Automobiles
AUTO REVIEW: two thousand seventeen BMW 5-series sedan shines in spectacle and tech
By Matt Myftiu, The Oakland Press
Posted: 06/26/17, 8:31 PM EDT | Updated: on 06/26/2017
Vehicle: two thousand seventeen BMW 530i xDrive sedan
Price as tested: $72,735 ($53,500 kicking off price)
Best feature: Exceptional drive quality, posh interior, strong tech setup
Rating: Four.Five out of five starlets
Who will want this vehicle?: Luxury buyers who seek an engaging drive in an attractive, high-end sedan, and can afford the high pricetag
BMW is not a name people take lightly. This is an auto company with a century of history, and a reputation that it must uphold.
One of their most popular vehicles in their midsize 5-series sedan, which has been redesigned for the two thousand seventeen model year to be more powerful and lighter. I recently spent some time in a two thousand seventeen BMW 530i xDrive sedan, and I’m back to let you know if it lives up to the company’s lofty name.
Looks
A luxury vehicle must trickle that feeling inwards and out if it’s going to live up to its hype.
The 5-series I tested did that in spades, screaming elegance even from a distance.
You get the lengthy fetish mask up front (and a shorter rear portion — sort of like a switch sides mullet). Add in the dual-vented BMW-style grille and that little circle logo, plus wheels that will not be disregarded, and it’s clear this is a high-end rail before you even open the door.
While the 5-series looks large from the outside, I was disappointed that the rear seating is a bit taut; it’s good enough for shorter trips but it would be hard to fit people there cozily on longer rails, unless the folks up front are brief.
The glass moonroof is a classy touch, and the overall materials used inwards, both on the seating and the paneling and doors, are among the best any luxury vehicle has to suggest.
Precision driving
Looks matter with a luxury rail, but in the end it’s all about how it performs on the road — as the competition is stiff in this area. The 5-series features a Two.0-liter, twin-turbo four-cylinder engine (16-valve, with variable valve control and high-precision direct injection)
It features several drive mode options, depending on your situation (ECO PRO, Convenience and SPORT modes). You’ll want to stay in SPORT mode all the time because it’s much more joy than the others, but if you’re in traffic there is little point to it.
You get an 8-speed Sport Automatic transmission (with manual shift mode), as well as steering wheel mounted spanking paddle shifters. The shifter features a unique design, but it’s not hard to master.
There is no unspoiled manual transmission suggested on the two thousand seventeen 5-series, which may thrust away some potential buyers.
With the four-banger on the 530i suggesting two hundred forty eight horsepower (and two hundred fifty eight lb.-ft. of torque), the rail is fairly powerful, especially in Sport mode. You get moving rapid, and can begin to go well over your intended speed without even feeling it due to the smoothness of the rail at those speed levels (“I didn’t realize how rapid I was going” can be an fair statement in this vehicle). Note that other versions of the 5-series suggest a more powerful Three.0-liter 6-cylinder engine, with three hundred thirty five horsepower, and three hundred thirty two lb.-ft. of torque)
To touch quickly on the xDrive system (BMW’s all-wheel drive), it’s made to supply best possible traction if you’re in a situation involving things like gravel or sand, or humid or icy roads; the system will quickly adjust power to each wheel based on the situation your vehicle finds itself in.
The xDrive system also improves your overall driving practice, helping manage the wheels to get you through turns quicker, and braking on the 5-series is also fairly exceptional. Merging onto freeways is a strong point for the 5-series, and of course a long and windy road is the best place to take it to maximize the practice.
Technology, safety
Standard features on the BMW 5-series include: Dynamic Stability Control, Adaptive LED headlights, LED fog lights, and rain-sensing wipers.
The seat belts squeeze you super taut upon turning on the vehicle, and it features an excellent camera system (with a multiview backup system).
Overall, controlling media and the iDrive 6.0 infotainment system via the center dial is fairly effortless to master. You’ll get USB connections and Bluetooth connectivity. And the BMW navigation system features a Ten.2-inch high-res touchscreen, responds well to voice directions and also offers real-time traffic info.
Other tech and safety features are suggested, but many of them are optional (more on that to come).
Official fuel mileage numbers on the two thousand seventeen BMW 530i XDrive sedan are twenty three city/33 highway/26 combined. I didn’t fairly achieve those numbers, but I wasn’t exactly soft-pedaling this one for maximum fuel mileage. Compared to the numbers on its thickest rivals Mercedes (E-class) and Audi (A6), the 5-series holds up very well, topping both competitors by a bit.
Price
My test vehicle was decked out and priced at $72,735; but base price on the two thousand seventeen BMW 530i xDrive sedan starts at $53,500.
Lots of features are optional and will boost your price, including:
• Ivory White Nappa Leather seating ($1,000), which is very acute looking
• Cold Weather Package ($800)
• Driving Assistance package ($1,800)
• Driver Assistance Plus ($1,400)
• Lighting package ($1,050)
• Luxury Seating package ($1,600)
• Premium package ($Two,300)
• Power tailgate ($500), not indeed needed since this isn’t a tall vehicle
• Apple CarPlay compatibility ($300), odd that this is an extra and not standard
• Harmon Kardon surround sound ($875), which sounds fine
Having so many things cost extra may be an Achilles heel for the 5-series. I can already hear in my mind a potential buyer say something like: “70K for that? No thanks.”
Bottom line
BMW is among the world’s most renowned automakers, and with all of the high-tech effort that goes into these machines it’s no surprise that BMW’s 5-series lineup offers one of the more pleasant rails you can get anywhere.
The question here for luxury buyers will come down to a duo things: Brand loyalty, and sticker price. For many, it’s BMW or bust, so that solves that problem — it’s just a choice of whether the 530i xDrive sedan is the right BMW for them.
But many others are not loyal to any particular luxury brand, and are going to hunt around for a Benz, Audi, Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti, etc. and see what suit their driving tastes, and their wallets, the best.
In the midsize sedan segment, these brands all have very strong offerings, but the 5-series makes a good case for itself — both in terms of how it looks and what you feel when the rubber meets the road. It’s just a matter of how much people are willing to pay.