Insurance Group: 43
MPG: 48.7
CO2: 153
0-62 Mph: 6.2 secs
BHP: 258 BHP
Range: 750 miles
The only disappointment is the handling, which is quite shaky and does not do well on bumpy roads. The suspension can be helped by additional damper purchases, but at an expense that you shouldn’t really have to spend on a highly priced BMW.
PROS: A powerful engine with great efficiency and low CO2 emissions. It outranks the petrol engines in economy by quite some way and the SE trim is sleek and elegant, with loads of equipment as standard, such as satellite navigation and Bluetooth.
CONS: The handling is really disappointing and the ride quite uncomfortable.
As you would expect from a BMW, the drive of the 5 Series is smooth, powerful and refined, although it does require a lot of extras to reach its potential.
The suspension on the 5 Series is not as supportive as you might expect, but there is a rather expensive option to add Variable Damper Control to the four-cylinder models and Adaptive Drive to the six-cylinder models, which is worth the money for the difference it makes in the performance and handling.
Practically, the rear view is hindered by the sloping window and blacked out sides.
The cabin is insulated from the outside noise of the engine, tyre and suspension, although there is a little wind noise at high speeds. The engine is smooth and responsive and the eight speed automatic gearbox provides effortless acceleration through the gears.
The 530d SE has a 245 bhp engine delivering 398 lb-ft of torque at 1750-3000 rpm and reaches 0-62 mph in 6.9 seconds with a top speed of 149 mph.
The BMW cabin is arguably one of the best available and the 5 Series is made with high-quality materials and beautifully finished. This is a hatchback offering the elegance and practicality of the BMW badge on top of great performance from the engine.
The 530d SE hatchback comes with leather seats, metallic paint, power steering, stability control, cruise control, climate control, alloy wheels, stereo, MP3 connectivity, rear parking sensors, satellite navigation and Bluetooth as standard.
The ‘Efficient Dynamics’ technology that keeps the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions low includes an automatic stop-start system, brake energy regeneration, tyres with less rolling resistance, along with improved aerodynamics and manual gearboxes have an Optimum gearshift indicators to help drivers know when to change gears.
BMW are manufacturers that have a great track record when it comes to reliability, so that shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
Safety is top rate, too with standard equipment including a minimum of six airbags, Dynamic Stability Control inclusive of ABS, and dynamic traction control. An optional extra is the Active Security Package (with lane changes and lane departure-warning systems), with an alarm, deadlocks and locking wheelnuts as standard. The 5 Series also comes with a spring-loaded bonnet, which makes it much kinder to pedestrians in the case of a crash.
In space terms, the 5 Series are practical cars with lots of space in the front, but less than other 5 Series versions in the back. Although BMW claim it is a five-seater, the narrow middle back seat is not ideal as it has to accommodate the large transmission tunnel which runs through the centre of the car. The boot isn't too generously sized, with 440 litres of space, which is a lot less than the rest of the 5 Series.
A BMW is a good car to invest in due to the assured quality and service, but the Gran Turismo currently has worse resale value than the other 5 Series cars and this makes it a riskier investment.
The 5 Series benefits from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology, which aims to lower running costs and CO2 emissions and makes them ideal for company cars. The 530d SE model costs £45,580 and has a combined economy of 43.5 mpg and CO2 emission rate of 173 g/km. The diesel engine offers a much more economical option than the petrol version and the CO2 emissions and running costs are great considering the engine power.
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