Insurance Group: 34
MPG: 55.4
CO2: 134
0-62 Mph: 8.3 secs
BHP: 184 BHP
Range: 853 miles
PROS: A well-performing car with a strong engine and a polished interior with lots of equipment in the cabin. The efficiency of the engine and low emissions puts it at the top of the range and well above its competition.
CONS: The handling is not up to scratch until the Variable Damper Control has been added, which comes at a considerable expense, but is worth it to get the car to perform to its potential.
The 520d M Sport has an 184bhp engine delivering 280 lb-ft of torque at 1900-2750 rpm and reaches 0-62 mph in 8.3 seconds with a top speed of 138 mph.
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.
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.
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 an estate offering the elegance and practicality of the BMW badge on top of great performance from the engine.
The 520d M Sport estate comes with leather seats, power steering, stability control, cruise control, climate control, alloy wheels, stereo, MP3 connectivity, rear parking sensors and Bluetooth as standard, with optional extras including satellite navigation for £1,580. The backseat entertainment option includes satellite navigation.
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 for buyers - even with the large number of technical systems on offer.
Safety is top rate, too with standard equipment including a minimum of six airbags, Dynamic Stability Control inclusive of ABS, corning brake control, dynamic break control 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 loads of room in the front and back. Although BMW claim it is a five-seater, the 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 is sizeable too, offering 560 litres of space.
The diesel engine is much better value for money than the petrol and the efficiency and low CO2 emissions are perfect for business or private buyers. There is always the downside to the 5 Series that it requires a few expensive extras (i.e. the suspension modifications), which completely alter the performance of the car but are definitely worth buying and this means buyers need to factor this in to the cost. That being said, BMW have a good reputation for resale values and the 5 Series performs well in these stakes.
The 5 Series benefits from BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology, which makes it a great business car option with economic running costs and low CO2 emissions. The 520d M Sport model costs £35,720 and has a combined economy of 54.3 mpg and CO2 emission rate of 137g/km.
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