air-suspension at the rear, and the result is a pleasingly supple ride. Body control is excellent, too, and the direct, well weighted steering means the Touring is very nearly as involving to drive as the saloon.
We praised the 520d Touring for its refinement and exemplary long-distance manners, and the six-cylinder car only improves on this. It’s silky smooth and all but silent at speed. But for many buyers the choice between 520d or 530d will come down to costs. The former in SE spec comes with all the goodies any family could want, but unlike the 530d, it slips under the £40,000 threshold for higher road tax.
That means that on top of the lofty list price, buyers of this 530d will pay an extra £310 per year for the first five years. Business users opting for the six-cylinder will be subject to more Benefit in Kind tax, too, due to the 530d’s greater 25 per cent BIK rating; the 2.0d SE sits in band 21.
Given the extra performance, many would argue the 3.0-litre’s 56.5mpg economy compared with 62.7mpg for the 520d is all but negligible. Over 12,000 miles, the 530d will only cost £114 more in fuel.
Practicality is the same whichever version you choose. That means a 570-litre boot (10 litres more than before) with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,700 litres with them folded flat. There’s a handy storage area under the floor to hide the two-piece parcel shelf, as well as buttons in the boot to electrically lower the seats.
“The 530d builds speed quickly and effectively”