BMW 5-Series

Excellent ride and handling, a roomy cabin and great refinement hand the 5-Series victory in the executive car class. It's also economical to run, though the interior is cheap in places.

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Rating: -
On the road price: £27,200 - £50,450
For : Handling and steering, sound insulation, seat comfort and support, inclusive servicing scheme
Against : Bulky dash design, minimal storage, some cheap plastics, ungainly styling from some angles

Driving:
The BMW is a serious sports saloon, with most engines proving quick on the open road. Overtaking is a piece of cake, particularly with the maker's excellent diesel engines. The 520d is capable, the 530d a strong performer - and the twin-turbo 535d is staggeringly punchy! It's worth noting that the six-speed manual gearbox has a fairly long throw and a lot of clutch travel though, so the automatic would be the more relaxing option. Saying that, any 5-Series is easygoing, isolating vibration and wind noise really well, and proving super-smooth through the revs. The lack of engine noise is really impressive, as is the stability and lack of noise at speed. It rides well too, though the run-flat tyres firm things up at speed. The pay-off is class-leading handling through the bends. With the best brakes, sharpest steering and most impressive body control in its sector, the BMW communicates brilliantly and is involving to drive. It's still the benchmark for executive car dynamics.

Marketplace:
While some design elements are still open to argument, from certain angles the BMW is very attractive. The swooping nose and twin-lens headlights are stylish and the thin LED side repeater running around the top of the light cluster is a smart touch. It needs big wheels to look cohesive though, and picking the right colour is also vital. Voted Best Executive Car at our New Car Honours 2006, the 5-Series range consists of saloon and Touring estate bodystyles, with a wide range of engines that consists of four-cylinder, straight six and V8 units, including four highly popular diesels. Trim levels are straightforward - SE or sportily-focused M Sport. Stern competition is provided by Audi's A6, Mercedes' E-Class and Volvo's S80.

Owning:
The 5-Series offers healthy rear legroom, while being among the tallest car in its sector yields plentiful head and shoulder room. The driver is equally well catered for, with comfortable seats and a faultless driving position. All controls are perfectly placed, but despite being ergonomically well engineered, the cabin may leave you a little underwhelmed. The design is modern and pleasant enough, but it's a bit sparse compared to rivals. It doesn't make you feel as special as it should. It can't match rivals such as Audi for quality, either - details such as the flimsy cup-holders, cheap-looking heater controls and uncarpeted cubbies are unfortunate niggles. What's more, equipment levels are a bit measly, and options prices are steep. But the diesels are fuel-efficient, retained values are good and BMW's superb all-inclusive servicing deal, for a low one-off initial payment, is an excellent way to slash maintenance costs.