BMW 525i SE Touring review
BMW 5 Series 525i SE Road Test
Test date 06 July 2004
Price as tested £29,950
For Styling, practicality, quality
Against Diesel more satisfying, ride
Although not the original, BMW’s E34 5-series wagon was the first to make a significant impact in the UK. In an attempt to break Volvo’s dominance of the luxury estate segment, and build on the success that its contemporary 3-series wagon had enjoyed, this was the first five-door Five to bring BMW’s own brand of prestige, rear-driven performance and space to the fore. When we tested it in 1991, the 525i succeeded emphatically, instantly providing a driver’s choice in a market where there was none previously, despite its sluggish acceleration.
When its replacement made it to the UK in 1997, it performed even better – quite a feat, considering it had to follow a saloon version that scored maximum points a year before. Our January road test on the 528i praised its strong and refined performance, superb ride, and excellent cabin. It also offered some clever packaging solutions, such as a flat, extendable loading floor, which made up, at least in part, for a general lack of space.
It was BMW’s preconception-challenging 3.0-litre diesel engine that would propel this car to greatness however. Slotted into the 530d Touring, and road-tested in January ‘99, it made for an exceptionally flexible and frugal load-lugger. We declared the diesel Five the finest of its type on sale, and even more refined than the petrol we had sampled two years earlier. So can the latest petrol-powered Five Touring claw back any ground from its diesel-driven sibling?
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