BMW 530d Touring

By Luke Madden

September 2010

• Rating:
• Latest deal price: from £6,433 to £9,606

The premium estate battle is really hotting up! BMW’s 5-Series Touring has now hit UK roads, and it’s got Mercedes’ E-Class Estate and the Audi A6 Avant firmly in its sights.

Does the newcomer have what it takes to topple rivals? We took a test drive to find out. Larger than the model it replaces, the BMW has a load area of 560 litres, or 590 litres with the optional Extended Storage Package. Fold the rear seats down, though, and this rises to 1,670 litres – that’s 10 litres more than the A6, but 280 litres down on its E-Class rival.

While the BMW may not win outright in the space race, it does boast a hugely practical design. There’s a split-opening tailgate, and the rear seats can be folded down in one movement by pulling a lever in the boot – they can be reclined or sat vertically, depending on your passengers or baggage.

It’s on the road where the German machine really scores, though. There are huge amounts of grip, and body control is tight thanks to the active roll bars which come as part of the Dynamic Package. The adaptive steering is incredibly sharp and the 5-Series turns in with precision, while offering plenty of feedback in bends.

It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that the Dynamic Package and Adaptive Drive systems add £5,040 to the price. That said, even without these options, the 5-Series Touring is the best in its class when it comes to handling.

Our 530d’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine suits the plush estate perfectly. It gives effortless pace, with strong mid-range responses, and delivers a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds. Fitted with BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology, the engine promises combined fuel consumption of 45.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 160g/km.

The BMW’s smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic is a £1,495 option, but it’s a delight to use. With the sheer number of ratios on offer, it boosts refinement and makes the 530d a perfect motorway companion.

That’s also partly down to the comfortable ride. Aside from some judder through the firm walls of the BMW’s run-flat tyres, the 5-Series’ ride is impressively compliant.

Prices start at £39,400 for the 530d, so this is not a cheap option. And it’s not quite the biggest car in the class either. But it is the best to drive.

Rival: Merc E350 Estate
The Mercedes can carry the biggest load, but it struggles to match the BMW from behind the wheel. It’s also less efficient, costs more to tax, and is 0.6 seconds slower to 60mph.