2017 BMW 5-series India review, test drive

Insider info

While the new 5 is fabulous to drive, a lot of owners will often occupy the rear seat and that’s what I evaluate next. There’s real leather here to begin with, some of the finest and softest around, and both the seat height and thigh support are extremely good. The backrest is a touch vertical (the earlier 5 had the more reclined backrest from the China car), but is extremely supportive. And because the new 5 has an almost 3m-long wheelbase, legroom is also more than sufficient; there’s plenty of space for my knees and my feet too. Problem is, I’ve only recently been in the back of the extended-wheelbase E-class, and that’s spoiled me a bit; legroom in the Merc is just miles better.

The BMW gets its own back once you go up front. The larger front seats are more supportive and comfortable, their range of adjustment is wider and finding the right driving position is so much easier. Quality levels are a notch higher too. I looked and looked, but there are no poorly built bits here, everything is just built to a higher quality level, and, unlike the Merc’s dash, the build quality is more solid too; there are no disagreeable squeaks, even when you prod the dash or thump it lightly with your fist. The 5 is better equipped too. The instrument panel is all digital, the central screen is of a higher quality, and resolution and functionality are so good, it reminds you of a modern smartphone. Even the touch functions work beautifully – all you ever need to do is hit the ‘button’ once. BMW’s iDrive system is even simpler to use now; and passengers at the back get their own remote for the system too. The new 5 even gets a few delight features from the 7. Gesture control works well, once you get used to twirling your fingers in the air, the blower control is also via a touch function and then there’s the sci-fi-like remote parking too. Some of the buttons like the blower control, however, are a bit small and fiddly to use, especially if the car is on the move, and I really did like the ‘rocker’ on the earlier car for selecting drive modes; you could use it without looking down.

BMW has also made a much needed modification to the boot, especially for India. The luggage compartment now comes with room for a space saver under the floor, and that’s far better than having a spare sitting exposed and all strapped up in your boot. Space will be down on the otherwise generous 530 litres, but having a tyre to fall back on makes a huge difference.