As ever, this is BMW’s strongest hand. Although this time the 5-Series is a bit more susceptible to which spec level you choose. Basically, you want to choose a car with Variable Damper Control but not Active Steering. That way you get the best of the ride/handling compromise, without a steering system that thinks it knows best. It doesn’t. All 5s now get electric power steering, which means the feel isn’t quite what it used to be. A shame. Hardly anyone buys a petrol 5-Series, so you’d expect the diesel choice to be excellent. It is. Top of the list of brilliance is the 530d, but for those on a more limited budget, the 520d won’t disappoint. It’s very quiet and fast enough for everyday driving situations. Company car buyers will be delighted to know there is also a 520d ED – CO2 drops to 119g/km, economy is 62.8mpg. Both figures are, frankly, staggering, especially when you think the 520d ED still produces 184bhp. There’s got to be some sort of black magic at work here. Now in its sixth generation, the 5-Series should offer bulletproof reliability. BMW’s stop-start tech is well proven nowadays, and there aren’t too many complicated electronics elsewhere. If you’re a company car buyer, the 5-Series is the only choice for you in this class. Other cars might be just as economical and clean, but none can match the power and eco balance of the BMW. It retains just as much value as the main rivals, and it also has lower running costs. What’s not to like?
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 19:52:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015