2007 BMW 5-Series Reviews - Driving Impressions

The BMW 5 Series cars are a pleasure to drive, though it's hard to say which model we'd choose. The light-on-its-feet 525i makes clean, satisfying driving without a lot of high-tech drivers aids to get in the way. We're quite happy in one. On the other hand, high-tech systems such as Active Steering or Active Roll Stabilization can quickly demonstrate their value, and there's nothing quite like the thrust developed when you slam the accelerator on the 550i V8.

The 5 Series is not whisper quiet like BMW's full-size 7 Series sedan, so a bit more road and wind noise finds its way into the cabin. Yet with the stereo turned up about two-tenths of the way, you won't hear any of it. And the 5 Series feels smaller on the road than its dimensions suggest. Consider its near-perfect weight balance, and a rock-solid body that's free of creaks, rattles or unpleasant vibration, and this BMW is exactly what we'd like a luxury sedan to be: smooth and comfortable regardless of the speed, nimble and reassuring when it's appropriate to travel at a good clip. The 5 Series has nearly all the bells and whistles, and almost nothing to diminish the driving experience. If you decide to pick up the pace, you'll discover handling and overall performance that's hard to match in any sedan. No matter which engine sits under the hood, there's plenty of power to get you up to speed.

BMW's inline engines remain one of the great experiences in motoring. The classic straight six delivers a balance of smoothness, torque, and response that V6 engines can't seem to match. Other luxury manufacturers have switched to V6s because they're easier to package, and they've proven easier to certify for stringent emission standards. We're glad BMW sticks with its trademark inline engines.

The 5 Series engines were overhauled for 2006, starting with a new inline six cylinder that is the only current production engine with a magnesium alloy engine block to reduce weight. The engines in the 525i and 530i are actually the same size (3.0 liters); the difference in power (215 hp vs. 255) is the result of different controls and intake systems.

From a stop or at high-speed roll, the six-cylinder 530i delivers as much acceleration-producing torque as some thirstier V8-powered sedans. Off-the-line acceleration surpasses probably 70 percent of the vehicles on the road, and top speed exceeds anything you'll get away with anywhere outside a desolate Nevada desert. Power delivery in the 530i is very linear, meaning that you'll get the same response and acceleration whether the engine is turning 2500 rpm or 5000 rpm when you step on the gas.

Still, those who put a premium on straight-line acceleration might choose the V8-powered 550i. The 4.8-liter V8 produces 360 horsepower and an impressive 360 pound-feet of acceleration-producing torque. The power delivery flows in the same even fashion as it does in the six-cylinder engines.

Pushing the accelerator to the floor in this high-performance sedan is a truly enjoyable experience. The 550i will squirt from 0-60 mph in about 5.3 seconds, which is substantially quicker than sports cars such as the Jaguar XK or Nissan 350Z. Top speed is electronically governed at the voluntary limit adopted by most German automakers: a mere 155 mph.

For those who don't mind a little work, we heartily recommend the six-speed manual transmission. It's one reason to choose the 5 Series over other luxury sedans, in which manuals are increasingly few and far between. The shifter is tight and reasonably quick, and shifting is smooth, precise and easy. Particularly with the six-cylinder models, the manual transmission maximizes performance potential, as well as the driver's involvement.

The great majority will choose the automatic transmission, a six-speed Steptronic, and they won't give up much. The Steptronic reacts to the gas pedal in fine style. Full-throttle upshifts are quick and smooth, and downshifts, in most cases, come quickly. We like the Sport mode, as it responds even more quickly, shifting down instantaneously when you dip the gas pedal and allowing the engine to rev higher more often. The downside is that the automatic can feel more jarring in Sport mode. If a serene experience is preferred for the drive home, choose the Comfort setting.

BMW's Sequential Manual Gearbox, available on the 530i and 550i, is strictly for hard-core enthusiasts. While it will shift automatically, the SMG is not an automatic with a manual shift feature like the Steptronic. It's more like a manual with a clutch but no clutch pedal; the driver shifts up or down simply by moving the gear lever or clicking paddles on either side of the steering wheel. Shifted manually when the 5 Series is driven hard, SMG can be a satisfying rush. The problems start in automatic mode. At a casual pace the SMG can feel both slow to shift and rough. Indeed, it can feel as if a driver is taking his or her first crack at a traditional clutch/manual transmission.

When it comes to handling, we like the six-cylinder models, and particularly the 525i. Despite its horsepower deficit compared to the other models, it's no lightweight, and because it's lighter, it feels spry and light on its feet. This is a good, honest sedan in the BMW tradition, with a comfortable ride, precise steering and nice, sharp handling, and without a lot of high-tech stuff to muddle the picture.

Still, those high-tech add-ons have their appeal. Active Steering, for example, is more than a gimmick. Maneuvering through tight confines is a breeze, and pulling into an empty parking space is as quick a swoop on the steering wheel. On a tight slalom course, a 530i with Active Steering is more responsive than one without it. Weaving through the cones is less work, requiring less sawing at the wheel and fewer corrections. The driver can focus more on the car's trajectory through the course, less on compensating for mistakes. Moreover, Active Steering is now tied into the electronic stability control system. It can automatically make slight steering adjustments without driver intervention.

Active Roll Stabilization replaces conventional anti-roll (anti-sway) bars with an electronically controlled, hydraulically operated system that reduces leaning in corners, allowing flatter cornering at higher speeds while maintaining a nice smooth ride. With Active RollStabilization, the 530i stays remarkably flat through fast, sweeping curves, with just enough body lean to remind a driver that he or she is hurtling down a public road at considerable speed. The best thing about Active Roll Stabilization is that it accomplishes this without the stiff springs and shocks often used in sports suspensions. When the car is traveling straight, the effect of the roll stabilization is essentially negated. This 5 Series rides firm, without a sensation of floating, but always smoothly and comfortably.

BMW's brakes are large by industry standards, and they're one of the most impressive components of the 5 Series performance package. They slow the car from high speed in sports-car fashion, and they hold up under harder use than any driver is likely to dish out. Even after repeated stops that would smoke the brake pads on lesser cars, the 5's brakes show very little fade.

The Adaptive Xenon Headlights are excellent. They deliver bright, even light and are real benefit on winding rural roads at night, especially on dark and stormy nights.

Night Vision uses a thermal-imaging camera with Far Infra-Red technology that highlights sources of heat (the tailpipes on cars ahead, for example, but more importantly the cyclist or deer lurking beyond the headlights). The camera has a range of nearly 1,000 feet, and it displays a high-contrast image on the navigation screen when Night Vision is turned on. By design, the image is not highly detailed, and those high-heat people or animals are supposed to stand out more quickly. The system is intended to work like a rearview mirror, with potential hazards standing out in a quick scan. Our time in a 550i equipped with Night Vision was confined largely to an urban setting, and in this environment its value is reduced. With so much ambient light, and traffic, the camera doesn't offer much more than an alert set of eyes. Yet a drive into the dark countryside expressly to test Night Vision demonstrated the system's potential. The thermal-imaging camera picked up a truck's exhaust pipe almost as far ahead as its tiny taillights were visible. Had that exhaust been the body heat of a large animal, with no taillights to mark it, the 5 Series driver would be aware of the animal long before it's visible to the naked eye. The problem with Night Vision, beyond its substantial cost, is the novelty factor. We found ourselves occasionally fixating on the screen, noticing which parts on SUVs ahead were warmest from friction, or looking at the warm bodies walking into restaurants, at the expense of peering through the windshield. We suspect that it will take some acclimation, and discipline, to get past the newness and use Night Vision as it's intended.