[MUSIC PLAYING]
With its redesigned 5 Series, BMW
continues its latest trend of leaning toward luxury
at the expense of sport.
While that might seem an odd move for BMW,
our first impression of the new 530i X drive
is that it's one of the most satisfying mid-sized luxury
sedans on the market.
It doesn't hurt that engine power is up.
The two liter turbo four cylinder in the 530i
now makes 248 horsepower, while the three
liter turbo six cylinder in the 540i
is rated at 335 horsepower.
Both engines come mated to a slick-shifting, eight speed
automatic transmission.
Rear wheel drive comes standard, all-wheel drive is optional.
Two other models are on their way later this year,
a 530e plug-in hybrid, and the M550i X drive, which
pumps out an impressive 456 horsepower
from its turbocharged V8.
The 530i's turbo four doesn't deliver quite that level
of explosiveness, but there's more than enough
power on hand for merging and passing situations.
We haven't completed our fuel mileage testing yet,
but the EPA rates the all-wheel drive 530i
at 27 miles per gallon combined, which is frugal for the class.
The suspension feels slightly softer
than what we're used to in BMWs, but it's
unfazed by pretty much any bump the road throws its way.
BMW made the cabin impressively silent with hardly any wind
or road noise, and even the engine
seems to be wrapped in silk.
Handling is calm and composed, but the car
isn't as eager to attack corners as a Jaguar XF.
The standard front sport seats are superb.
They have 16 way power adjustment,
including 4 way lumbar, along with adjustable side bolsters.
The cushions are firm yet comfy, just the ticket
for all day road trips.
Most controls are easy to use, including
the iDrive infotainment system, which features a 10.2 inch
touch screen.
We're big fans of the optional head-up display.
It projects current speed, as well as
audio, phone, navigation, and some driver assistance
information onto the windshield.
We're not as enamored with the optional gesture control
system.
It lets you make motions with your finger
to adjust audio volume and perform some phone functions,
but we found ourselves taking our eyes off the road more
to make sure it had actually performed the requested task.
It's easier and safer to use the steering wheel controls,
although the front passenger might
enjoy playing with the system.
The 5 series is also available with a Wi-Fi hotspot
and wireless phone charging, as well as a 3D remote view which
allows the owner to check in and see
what's happening with the vehicle
outside via a cellphone app.
A dizzying array of active safety systems
are available, many of which are part of the $1,400 driver
assistance plus package.
This includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency
braking, lane departure warning, daytime pedestrian detection,
blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic alert.
The $1,700 driver assistance plus 2 package
brings adaptive cruise control, actively
lane-keeping assistance, evasion aid, and front cross traffic
alert.
But getting all these features requires
springing for the $1,800 driving assistance package.
While this package includes a rear view
camera, active parking assist, and the head-up display,
BMW should at least make forward collision warning
and automatic emergency braking as standard equipment,
especially in a car that starts at over $52,000.
Opting for all these packages plus extra amenities--
such as a temporary spare tire, Apple CarPlay,
and a Harman Kardon sound system--
can make the 5 series pretty expensive.
The total price of our 530i X drive came to $65,210.
Take away those packages, and you'd still
have an exceedingly comfortable, quiet, and thoroughly enjoyable
BMW 5 series.
It's just no longer the nimble athlete of the segment
that it once was.
Perhaps it has grown up with its customers.
For more on mid-sized luxury sedans,
check out consumerreports.org.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét