BMW 5 Series - Interior, design & technology
The BMW 5 Series feels every bit a premium product inside and out, with top-notch materials and high-end technology
In contrast to some of the brand’s more controversial designs, the BMW 5 Series is fairly constrained, but it’s definitely more bloated-looking than the previous model. Anyone not keen on the size of its grille will need to opt for the M Sport Pro specification to get a darker, high-gloss black grille surround that helps to make it less obvious.
Inside is where the latest 5 Series really delivers on its premium feel. The finish is excellent and gives the impression it’s been lifted straight out of the brand’s far pricier BMW 7 Series luxury car. The interior isn’t flawless, because the touch-sensitive controls on what BMW calls the interactive bar below the main screen need a hefty prod to switch on or off.
Not that you can really tell, but the standard Veganza leather is actually a manufactured alternative to traditional leather, but it looks great, and you can take things even further by adding genuine BMW Individual Merino leather. There’s a choice of inlays and the option of Crafted Clarity controls that replace the gear selector, iDrive wheel, volume wheel and start/stop button with crystal to really push the boat out.
Adding the Technology Pack or the Technology Pack Pro gives the driver a head-up display projected onto the windscreen. This display shows helpful information such as sat-nav instructions (including which lane you need to be in), your speed, and the current speed limit.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The 12.3-inch digital driver’s instrument cluster is supplemented by the widescreen 14.9-inch curved infotainment system, which runs the brand’s latest software. Like most of its rivals, it can be controlled by touch, but the intuitive iDrive click wheel and some handy shortcuts help you navigate through its various menus much easier while on the move than rivals that have resorted to touchscreen-only systems.
As standard, you get a 12-speaker, 205-watt Harman Kardon sound system, which is plenty powerful enough, but this can be upgraded to an 18-speaker, 655-watt Bowers and Wilkins audio system. All versions come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, plus two wireless charging pads ahead of the gear lever.
