Driving Impressions

Driving a 5 Series sedan is a joy. The more we drove our 530i the more we liked it. BMWs are defined by excellent powertrains and superb chassis tuning. Measured by its balance of crisp handling, ride comfort and solid acceleration, the 5 Series is as good as it's ever been. We drove a 530i on a crystal-clear fall day along fast, two-lane roads tracking the Hudson Valley through upstate New York. And we spent a week in one driving between Washington and Charlottesville, Virginia, and on the winding roads of bucolic Albemarle County. However, we hadn't even left the parking lot at BMW headquarters in New Jersey when it became apparent that the optional Active Steering system was no gimmick. Maneuvering through tight confines is a breeze. Pulling an empty parking space is as quick a swoop on the steering wheel. Later, 120 miles up the Hudson, we discovered the performance advantages of this new steering system. The 5 Series is quite nimble as heavy sedans go. But on a tight slalom course, we found that a 530i with Active Steering is more responsive than one without it. Weaving through the cones is less work with Active Steering, 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. And it's not hard to extrapolate this behavior to advantages in emergency situations on public roads. Push the Active Steering car into a skid, and recovery is more immediate, and more likely. There's a price for this responsiveness, and it's most obvious traveling at high speeds on an Interstate. Gone is the famous BMW dead spot in the middle of the steering travel, that inch or so of movement each side of center where there is no perceptible change in the 5's direction of travel when the wheel moves. This was developed for decades to account for triple-digits speeds on Germany's autobahns, but it's no longer necessary. With Active Steering, the steering response slows down considerably at fast freeway speeds, but there is perceptible reaction from the front tires almost with the first fraction of movement on the wheel. The effect is basically the same, in that small bumps or grooves require no conscious correction from the driver. But the feel with Active Steering is different. Not everyone likes it, and it may take a bit of getting used to, particularly for longtime BMW enthusiasts. Other drivers really liked it, adapting without even realizing and enjoying the arrowlike precision of the car. The two-lanes through the Hudson Valley offered ample evidence of the value of Active Roll Stabilization. The 530i stayed remarkably flat when attacking the curves, with just enough body lean to remind a prudent driver that he or she is hurtling down a public road at considerable speed. Perhaps the best thing about ARS is that the 530i never feels stiff. When the car is traveling straight, the effect of the roll stabilization is essentially negated. This sedan rides firm, without a sensation of floating, but always smoothly and comfortably. Factor in near-perfect weight balance, and a rock-solid body that's free of creaks, rattles or unpleasant vibration, and the 530i is exactly what we'd like a luxury sedan to be: always quiet and comfortable, nimble and reassuring when it's appropriate to travel at a good clip. If you never drove the 5 Series quickly, you'd be left with a smooth, truly comfortable car with nearly all the bells and whistles and nothing to diminish the experience. Yet should you choose 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 six-cylinder engines remain one of the truly satisfying experiences in motoring. The classic straight six delivers a balance of smoothness, torque, and response th

Final Word

The BMW 5 Series is the benchmark for mid-size luxury sedans because it's the best balanced car in a supremely balanced class. Like other cars in this so-called near-luxury class, it mixes comfort, performance, and passenger-friendly accommodations in a manageable size. On top of everything else, it's great fun to drive. New Car Test Drive correspondent J.P. Vettraino is based in Detroit, with Mitch McCullough reporting from Charlottesville, Virginia.