Our Opinion - 2026 BMW 5 Review The BMW 5-series has been the middle child in the company’s line of high-end sedans for almost 50 years. After that, it became known as the best middle ground between the fast, small 3-series and the roomy, luxurious 7-series. Three smooth powertrains are available: the top-of-the-line 550e has a plug-in hybrid system that works seamlessly, the 540i has a powerful inline-six engine, and the 530i has a fast four-cylinder engine. The “jack-of-all-trades” approach works well for the newest 5-series, but it gives up some of the sport’s appeal of smaller BMWs and older models to feel more like a polished, business-class car. What's New? Normal 5-series cars won’t change much until 2026. The only new thing is a flat tire kit that has everything you need to fix a flat tire on the side of the road. The order form now has Dark Violet and Taupe leather options, as well as a new shiny color called Frozen Portimao Blue for the outside. The plug-in hybrid 550e now has a faster AC charging rate of 11 kW, up from 7.4 kW. This is much more important. Pros and Cons Pros A perfect blend of performance and refinement. Generous interior and cargo space. Advanced hands-free driving capability. Cons Uninspiring 530i model. Infotainment system has numerous menus. Engine, Transmission, and Performance There are three different versions of the 5-series: the 530i, the 540i, and the 550e. The 530i has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 255 horsepower. It comes with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The 540i comes with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged inline-six engine with 375 hp. Both of them get an extra 48-volt hybrid setup. The plug-in hybrid 550e comes with standard all-wheel drive. It has an electric motor and an inline-six engine that makes 483 horsepower. From what we’ve seen, the 530i rides smoothly with a bit of speed. The 540i is less sporty because it is heavy. The upgraded suspension that comes with the M Sport package gives you a good turning grip. Because the brakes on the M Sport version were stronger, a 530i could stop from 70 mph in just 156 feet on our test track. Safety The 5-series comes with basic driver-assistance technologies like automatic emergency braking and blind-spot tracking. You can also choose more advanced features, like BMW’s Highway Assistant hands-free driving mode. The following are important safety features: Most automatic emergency braking systems can detect people on the road. They also help keep you in your lane with standard lane departure warnings. You can use both hands-free drive mode and adaptive cruise control. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The inside of the 5-series looks high-end, and both the front and back seats have plenty of room for adults. Real leather upholstery is still a choice, but BMW also has Veganza, which is a vegan-friendly alternative. All of them come with an automatic temperature control system that hides the vents by cleverly building them into the dashboard. Instead of the usual tilt-and-slide sunroof, you can get a big, permanent glass roof that goes all the way to the back seats. There is a panoramic glass roof, a power rear sunshade, glass interior controls, and an interior camera with the Executive package. The Premium package includes a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, and additional features. The Luxury Seating package, which is optional, has heated and ventilated front seats with more power adjustments and a massage function. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG As of now, the EPA has not released fuel economy numbers for the 2026 5-series. However, the four-cylinder 530i model got 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, while the 540i model got 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. In hybrid mode, the 550e plug-in hybrid got 24 mpg, and in electric mode, it got 67 mpg. Miles per gallon of gas equivalent, or MPGe, is a number used by the EPA to figure out how fuel-efficient PHEV and EV cars are. We tested the 2024 530i xDrive’s gas mileage on the road at 75 mph and got 35 mpg. The fuel economy of our other test car, a 2024 540i xDrive, was even better at 37 mpg. Infotainment and Connectivity All 5-series models come with a big, curved digital screen that has a 12.3-inch display that can be used for gauges and a 14.9-inch tablet for entertainment. The technology has already been used in other BMW cars, like the 7-series sedan and the iX electric SUV. It worked well in our tests. But the control screen has a lot of apps and features that might be hard to understand when you’re trying to make changes quickly. There is a Harman/Kardon sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and AirConsole, a video game system that can only be used when the car is stopped. You don’t have to use the head-up display. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The 540i xDrive went from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, while the all-wheel drive 530i xDrive took 5.5 seconds. When we get a chance to drive the 550e hybrid, which the company says can do the job in 4.0 seconds, we’ll add test results to this story. Price and How to Choose Many different models and choices can affect the cost of the 2026 BMW 5-series. The inline-six engine in the 540i xDrive is a BMW trademark and can’t be missed. The 540i is the best combination of price and usefulness because it comes with standard all-wheel drive.
