BMW 520i SE

We've already been impressed by the car in 3.0-litre diesel left-hand-drive form, and were similarly enthusiastic about the new Active Steering option, which varies the steering ratio to suit driver inputs and road conditions.

But the real test is in the UK market. And to see if the 5-Series really is as good as ever, we hit the road in one of the first right-hookers off the production line. Our car was finished in base 520i SE trim, the mainstay of the range, and the only option fitted was ΂£1,250-worth of leather trim. This model was without the Active Steering and Dynamic Drive suspension on the 530d we drove at launch.

In entry-level guise, the interior is spartan. Some of the plastics in our car's grey interior looked rather cheap in comparison to previous BMW offerings, although the dashboard and switches felt suitably solid and chunky.

The updated iDrive controller, based on that of the 7-Series, is much easier to use than the version in the larger car, and feels more like a logical driver aid than the over-complicated set-up which introduced the concept. In the rear, space has been substantially improved, and there is now comfortably enough legroom for two six-footers. BMW claims that the 5-Series is a five-seater, but the person sitting in the middle will find space compromised by the intrusive transmission tunnel.

The jury is still out on the BMW's styling. In basic spec, the standard 16-inch alloys look lost under the wheelarches, and give the car a bulky, top-heavy appearance. The 520i's 2,171cc six-cylinder engine - carried over from the previous model - develops 170bhp and provides reasonably rapid acceleration and refined cruising abilities.

However, compared to larger petrol units and BMW's excellent diesels, the 520i lacks torque, and the standard sixth gear is very much a cruising ratio. Frequent downchanges are required to maintain the momentum. What's more, with CO2 emissions of 219g/km, the engine isn't particularly clean. The 520i falls into the 27 per cent company car taxation bracket - three groups higher than the Mercedes E200K and four higher than the Audi A6 2.0.

That noted, this model is still a fine sports saloon, even when it isn't fitted with any of the electronic gizmos on the options list. The standard steering is nicely weighted, with plenty of feedback, while the chassis feels well balanced and offers more than enough grip for most driving conditions.

In entry-level form, then, the latest 5-Series might not be perfect - but it's still an impressive executive car.