Give it a high five

The new BMW 5 Series is more taut and muscular than before, while the technology is second to none but was it worth the wait? Darren Cassey found out.

According to BMW, the 5 Series is the car most people associate the brand with. So when it’s time for a new generation of the car that everyone in the premium executive segment has to beat, it’s a pretty big deal. With this in mind, it’s no surprise to see BMW has overhauled the outgoing car without changing its character much at all.

It’s a case of evolution rather than revolution in the looks department, but the minor changes made turn the old car’s bland styling into something more purposeful. The narrow headlights combine with more pronounced creases along the car’s profile to give a muscular appearance. The interior is more functional than luxurious, and the new infotainment system is one of the best on the market. The saloon 5 Series isn’t lacking for luggage capacity. There are 530 litres of boot space, which makes it 10 litres smaller than an equivalent Mercedes E-class – though we’re not sure many buyers would notice the difference. BMW is proud of the safety technology in the new 5 Series. The most significant is in the Driving Assistant Plus package – a £2,250 option.

The most popular engine variant will be the 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit in the 520d because it keeps both the taxman and the fleet manager 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel Eight-speed automatic 0-60mph: 5.2s, top 155mph 258bhp, 620Nm 56.6mpg 132g/km

happy. With 185bhp and 400Nm of torque it’s no slouch, but comes with economy figures of 68.9mpg and 108g/km of CO2.

For such a big car, the BMW 5 Series doesn’t half handle well, and that’s all down to improvements in the chassis. The car’s 100kg lighter than before, while a new doublewishbone front axle has been tuned to find the balance between driving dynamics and comfort – we reckon the engineers have nailed it. The 5 Series’ bread and butter is devouring motorway miles, and here it excels. The new 5 Series will appeal to those who simply want safety, security and a relaxing drive, as well as those who want a little more dynamic capability from time to time.