BMW 5 Series 2021

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BMW 5 Series 2021

If quiet luxury and elegant design are at the top of your new car’s list of priorities, the 2021 BMW 5 Series Sedan may be the answer. Its spacious and luxurious cabin is a great place to spend your commute, and BMW offers a range of powertrain options to suit your needs, whether it’s fuel efficiency or the performance of its massive V-8 engine. The 2021 facelift brings a sharper exterior design that gives the 5 Series a more upscale look, and several technical upgrades should keep it in the battle against major competitors like the Audi A6, Genesis G80 and Mercedes-Benz E-class.

The mid-range 540i continues to be the best value in the 5 Series lineup, offering a great balance between performance and comfort. This model comes standard with rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available. The available Comfort Package seems like a wise addition, as it includes heated front seats, a power boot lid, and remote start. To unlock the 5 Series’ advanced semi-autonomous driving technology, go for the Driving Assistance Plus package.

Engine, transmission and performance BMW 5 Series 2021

Smooth, powerful and efficient, both the four cylinders in the 530i and the six cylinders in the 540i motivate this big sedan hard. For 2021, the 540i powertrain gets a little extra boost, sponsorship with a 48-volt hybrid system, which we haven’t tested yet. Each pair is fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts intuitively and quickly, making the most of the available power. The 540i’s six-cylinder engine is silky smooth and powerful,

It also makes a pleasant noise. Aside from the M5 dog, which we review separately, the M550i is the sportiest of the bunch, with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 under the hood. In our testing, the M550i took off by accelerating faster than the Audi S6 and Mercedes-AMG E53. All 5 Series models are efficient processors, but they lack the kind of vigor we expect from a BMW. The steering feedback is light, and the ride—even in the performance-oriented M550i—appears to be tuned more for comfort than pure driving pleasure.

Fuel Economy BMW 5 Series 2021

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the 530i’s four-cylinder engine will gain up to 25 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. The 540i six-cylinder engine is rated at up to 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway. The more powerful M550i V-8 cuts those down to 17 mpg city and 25 highway The 530i and 540i over-performed in our real-world tests, achieving 34 and 31 mpg respectively.

Interior, comfort and cargo BMW 5 Series 2021

Rich appointments and good design make the cockpit of the 5 Series an urban space . It’s a noticeable upgrade over the somewhat monotonous cabin of its predecessor. It’s also spacious for rear seat passengers and features an impressive amount of technology. We’ve tried the optional 20-way multi-lane front seats, which can be adjusted in every way imaginable and provide hours of comfort. Standard seats may not be forgiving, but you can still adjust them 16 ways.

BMW’s generous trunk space is on par with what its competitors offer, as it fits six hand luggage there. However, the cabin is lacking in small compartments and storage compartments. To accommodate the battery pack, the 530e Hybrid has four less cubic feet of trunk space than non-hybrid models and swallows two fewer carry bags, but at least it retains its foldable rear seats, unlike many other hybrids.

Information, entertainment and contact BMW 5 Series 2021

The large, 12.3-inch HD center display comes standard on every 5 Series. You can control it with the BMW iDrive rotary knob, tap on the screen, or speak various voice commands. Plus, if you’re looking for the BMW Gesture Control option, you can control the system with hand gestures, but we found this to be more subtle than useful. All 5 Series models come with a digital instrument cluster that can be configured to show a variety of information to the driver. Navigation, a USB port, Bluetooth audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities are included in the tech package, but you’ll have to pay more for SiriusXM satellite radio.

SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE FEATURES BMW 5 Series 2021

The 2021 5 Series has not been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but has been evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and has not received a Top Safety Pick. Plenty of driver assistance features are standard, and additional tech is optional, including a navigation-based semi-autonomous driving mode that can even plan upcoming lane changes based on GPS data. Key safety features include:

Standard Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection

Standard Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode