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The new i5 got this eighth-gen 5 Series range off to a stuttering start. What's it like when an ICE enters the mix?

Given that BMW itself calls the BMW 5 Series the “core and heart” of its brand, the arrival of a new one is going to be a much bigger event than yet another SUV rolling off the line.

This all-new G60 version is the eighth generation of a model that has racked up more than 10 million sales in more than 50 years on the market, yet so far we have only known it by a different name: the BMW i5 – a decent but not game-changing electric car offering. 

But don’t tar the entire 5 Series range with the same brush just yet, because it is as broad as any other out there at the moment. Depending on where you live, you can get a four-cylinder and six-cylinder diesel (remember those?), a four-cylinder petrol and four- and six-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrids. Power outputs range from 205bhp to 593bhp. 

In the UK, we have the 520i four-cylinder turbo petrol as an entry-level offering that costs almost half the price of the range-topping i5 M60; the 530e four-cylinder PHEV; and the 550e six-cylinder, four-wheel-drive PHEV, which sits roughly level with the i5 eDrive40 at £76,605. No diesels for us. 

We've tested the entry-level 520i and the more powerful plug-in hybrid, the 550e. There’s a hell of a lot of technology and running gear packed into this car, and if you look at each line of its specification in isolation, each number tells a very different story about what kind of car it could be. One role is to effectively replace the axed entry-level diesel, and another is that of a sports saloon that can crack 0-62mph in just 4.3sec and has combined peak outputs of 482bhp and 516lb ft of torque. 

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The new 5 Series has a role to play as an economy champion, thanks to up to 56 miles of electric-only range from its 19kWh battery on plug-in hybrid models, which is enough to drop it into the UK’s low 8% BIK band (compared with 31% for the 520i).

BMW 5 Series range at a glance

The entire BMW 5 Series range is electrified in some way, with the previous diesel engines removed from sale for this generation.

The range opens with the 520i, driven by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 48V mild hybrid technology. Power stands at 201bhp and 243lb ft which will get you from 0-62mph in 7.5sec. 

Move up to the 530e for a plug-in hybrid power. Here you get 294bhp and 331lb ft, plus a shortened 0-62mph time of 6.3sec. The 530e also offers up to 63 miles of electric-only driving, thanks to a 19.4kWh battery. 

At the top of the range is the 550e, which adds a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine. It might be a saloon but it packs sports car power, with 483bhp and 690lb ft and a blistering 4.3sec sprint from 0-62mph. 

VERSION POWER
520i 201bhp
530e 294bhp
550e 483bhp

DESIGN & STYLING

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2024 BMW 5 Series side dynamic

The 5 Series is not a pretty car, it is fair to say. Nothing strange has been done to the styling – à la larger cars such as the BMW iX and BMW i7 – but it’s still a rather angular look, lacking the grace and classic proportions the 5 Series enjoyed in the past at its understated best. 

All non-i5 5 Series models come with M Sport trim as standard, which naturally gives the car a sportier and more purposeful look. 

While not the prettiest in the class, it is arguably the sportiest-looking

The basis for the new 5 Series, in all forms, is BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform – the same structure that underpins every BMW model featuring either a longitudinally mounted internal combustion engine or electric drivetrain.

Suspension is by way of double wishbones at the front and multiple links at the rear, and our 550e xDrive test car features the usually impressive Adaptive M Suspension electronically controlled dampers. 

The new car is bigger than the 5 Series it replaces, going over five metres in length for the first time. It’s 15mm wider than before and the wheelbase is 20mm longer. 

INTERIOR

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2024 BMW 5 Series full interior

The interior of the new 5 Series is broadly a clone of that of the i5, a car we recently put under the full road test microscope. 

On that occasion, we noted the mini-7 Series vibes of the interior and again it’s true in the non-electric version. There’s lots of tech – an almost overwhelming amount of it, in fact, when you factor in the likes of the vent controls alongside the usual big touchscreens. Still, it’s a relief to find the rotary iDrive controller still in position on the centre console alongside a good amount of physical buttons.

The interior is claimed to be 100% vegan, a BMW first

Also rather overwhelming is working out what the dominant interior theme is, the material mix giving the overall style a bit of a confused air. It’s like BMW has tried to cram in every bit of tech and trim it has at its disposal with little consideration to the end result, either aesthetically or in terms of usability. 

Still, the driver’s seat is comfortable, and the adjustability of the seat and steering wheel particularly stands out. Indeed, the steering wheel has a reach adjustment towards your chest that’s as impressive as we can recall testing.

The 520-litre boot is a bit of an odd shape, being long and thin. It’s the kind of shape you would expect to find on a saloon, just rotated 90deg. 

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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2024 BMW 5 Series front distance

The BMW 5 Series range opens with the electrified 520i, which runs the latest version of BMW’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot mild-hybrid petrol engine, paired with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. 

Power stands at 205bhp and 228lb ft of torque, it completes 0-62mph in 7.5sec - matching the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it's biggest rival - and it has a top speed of 143mph.

You can unlock the electric motor’s full performance with a tug on the downshift paddle, which gives you a 10-second countdown for full beans on the head-up display. Gimmicky but fun and harmless

It might not appear to be a lot of power on paper but on the road, Munich’s B48 engine is generally nicely refined, offering adequate acceleration and competent pace on the motorway. 

Put your foot down, though, and it starts to sound and feel slightly strained, not helped by the saloon weighing a hefty 1800kg. The gearbox can also feel slow to react under harder acceleration. 

The rear-wheel-drive 530e, which produces 299bhp and 331lb ft, while the more powerful four-wheel-drive 550e xDrive packs 489bhp and 516lb ft, and completes 0-62mph in 4.3sec.

Although two diesel models will be offered, both using a 193bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, these won’t be available to UK buyers.

Many hybrids are claimed to offer a best-of-both-worlds approach, yet most fall short and end up as cars that have their performance blunted by carrying around all the extra weight of an electric drive system yet don’t convince in EV mode.

The 550e is a rare exception, being a PHEV that adds electric energy to petrol power to enhance performance, and also offers a meaningful and useful EV range.

It’s quick – seriously quick. Its performance recalls one of the old V8-engined BMWs without an M badge – the 550i, for instance – being explosive without ever crossing into raucousness.

The straight-six engine sounds fantastic, and it’s the kind of noise you can feel through your backside and your right foot, stirring more of your senses in this world of increasingly silent performance. 

RIDE & HANDLING

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2024 BMW 5 Series rear lead 2

The chassis is excellent as well, doing a good job of hiding the 550e’s considerable two-tonne-plus heft.

On its adaptive suspension, the ride is on the firm side but still never uncomfortable at any speed, and that level of interaction with the road is in keeping with its sporty positioning.

The 550e performs everywhere. It's slick and quiet around town, refined and comfortable on the motorway, and can excite on a B-road

The size of the car (the 5 Series has grown to just over five metres long) catches up with it in its handling. It feels a big car yet one that’s still easy to place and on an open road can really bring a smile to your face. Its handling is direct and dynamic. 

Our road test called the i5 precise rather than agile, and that works nicely for the 5 Series too

There’s great theatre when you select Sport driving mode: the whole interior ambient lighting (of which there is plenty) glows red and the seat gives you a little squeeze in your ribcage.

This turns the 550e into a true muscle saloon, one you can slide around and overpower out of a corner while still feeling totally in control. It’s no normal tax-buster. 

The 5 Series is a big and heavy car to manoeuvre around town, but thankfully its direct steering means rounding most corners and navigating tight gaps is easy.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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2024 BMW 5 Series front lead

While the UK market has to make do without diesel, the BMW 5 Series range still appears to offer a decent sense of frugality. 

BMW claims the 520i offers between 45.6-48.7mpg - almost the same as the outgoing 520d - and our economy drive confirms that figure. It exceeded it, in fact, with an 85-mile drive, combining city and motorway driving, recording 49.7mpg. 

Trims are limited to M Sport, but an extra £3000 gets you a Pro version of M Sport with some styling modifications

Emitting 131-140g/km, the 520i falls into the 31-33% BIK banding, which is where it comes slightly unstuck. 

A plug-in hybrid's economy figures are influenced mostly by how much you charge it, but for the record BMW claims fuel consumption of 403.5-470.8mpg for the 530e and 282.5-353.1mpg for the 550e.

Both PHEVs are equipped with a new 19.4kWh lithium ion battery, providing the 530e with an electric-only range of between 54 and 62 miles and the 550e xDrive with between 49 and 56 miles.

BMW has also increased the AC charging capacity of its petrol-electric 5 Series models to 7.4kW for faster top-ups.

That is sufficient EV range and low enough CO2 emissions to qualify for the favourable 8% BIK rate. 

We saw a predicted EV range of 43 miles on a chilly morning in the French countryside, and that could swallow many a daily commute.

Driving as an EV, the 550e can unsurprisingly do a passing impression of an i5, and unlike many PHEVs, it offers a range that you can be bothered to keep topped up by plugging it in, given that this makes such a meaningful difference to its usability. 

In terms of pricing, the BMW 5 Series range starts from £51,000 for the 520i M Sport. The 530e M Sport starts at £59,455 and the 550e M Sport at £76,605. 

VERDICT

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BMW 520i 2024 jb20240227 1455

Yet, for its many qualities, the 550e is going to remain a niche choice. It’s a better car than the i5, but it won’t sell in great numbers because of its price and the fact the i5 is even more tax-friendly.

In addition to being some £17,000 less expensive, the 530e also sits in the 8% BIK band, and past experience of that drivetrain in BMW saloons suggests its real-world performance will be excellent too. 

Still, we are glad the 550e exists, to show a different way of making PHEVs and to demonstrate just how good a car this new 5 Series can be. 

Despite its size, the 5 Series is an involving car to drive with excellent body control and handling, flying around corners with precision. 

Add this smile-inducing dynamism to the 520i’s lower list price (albeit one that’s a whopping £13k higher than that of the still appealing Jaguar XF), its tech-filled interior and its diesel-matching frugality and you have an excellent all-round package.

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.