Insurance Group: 36
MPG: 42.2
CO2: 157
0-62 Mph: 8.3 secs
BHP: 184 BHP
Range: 650 miles
The diesel engines are much more efficient than the petrol versions and make better options for company cars, but the petrol engine is still an efficient engine and the SE trim provides everything you would expect in the cabin of a BMW.
PROS: A powerful engine, which is also efficient with fairly low CO2 emissions. The estate has got loads of room and is a practical car suitable for business or private buyers.
CONS: The suspension is a problem with all the 5 Series cars and although the handling can be sharpened by buying the Variable Damper Control, this really adds to the price of the car. The diesel engines are much more efficient.
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 to 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 520i SE has a 184 bhp engine delivering 199 lb-ft of torque at 1250-4500 rpm and reaches 0-62 mph in 8.3 seconds with a top speed of 137 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 an estate offering the elegance and practicality of the BMW badge on top of great performance from the engine.
The iDrive system is much easier to get to grips with than before and all the controls are angled towards the driver The system also features electronic controls for the seat height and backrest angle, although you still have to slide back and forth using a manual lever.
The 520i SE 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, while manual gearboxes have an Optimum gearshift indicator 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, dynamic break control and dynamic traction control. An optional extra is the Active Security Package (with lane change 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 safer in the event of a crash.
The 5 Series are practical cars with loads of space 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 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 520i SE model costs £33,465 and has a combined economy of 40.4 mpg and CO2 emission rate of 163 g/km.
The 520i offers plenty of power and the engine is efficient, but the diesel engines are much more economical than the petrol versions.
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 and are definitely worth buying, but do add considerably to the price.
A BMW is a good car to invest in due to the assured quality and service that is provided and the 5 Series in particular has good resale values.
The 520i SE is a great saloon as one of the cheapest in the 5 Series range. The engine is powerful and responsive and the fuel economy and CO2 emissions are both low. However, the diesel engine is ...
The 528i M Sport is a cost-effective car, which has a powerful, quick engine with low running costs - although the diesel engines are much more efficient. The 5 Series does vastly benefit from ...
The 535i offers great performance and handling, however the ride is very firm. The diesel engines offer much better fuel efficiency and roughly similar performance figures, making them a more sensi...
The 520d SE has a strong and highly efficient diesel engine, which makes it a fantastic company car and one of the best executive saloons on the market for private or business buyers. However, alth...
The 520d cannot be faulted for efficiency and performance. It is a great option in terms of economy and efficiency, particularly as a company car, and handles brilliantly for a large saloon. Howeve...
You might want to read reviews for other Large Exec cars that you can then compare to the BMW 5 Series. Here are some popular BMW 5 Series alternatives:
