530e M Sport Pro
Once the staple diet of executive types and family folk alike, the humble saloon car has taken something of a battering in recent decades. Search the web for street scenes from the 70s, 80s and even the 90s and you’ll likely wonder how we weren’t constantly tripping over the three-box shaped motors, their numbers were so prevalent.
It doesn’t take an expert to see what’s caused their decline, though. The rise of the SUV/Crossover has been unprecedented, affecting not just saloon sales but the humble hatchback too.
SUVs have a lot to answer for
BMW‘s luxury saloon, the 5 Series will have seen its sales affected but the head honchos at the self-proclaimed Ultimate Driving Machine company can hardly complain when it was one of their very own models, namely the X5 that was at the forefront of the revolution.
Not only has the 5 Series faced the SUV onslaught, it’s also had to remain relevant in a world that’s becoming increasingly electrified. Just to make things a touch more challenging, BMW has (thankfully) kept the electric 5 Series; the i5 visually almost identical to the internal combustion version.
ICE lives on
This internal combustion saloon is far from dead, though, the 5 Series lives on. Neither the 520i or this 530e are available with a six-cylinder engine anymore, once the forte of the model – it’s four-pots all the way up to the 550e which is a whopping 3.0l turbocharged PHEV. Of course, you could be lucky enough to be in a position to splash out over £110k on an M5 with its 727hp. For us mere mortals there’s the 520i which is a mild-hybrid, the 550e xDrive – the only AWD option or what we have here; the 530e; the latter two being plug-in hybrids.
Can six really go into four?
Does the 530e miss that characteristic BMW six-cylinder engine? – Sort of. In terms of performance the 2.0l four-cylinder turbocharged unit plus the 182bhp electric motor adds up to 295bhp and manages to haul this near two-tonne luxo-barge from 0-62mph in a shade over six seconds. It’s the mid range performance that impresses most, though. The electric motor doesn’t just add economy, it provides instant acceleration when overtaking, for example. What a four-pot engine and electricity can’t replicate, though, is the thrum and sensation of brutish might a six-cylinder provides.
Just how economical is the 530e, though?
What a car powered by a purely internal combustion six-pot can’t do, though, is return figures like this; 353.1 – 470.8mpg combined, 17 – 14g/km CO2 & 59 – 64 miles of electric only range. During our wintery week with the 530e our figures were towards the less economical end but I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice my creature comforts.
Relatively understated
From just a glance you couldn’t really mistake the 5 Series for anything else. Rumours abound that BMW’s designers are stepping away from the almost comically oversized kidney grilles the likes of the 7 Series and XM have festooned on the end of their bonnets. Thankfully the 5 Series’ grilles were kept relatively conservative anyway, even if they are all now blanked off as though they don’t have an actual engine to feed. If you do want the world and his dog to take notice of your grilles, though, you can set them to illuminate. Not our thing but there you go.
Almost perfect inside
Inside the 5 Series is where its usually been adept at trumping the opposition, and this one’s no different. With many design cues and much electrical gadgetry carried over from the limo-esque 7 Series, this 5 Series is very, very hard to fault. The iDrive system lives on; previously unwieldy and considered by some a step too far into the future. Ironically it’s now a very welcome analogue dial which works so much better than prodding a touchscreen.
The touchscreen is impressive, though. Its 14.9 inches blends seamlessly into the driver’s 12.3 inch display, all behind a curved glass that follows the lines of BMW’s traditionally ergonomic driver focussed design. It doesn’t just look pretty, though. The operating system is quick, easy to navigate and doesn’t get flustered if you’re in a rush. Plus, if gimmicks are your thing you can impress your passengers with hand gestures; we especially enjoyed twirly fingers to adjust the volume. The only aspect of the interior we could find fault with are the minimalist air-vents with their haptic controls; unnecessarily fiddly I’m afraid, BMW.
Drives like a BMW should
So, the 530e is quick enough for most, economical and inside is an extremely pleasurable place to be. Surely the extra weight of the electrical gubbins will ruin the ride and handling, then? Actually, no. You see, where many hybrids stow their weighty batteries around the rear of the car, eating up boot space, the 530e’s batteries are slung under the cabin, where the i5’s electrickery is also kept. As this is a saloon with a relatively low centre of gravity and not an SUV, the 530e feels planted, like a BMW should. Having less weight swinging the nose around thanks to it being a four-cylinder actually lessens understeer.
Should I buy a 5 Series?
The mild-hybrid 520i starts from a shade under £52k and this 530e in M Sport guise is the cheapest PHEV at just under £60k. Yes, you can and probably will inflate that with some optional extras but when you consider the looks, the handling, the economy and the sheer quality, the 5 Series is streets ahead of any competition you dare to find.
By Ben Harrington
2025 BMW 530e M Sport Pro Saloon Specifications:
Engine – 2.0l petrol + 135kW electric motor, Transmission – 8-speed auto, Layout – Front engine, RWD, Power – 295bhp,Torque – 450Nm, Emissions – 14g/km CO2, Economy – 470.8mpg, Maximum Speed – 146mph, Acceleration – 6.2s – 0-62mph, Price – £62,455 OTR
The 2024 BMW 5 Series is available now, priced from £51,915. For full details go to:www.bmw.co.uk
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