MODEL TESTED: 530e M Sport Pro PRICE: £62,455 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre 4cyl PHEV, 295bhp
THE 530e line-up starts from £59,455, but our M Sport Pro model costs £3,000 more. Thanks to a few select options, including the £3,300 Technology Plus Pack and striking Fire Red paint, the car in these pictures costs £72,875.
Tech highlights
WHAT is clear from the off is that unlike some PHEVs, these rivals offer up as much go from the EV side of their powertrains as they do from the petrol element. The BMW’s Cluster Architecture was designed to accommodate traditional internal-combustion engines, fully electric powertrains, or a mix of the two. Here it really is a mix, with the two sides offering up almost identical outputs.
The 530e’s 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine makes 187bhp and 310Nm of torque, and while the electric motor is significantly more compact, it makes 181bhp and 250Nm. Thanks to a 19.4kWh (usable) battery located between the front and rear axles, there’s enough energy for 63 miles of fully electric range. When both elements combine, the total output comes to 295bhp and 450Nm. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while a long hold of the left-hand steering wheel-mounted paddle shifter gives access to the full output in a 10-second burst – ideal for overtakes.
The 5 Series uses a conventional coil-spring set-up for its front suspension, with multi-link suspension at the rear suspended by air springs to provide a level ride height, regardless of the load.
SAFETY: The 5 Series range was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP rating when it was tested in 2023. As standard, it comes with plenty of active safety tech, including the Driving Assistant, whose camera and radar-based set-up combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping tech, plus lane-departure warning and speed-limit assist.
On road
THE eighth-generation 5 Series sets a new standard for handling in this class, yet combines this with superb comfort and refinement.
AROUND TOWN: In EV mode, the 530e pulls away smoothly and offers up more than enough performance for everyday driving, while the throttle response is positive, so it doesn’t feel like you’re wanting for more speed. There’s just the slightest bit of low-speed fidget to the ride, but it’s far from what we’d call intrusive.
A & B-ROADS: Nobody expects a five metre-long, two-tonne saloon car to feel sharp to drive, but the 5 Series does a much better approximation of a driver’s car than the on-paper figures su
