2023 BMW 5 Overview What’s new: At the moment, only the M550i trim has the Parking Assistance package. Gestural controls are no longer accessible. The standard for charging wireless phones has been brought back for 2022. A 2017 5 Series model from the seventh generation The 2023 BMW 5 Series is a roomy midsize luxury sedan with great driver aids and cutting-edge technology. Depending on the grade, it can go very fast. This year’s 5 Series is the same as last year’s, except for a few small but (to some) potentially essential changes. Next year, a completely redesigned 5 Series will hit the market. The encouraging news is that charging your phone wirelessly is now a possibility. It had to be put off until 2022 because of problems with the supply chain. The 530i, 530e, and 540i no longer come with the Parking Assistance package. This is another problem in the supply chain. Most of the time, we don’t make a big deal out of small changes in package availability. Automatic low-speed braking and automatic parking are not allowed while the driver is parking. But it doesn’t have a 3D surround-view camera system or a dash cam built in (Made by BMW called Drive Recorder). This structure is excellent. Our 2017 review called the 3D view “the most impressive thing about the 5 Series.” The 530i, 530e, and 540i all still come with standard rear view cameras and parking sensors in the front and back. You will need to upgrade to the more powerful M550i trim to have a camera facing forward and all of the other amenities that come with it. That may seem like little, but when you have a lot of choices, even a small change can make a big difference—the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6 are fun and up-to-date. The Volvo S90, roomy, beautifully made, and other midsize luxury sedans are all great choices. The 2023 BMW 5 Series has a lot of good qualities, but it has lost ground in a market where it used to be the leader. For more information, check out the Expert Rating given by our testing team. What do they like to live with? We went almost 20,000 miles in style in a 2018 BMW 540i xDrive. It became one of our favorites for road trips very quickly, but we needed help. Even though BMW changed the 5 Series after that, much of what we said still applies to the 2023 model. Pros vs Cons Pros: Several strong engines that work pretty well A large number of cutting-edge technologies and new features The inside is peaceful and welcoming. Adequate trunk capacity Cons: Evolutionary style fits in with a class that is already full. A few of the interior parts need to meet industry standards. Performance The way the 5 Series is driven. The 5 Series is a car to think about if you care about how you go. Most of the models are good at many different things. In our tests, it took the four-cylinder 530i 6.2 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, which is suitable for a base engine. We put a 540i xDrive through a sprint test, and it did a great job, taking only 4.6 seconds. The M Sport brakes on the test 530i were so smooth that it only took 108 feet to stop from 60 mph. This is impressive for a midsize luxury car. Even though the steering is well-balanced, it feels a little dead. Luckily, the chassis can talk to each other and is balanced. Comfort How well does the 5 Series feel? The 5 Series is a very comfortable car, especially when it has multi-contour front seats that are an option. We like the smooth, soft, and well-damped ride without feeling floaty. Also, the engine is hardly audible while driving, and while there is some noise from the road, there is no noise from the wind. The only thing we didn’t like was that the air conditioning needed to keep us cold enough. The dual-temp, dual-fan-speed controls have a lot of different settings, but the fan speed needs to be more vital to handle temperature changes. Interior How does the inside look? The cabin of the 530i is a great place to take it easy. There is a lot of space available in the front seats. Also, it can change the center and steering wheel in many ways, so drivers of almost any size should be able to find a comfortable position. Getting in and out is easy because the doors are extensive, and there is much room above them. Headroom in the back is OK but could be better, and the legroom is plenty. BMW is great at keeping the number of buttons on iDrive low while still giving it much power. Even though the iDrive menus are easy to use and move around in, it could take some time before you become accustomed to all the different settings and adjustments. It might look like something scary. We like how the 5 Series has clear views. Especially in the back, the windows are a good size. Also, the optional camera system that lets you see everything around you is beneficial. Technology How good is the tech? BMW is one of the most forward-thinking car companies regarding new features, but competitors like Audi and BMW have recently updated their product lines. Some technological features, like the excellent 3D surround-view camera, are only available on certain trim levels. Even though the 5 Series is still pretty good, it doesn’t make me feel as amazed as it used to. The smartphone integration is excellent, and the sound from the stereo system is perfect. The voice assistant in a BMW works as expected. It understands commands in natural language to control different parts of the car. The 5 Series has excellent driver assistance systems, and with the optional Extended Traffic Jam Assist, you can drive hands-free on highways at speeds of less than 40 mph. Storage What about putting things away? The 530i’s trunk is enormous and can fit a variety of loads. The 530i’s box is more significant than other cars in its class. The compartment opens wide and has a low liftover, but as you get closer to the backs of the rear seats, it gets small. The back seats can be folded up 40/20/40, giving you many options. BMW has done an excellent job with the storage inside the car. Each door has a pocket for a water bottle, a retractable cover that hides a place to charge a wireless phone upfront, an oversized glove box, and space in the middle armrest. Even though there isn’t much room for storage, it’s good enough for a European luxury sedan. Fuel Economy How well does it use gasoline? The 530i, which has rear-wheel drive, gets 28 mpg on the highway. On our 115-mile test drive, we got 27 mpg, but we usually get more than that on this route. And we did worse than the city rating, with an average of 23.1 mpg over all tests. These results are disappointing, but they should be familiar for a modern turbocharged four-cylinder engine like the one in the 530i. In our test, the 540i did better than the EPA predicted. Value Is the value of the 5 Series good? Every piece of electronic equipment in a BMW, from the central touchscreen to the driver’s instrument panel, is of the highest quality. The interior panels all fit well, but the leather and wood trim pieces feel like they were made in a factory. Every choice will cost you money, but the prices are fair for the market, and worth it when you think about how much better the upgrades are. Even though some American and Asian brands offer more extended warranties than BMW’s four years and 50,000 miles, this is normal for a German company. On the other hand, it’s rare in the luxury market for maintenance to be accessible for three years and 36,000 miles. Wildcard We’re glad that BMW is paying more attention to how its cars feel to drive because that gives them their personalities. However, we hope that BMW will take a few more risks with how it looks on the outside. There are a few differences between this generation and the five before it. What is Invoice Pricing's Recommendation? The best car is the 540i (or 540i xDrive if you choose all-wheel drive). The smooth six-cylinder engine uses almost as much gas as the original four-cylinder engine, but it makes a lot more power. You should buy the Driving Assistance Professional and Premium packages so that your 5 Series can have even more cutting-edge driver assistance systems and luxurious extras. Types of BMW 5 Series cars Each of the four possible trim levels for the 2023 BMW 5 Series has a different engine option. All 530i models, including the base model, and all-wheel drive, which BMW refers to as xDrive, are available for purchase on the more potent 540i and the plug-in hybrid 530e. The most popular 5 Series model is the M550i xDrive, which only comes with all-wheel drive. There is a separate review of the BMW M5 on Edmunds. Most of the 5 Series features depend on the trim level, while you can buy the rest separately or as part of an option package. 2023 BMW 5 Series Video Review
