BMW 5 Series Touring (2025) Review

Introduction

The BMW 5 Series saloon has always delivered the goods when it comes to performance, refinement and practicality and the same can be said of the latest Touring model (or estate to you and me).

The five-door vehicle, which stretches more than five metres in length, is available in well-equipped trim levels called M Sport, M Sport Pro, Sport Edition and high performance M Models with prices ranging from £55,375 to £100,095 … before any options are factored in.

Powertrain-wise, all diesel options have been dropped, but customers can choose from the petrol-driven 520i, the plug-in hybrids 530e and 550e xDrive versions or two all-electric models, which were launched for the first time last year and are called i5 eDrive40 and i5 M60 xDrive.

Not every trim can be matched to every powertrain, but we opted for the BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring which featured plug-in hybrid technology and cost £64,905.

At a glance

Now in its sixth generation, the BMW 5 Series Touring continues to appeal to both private and business drivers alike and it’s a car that’s certainly moved with the times since it first graced our roads back in 1990.

It’s a vehicle with a strong road presence due to its size and dynamic lines. The car has grown slightly when compared to the outgoing model, but it still looks perfectly proportioned with sweeping lines, the infamously-large kidney grille that is illuminated when the car is unlocked, slim headlight clusters, M Sport side skirts, a panoramic sunroof, and 20-inch bi-colour alloy wheels with blue brake calipers.

Moving to the back, there is a subtle rear spoiler, layered lighting, model-specific badging and we should mention the striking Tanzanite Blue metallic paintwork that changed shades when viewed in different lighting and from various angles.

Key features

While it would be easy to spend a fortune on any premium model, including the BMW 5 Series, the entry-level plug-in hybrid estate models are well-equipped as standard. For example, the latest entry-level 530e M Sport features LED headlights and rear lights, a powered tailgate, BMW Live Cockpit Plus with curved display, sat nav, My Modes (drive modes), sports seats, automatic air conditioning with two-zone control, a wireless charging pad, cruise control with brake function, a parking assistant, Alcantara upholstery and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Step up to M Sport Pro, as tested, and you will see the addition of upgraded lights, a Harman Kardon sound system, M Sport seat belts, a rear spoiler, an illuminated kidney grille, M Sport leather-wrapped steering wheel, M Sport Suspension, enhanced fixtures and fittings throughout the cabin, along with 20-inch alloys.

So, it’s certainly well equipped, but our car also boasted a raft of optional extras – almost £10k worth in fact – and that included a heated steering wheel to go along with the heated seats, comfort access which means the car can be unlocked and started if the key is in your bag or pocket, upgraded suspension, M Sport brakes with blue calipers and a number of other packs. It really is a case of setting yourself a budget and sticking to it, because it’s easy to see the price soar with add-ons if you’re not careful.

Performance and drive

Powering our rear-wheel drive BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring model was a 19.4kWh battery matched to a 2.0-litre petrol engine delivering 295hp and 450Nm of torque. With a super-slick eight-speed automatic transmission, along with paddles for added driver engagement, this car can reach 62mph from a standing start in 6.4 seconds and maxes out at 137mph. That’s not too shabby for a highly appealing family vehicle that covers every practical base imaginable. The EV-only driving range is 57 miles, which will easily cater for the average daily commute.

There are more drive modes than you will ever know what to do with, many of which alter the cabin ambience and introduce matching background music too. So, you get to choose from Personal, Sport, Efficient, Expressive, Relax, Digital Art and Silent. In all honesty, the Personal, Efficiency and Sport are the main ones to explore with no prizes for guessing which is the most explosive and fun.

Additionally, the gear shifter can be pulled back from Drive and put into a Sport mode, which is convenient when you’re faced with a more testing section of road. That’s when the 5 Series can be unleashed a little and it delivers on all counts. It’s fast out the starting gates and the acceleration is smooth and responsive. Twisting bends can be attacked with confidence thanks to the impressive levels of grip and balance, and it’s a very comfortable motorway cruiser too.

On the downside, it feels really large on narrow lanes and you find yourself hugging the kerb so as not to stray over the central markers.

The steering is beautifully weighted with ample driver feedback and all the controls and readouts are simple to access on the fly. And with such a lengthy vehicle, parking assist systems, cameras and sensors are all very much appreciated, especially when trying squeeze into a tight parking space.

Special mention to the excellent sound-proofing and suspension set-up too, with a nicely cushioned ride and barely a peep filtering through into the cabin. Yes, the car can be exhilarating in its performance, but there is certainly no compromise on comfort levels in the process.

Running costs and emissions

The BMW 5 Series Touring line-up starts from £55,375 for the petrol-driven M Sport model, increasing to £58,375 for the M Sport Pro grade. The fully electric line-up consists of four models with prices ranging from £70,045 for the i5 eDrive40 Sport Edition to £100,095 for the i5 M60 xDrive.

The plug-in hybrid models are the 530e M Sport at £61,905; 530e M Sport Pro at £64,905 (as tested); 550e xDrive M Sport at £79,075 and finally, the 550e xDrive M Sport Pro which costs £82,075.

But as is the way with premium carmakers such as BMW, there is a whole host of optional extras available for customers to fully customise their cars. The cost of our test car jumped by almost £10k once all the packs and upgrades had been factored in.

However, the plug-in hybrid technology brings with it a number of financial incentives, especially for business drivers. The carbon emissions figure of 18g/km results in an attractive Benefit in Kind tax rating of nine per cent. The first-year road tax charge, or Vehicle Excise Duty to call it by its official name, is £110 but that will increase to the standard fee of £195 after 12 months.

However, as the BVMW 530e Touring costs in excess of £40k, owners will have to pay an Expensive Car Supplement charge that adds a further £425 to the annual tax bills from years two to six.

Like all plug-in hybrid models, the official WLTP-tested fuel efficiency figure of 294mpg, is pretty pie in the sky and owners will only ever get close to that number by maintaining a fully charged battery and maximising the EV-only range.

The car, as tested, sits in insurance group 40 and for added peace of mind, the vehicle is sold with a standard three-year, unlimited miles warranty package that increases to eight years or 60,000 miles for the battery.

Interior and tech

The interior of the 5 SeriesTouring model is upmarket and very easy on the eye. Expect top quality upholstery, lots of soft-touch surfaces, along with a wealth of technology to explore.

The seats are powered apart from a manual adjustment to move forwards or backwards – I wasn’t expecting that on a car with a £75k price-tag. However, the front seats and steering wheel can be heated against the winter blues.

The main focal point is the pair of infotainment screens stretching 27 inches that merge seamlessly behind a curved panel. The left side is for all things entertainment-based, while the right screen displays all the important numbers such as speed, drive mode, mapping, plus fuel and battery charge levels.

Creature comforts are plentiful and include a pitch perfect Harman Kardon sound system, Cloud-based navigation with real time traffic updates, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, Bluetooth, and the option for streaming and gaming from outside services.

There is a personal assistant that can help with a number of tasks and we liked the quick keys to access functions such as the sat nav, telephone, media and home screen rather than using touchscreen menus. Additionally, the rotary dial which may be viewed as ‘old school’ is still a great asset and so easy to operate on the fly.

With light flooding into the cabin via the panoramic sunroof, the all-round ambience certainly impresses, although I was still griping about the lack of fully powered seats at the end of my week-long loan!

Practicality and boot space

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring model has a commanding presence on the road, stretching 5,050mm in length, 2,156mm across (including mirrors), and 1,515mm tall. The cabin is exceptionally spacious with ample room for two adults to fit comfortably up front. But rather disappointedly for such a lengthy vehicle, the rear space is not as generous as you would imagine, especially if the front seats are pushed back. It's fine for a couple of adults on shorter journeys or three youngsters but anyone sitting in the middle back seat will need to straddle a large transmission hump.

As you would expect, the boot which is accessed via a powered tailgate is absolutely huge. With all seats in an upright position, it can swallow 570 litres of kit. Drop the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and that capacity increases to 1,700 litres. There is also additional storage space beneath the load floor and a rolling cover to keep items out of sight from prying eyes.

Throughout the cabin, you will find a number of handy storage compartments, including a glovebox, deep central cubby, door bins, a wireless charging pad, front and rear cup holders and some practical trays.

With plenty of storage space, the 5 Series estate is ideal for family brakes and it can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1.8 tonnes.

Safety

The latest BMW 5 Series was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating in 2023 and was awarded a maximum five stars, with a score of 89 per cent for adult occupant safety, 85 per cent for child occupants, 86 per cent for vulnerable road users and 78 per cent for safety assist.

There is a generous amount of safety features as well as driver assistance aids to help protect occupants and other road users alike. Amongst the comprehensive list of systems, expect to see front collision warning with brake intervention, side collision protection, crossroads warning, emergency stop assistant, active lane change assist, front and rear cross-traffic warning with braking function, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, hill-start assist, dynamic stability control, cornering brake control and a full suite of airbags.

All versions come with a Thatcham alarm and engine immobiliser.

Options

The list of options available to personalise the BMW 5 Series Touring model are extensive. Our test model included upgraded paintwork and alloy wheels, along with adaptive suspension, a towbar, a panoramic glass sunroof, Technology Pack that added an interior camera, parking assistant plus as well as a head-up display. There was a Comfort Pack that introduced a heated steering wheel and comfort access which enables keyless entry and allows drivers to lock, unlock and start the vehicle as long as the key is within a close proximity or, in some cases, via a smartphone. So, lots of extras then and at a hefty price too totalling just a fiver shy of £10,000.

Rival cars

The premium plug-in hybrid estate car sector is a pretty niche segment to be honest with competitive rivals to the BMW 5 Series estate few and far between. However, the rivals that are out there are of a high standard so expect competition from the Audi A6 Avant and Mercedes E-Class Estate.

Verdict and next steps

While the motoring world has gone SUV-crazy over recent years and we have seen a decline in the number of estate cars on offer, the BMW 5 Series Touring model is the ultimate reminder of just how good these cars can be.

They are practical with room for all the family without any luggage restrictions, and the performance is also rewarding with impressive handling and decent enough day-to-day running costs.

It is easy to see the cost of any car in the premium sector rise significantly if you really need all those extra bells and whistles, but the BMW 5 Series is very well equipped as standard.

Admittedly you will need a larger-than-life driveway to park the vehicle on, and the look may not be to everyone’s taste, but if practicality is top of the wish-list, this BMW is certainly one to explore.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the BMW 5 Series Touring Estate.

**Correct as of 26/11/2025. Based on 12 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 12 monthly payments, or £6,461.40 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.