BMW 5 Series Review 2026

The 5 Series is a superb executive saloon, with top notch refinement and quality throughout. Like its predecessor, BMW's trademark driving enjoyment shines through on a challenging road, although some might feel that the interior feels a little flat against the equally excellent Mercedes-Benz E-Class. However, if your heart’s set on the BMW, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. It has a wonderfully finished cabin and is packed with the latest convenience and safety tech. It also provides ample space for a family of four and is an outstanding long-distance motorway cruiser.

As the sector’s regular best-selling model, when things are good for the 5 Series, they are good for everyone. This is because when the Five is booming, business is booming thanks to the BMW being the desired choice of so many company car drivers.

Launched in 2017, this generation of 5 Series refined BMW’s executive saloon to the point where it’s debatable if you need to bother with any of its bigger or more overtly sporting large cars. It also gave the Audi A6, Jaguar XF and Mercedes E-Class renewed cause for concern.

It’s easy to see why, too. The 5 Series is a superb executive saloon, with top notch refinement and quality throughout. Like its predecessor, BMW's trademark driving enjoyment shines through on a challenging road, although some might feel that the interior feels a little flat against the equally excellent Mercedes-Benz E-Class. However, that’s a very subjective matter.

If your heart’s set on the BMW, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. It has a wonderfully finished cabin and is packed with the latest convenience and safety tech. It also provides ample space for a family of four and is an outstanding long-distance motorway cruiser.  

That’s true even if you go for the basic 520i or 520d models. Despite forming the entry point into the 5 Series range, both come with an automatic transmission as standard, plus they are powerful, torquey and quiet, providing plenty of overtaking punch. Should your budget or company car allowance permit, then the 530i or 530d are even quicker, yet still economical. You also have the choice of a 530e hybrid model, as well as the 540i and 550i models for superlative performance.

As good as the 5 Series is on a long run, it really stands out on a country road. Compared to rivals from Mercedes-Benz and Audi, the BMW is a touch much more poised and direct, giving a real sense of connection between the driver and the road. If you really enjoy driving, this is the best car in its class and puts even the Jaguar XF in the shade.

The front seats provide plenty of adjustment, while the back row provides ample space. The boot, too, is a decent size but since this is a saloon its practicality is limited if you want to carry bulky stuff. But if space is a big concern you can always go for the Touring version, which is about as practical as cars come.

It means the BMW is very easy to recommend, though you may want to try the Merc just to make sure the 5 Series is perfect for you.

It shrugs off most lumps with calm efficiency, yet in corners there’s taut control and excellent steering feedback.

The run-flat tyres fitted to most models bring a slight firmness, so you would be well advised to choose the Variable Damper Control option that smooths out the car’s responses. M Sport versions have firmer suspension settings, but you can deselect this and have the SE’s suspension tune instead.

Taking this route does not undermine the 5 Series superb handling in any way, shape or form. Rather, it lets you make the most of the Five’s wonderful balance and cornering poise as you’re not constantly scanning the road surface for battered tarmac to avoid. Next to its rivals, the BMW is easily the finest handling executive saloon on the market and not even the supple Jaguar XF gets close enough to worry the BMW.

The range kicks off with the 520i’s four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0-litre motor with 184PS. It’s smooth and punchy enough for most needs, while the 530i uses the same engine in a higher state of tune.

The other petrol-only models are the 540i and 550i. The 540i has a 3.0-litre turbo motor producing 340Ps that can rocket the car from zero to 62mph in just 4.7 seconds.

However, if you want near M5 performance without the added cost, the M550i xDrive scorches from 0-62mph in a mere 3.8 seconds thanks to its 530PS 4.4-litre V8 with twin turbochargers. Then there is the 530e plug-in hybrid with its 252PS. It has an electric-only range of up to 36 miles.

The 2.0-litre turbodiesel in the 520d is ideal for almost all needs. The six-cylinder 530d is brawnier, but its higher emissions and lower fuel economy count against it. All 5 Series come with a very easy-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox.

In Euro NCAP tests, the BMW 5 Series scored a full five-star rating, but it was marked down not including lane departure warning as standard.

You can add the Lane Departure Warning as part of the Driving Assistant package that comes with cross-traffic warning, rear collision prevention, lane change warning, and speed limit information. You could also upgrade this to Driving Assistant Plus for even greater safety.

All 5 Series have twin front, side and curtain airbags, and Isofix child seat mounts fitted to the outer rear seats. BMW also includes autonomous emergency braking and a deployable bonnet that pops up to create a bigger cushion for a pedestrian if the come into contact with the car.

The centre stack is angled slightly toward the driver and the instrument binnacle has clear, easy-to-read dials, while the layout looks like an evolution of the earlier car rather than a radical, all-new change. That said, everything is logical and easy-to-use.

There are plenty of modern touches too, like a digital instrument binnacle framed by traditional dial surrounds. There are even high-tech touches like gesture control for the infotainment system, though in practice this feels like a gimmick rather than a useful feature.

There’s nothing gimmicky about the generosity of space or range of adjustment for the driver. Every 5 Series model enjoys a supportive, cosseting seat with an ideal driving position easy to achieve thanks to the variety of movement in the seat. There’s plenty of room in the back and the boot offers room to deal with lots of cargo.

While Audi and Mercedes-Benz have built entire reputations based on the quality of their materials and how they are screwed together, BMW has been more about driving ability. However, this overlooks the fact the BMW 5 Series is every bit as well put together as its key rivals from its fatherland.

All 5 Series models come with leather upholstery as standard, which imparts a feeling of quality straight away. This is enhanced by the hide having a more premium finish than that found in more mainstream saloon cars. The rest of the plastics and materials in the Five are equally well produced and put together with care and attention.

The 5 Series has the latest version of BMW’s iDrive set-up and it’s very easy to use, with a dial to scroll few various menus and settings. It’s very intuitive and means you can do most things without distracting yourself from the road ahead, whether you’re tweaking the zoom level on the map or changing radio station.

We’re not convinced the Gesture Control function is worth bothering with, but it does mean you don’t have to reach as far to work some basic functions on the screen. However, when there are steering wheel buttons to adjust the stereo’s volume, it seems a bit pointless to twirl your finger in front of the screen.

+ Rating 5/5

A three-year old BMW 5 Series can be yours from £18,000 if you choose a 520d SE with around 30,000 miles on the clock. This will most likely come from a car supermarket but will have a full service record and be ready for plenty more miles.

Look for a 530e similar age and mileage and the price will start around the £21,000 mark for an SE model and the M Sport will come in around £1500 more.

A nearly new or pre-registered 5 Series is a very good bet and dealers have these on offer with savings of up to £8000 for a 520d M Sport. This is for a car with 1500 miles on the clock that has likely been a dealer demonstrator and comes with plenty of optional extras to sweeten the deal.

Few will opt to pay outright for the 5 Series, but those that do can take comfort from its strong residual values.

More will take the finance root and BMW offers its Select personal contract plan, hire purchase, and personal contract plan. All of these can be tailored over variable periods and with different deposits that dictate how much you pay per month. There are also deals for business drivers, but BMW does not offer its Divide option for the 5 Series as this is restricted to the 7 and 8 Series and i8 and M models.

Aside from the 530e, the most economical BMW 5 Series is the 520d SE that offers up to 56.5mpg combined consumption or 52.3mpg with xDrive four-wheel drive. That compares to a Real MPG of 51.8mpg. The 530d SE offers a best of 48.7mpg under WLTP testing, while Real MPG shows this at 43.4mpg.

Both the 520i and 520d in SE trim fall into the same group 30 band for insurance. Specifying either of these models in M Sport trim pushes them into group 31. The 530i sits in group 35 regardless of trim choice, while the 540i is in group 39 as an SE and group 40 in M Sport form. The 530e sits in groups 36, 37 or 38 depending on specification. Take the 530d and all versions sit in group 41.

The 530e qualifies for free first-year road tax, though the xDrive M Sport model attracts a £15 first-year charge. However, this will go up to £465 after that as the 530e costs more than £40,000 new.

The 520d SE is £540 in the first year. This model with no options just sneaks in under the £40,000 threshold so subsequent years will cost £150 in road tax. However, if the car’s list price goes over that bar, you’ll pay £475 per annum.

Taking this route does not undermine the 5 Series superb handling in any way, shape or form. Rather, it lets you make the most of the Five’s wonderful balance and cornering poise as you’re not constantly scanning the road surface for battered tarmac to avoid. Next to its rivals, the BMW is easily the finest handling executive saloon on the market and not even the supple Jaguar XF gets close enough to worry the BMW.