2016 BMW 520i review, test drive

What’s it like to drive?

As we’ve seen before, this engine is an absolute beauty. Its power delivery is smooth and linear, almost to the point that it doesn’t feel turbocharged. It’s also very refined through most of the rev range, and it spins up really quickly. The 520i will sprint to 100kph in 8.6 seconds and go on to a claimed top speed of 233kph, which doesn’t sound too bad on paper. In everyday use, however, things are a little different. Left in Comfort (or worse still Eco Pro) mode, the car is very hesitant off the line, and you will feel it hiccup as the boost comes on. Careful modulation of the throttle can overcome this, but ultimately all that added weight can be felt. Once on the move, it’s very refined, and provided you’re smooth with the throttle, it will respond in kind.

Sport mode is a very different story. Here’s where that ‘absolute beauty’ of an engine starts to show itself. It’s far more responsive off the line, it’s much quicker to rev and if you keep your foot in, it will chase down that 6,800rpm redline. Some of that refinement goes away at this point, but that’s only to be expected when you wring out a four-cylinder motor. And yet, it’s not quick or exciting enough to get your adrenaline pumping; certainly not as much as the 320i could. We can’t help but feel wanting for more; perhaps the 245hp 528i that’s available abroad?

This ‘F10’ 5-series is a good handler, more so than some rivals for certain. But as we’ve seen with the diesel models, it’s nowhere as exciting as its predecessor, the E60, nor the smaller 3-series. Things got a little better with the facelift, and though it’s mechanically competent on the absolute limit, in everyday driving, it still feels too big and soft. The flip side is that it rides over most bumps really well, albeit with a little float. Sharp bumps will kick through hard though, so watch out for those fresh monsoon potholes.

Should I buy one?

BMW’s four-cylinder diesel engine was never affected by the Delhi-NCR diesel ban as its swept capacity is less than 2,000cc. But with a bad reputation starting to hover over diesel cars, people were starting to move back toward petrol and the company just couldn’t ignore it. It’s a shame BMW didn’t bring the more powerful 528i to India instead (especially since the 520i is fully imported anyway), as the added power would have transformed a nice-driving car into a superb one. So this is not the choice for the enthusiast; both diesels feel nicer to drive. It is, then, the choice for those who simply must have a petrol 5-series (that isn’t an M5, of course) be it for the refinement or lesser impact on the environment. It’s well equipped, spacious and luxurious too; just don’t expect it to blow your socks off.

GAVIN DSOUZA