BMW 5 Series | Video Review | CarsIreland.ie

Published on 6 July, 2017

Overview

Overview

Nothing says 'I've made it' quite like driving one of these. Often cited as the benchmark in high class luxury saloons, the BMW 5 series is one of the most sought-after cars on Irish roads.

The 2017 G30 model landed in showrooms earlier in the year and everything about it is designed to impress, from the touchscreen key to the gimmicky-but-great gesture control. The 5 Series continues to embody a fine mixture of technology, power, practicality and refinement.

Interior Gallery

There has always been acres of space in the luxurious 5 Series cabin, but this new model is even larger than the previous one. It’s got a longer wheelbase which means more legroom for backseat passengers, who are sure to be very comfortable back there (with the exception of the middle seat which is hampered by a large transmission tunnel).

The boot has also grown in size to 530 litres, which now makes in equal in size to an Audi A6, and just 10 litres smaller than a Mercedes E-Class.

It's loaded with kit, but the 5 Series is not the type of car you talk about standard features on, and nearly all will be made to measure from an options list as long as your arm.

Most technology requirements are catered for by the fantastic iDrive infotainment system. This is controlled via a dial in the centre console, or if you prefer, you can use it as a touchscreen. Option packs will allow you to add a whole host of impressive features including the aforementioned gesture control, a concierge service, and wireless phone charging. It offers all the usual Bluetooth and smartphone integration but it’s the first car ever to offer Apple CarPlay that’s wireless.

Safety is well covered from the minor stuff like park distance control, to a colour heads up  display that keeps your speed and the road limit in your line of sight at all times (the best we've seen by a mile).

Then there's the bigger stuff, like the semi-autonomous Driving Assistant Plus. This adds adaptive cruise control which will measure and keep you a safe distance from the car in front, and steering assist, which will essentially take over the steering for you so long as you keep one finger on the wheel.

Needless to say it's also got basic crash protection taken care of, which earned it a full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Touch keys and gimmicks aside, the real wow factor of the 5 Series remains in the way it drives.

The car we had on test was the 520d, which in general is the biggest seller here for practical and economic reasons. However ours was also an xDrive model, which adds four-wheel-drive power, and it was also an M Sport which adds some top-end styling but also pushes the starting price up to just under €61,000. In contrast, the running costs are relatively low offering an impressive fuel economy of 4.7 litres per 100km, and a reasonable motor tax bill in relation to performance at €270.

On the subject of performance, driving a 190hp all-wheel-drive BMW is pretty good fun. The suspension makes every road feel like gliding on glass, the well insulated cabin making sure you barely hear or feel a thing from the outside. The eight-speed automatic gearbox works seamlessly behind the scenes, predicting what gear you need to be in advance and just making for an effortless experience behind the wheel.

But don't mistake 'effortless' to mean boring. You can quite confidently throw it into corners without the slightest hint of body roll, and the combination of power and grip makes it a phenomenal car to drive. The four wheel drive adds to that further and the lowdown driving position completes a perfect combination of comfort and fun.

Nothing can really touch it when it comes to badge appeal, and time and time again it comes out on top of its two deadly German rivals down to its (well-deserved) reputation as a real 'driver's car'. The timeless looks and elegant design means they age quite well on the used market and so while they may be expensive to buy, they tend to hold on to their value quite well come resale time.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives