A BIT OF 5 STAR POLISHING (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 71

Back in 2020, BMW's 'G30' seventh generation 5 Series model changed - but not beyond recognition. The looks got sharpened, there was enhanced cabin media tech, engine electrification now proliferated and a couple of extra powerplant variants joined the range. Otherwise, the line-up of saloon and Touring models continued with much the same polished, Teutonic and mildly dynamic appeal as before. How does it all stack up on the used market?

Modelsword count: 46

5dr executive saloon/estate (Petrol - 2.0 184hp [520i] + PHEV 530e / 6 cylinder 394hp [545e], 6 cylinder 530hp [M550i xDrive] / V8 625hp [M5] / Diesel - 2.0 190hp [520d], 3.0 6 cylinder 286hp [530d] - trim levels SE, M Sport & M Sport Edition)

Historyword count: 263

How do you right a bestseller? This refreshed version of the G30 seventh generation 5 series was BMW's answer to that question back in 2020 when it comes to the Munich maker's uber-successful offering in the full-Executive segment. It built upon strong underpinnings. Originally launched in 2016, this 'G30' 5 Series had been a design new from the ground up, lighter, more agile and more aerodynamic than its 'F10' MK6 predecessor, which was enough to generate over 600,000 sales in the first three years of G30 production. But by 2020, time had moved on - as had the competition. An all-new fifth generation version of the Audi A6 had been launched in 2018. And Mercedes substantially updated its 10th generation E-class in early 2020 - the same year that BMW announced the comprehensive package of 'G30' 5 Series updates creating the car we're going to take a look at in this review. If you're familiar with 2016-2019-era G30 5 Series models and come fresh to this post-2020-ewra facelift version, you'll immediately spot the restyled 3 series-style nose. But arguably what's more important lies beneath the bonnet. 48V mild hybrid tech having been introduced as part of the update package: this was fitted to all the mainstream engines, plus there was a second, more powerful 545e plug-in hybrid option. And a new V8 M550i M performance model, this model slotting in below a re-fettled M5. Plus there was updated media connectivity as part of a lightly-smartened cabin. This updated G30 5 Series sold until the replacement MK8 G60 5 Series model arrived in mid-2023.

What You Getword count: 523

Over nearly half a century of production, there have certainly been moments of note in 5 Series design - the original 'E12' version of 1972 and the MK5 'E60' model of 2003 both come to mind. Overall though, this car has generally been characterised by the kind of confident but still relatively conservative styling that featured on the improved version of this seventh generation 'G30' model. As expected, this 'Five' continued to share much under the skin with its bigger 7 Series stablemate. The 'CLAR' 'cluster architecture' underpinnings in fact are pretty much the same as you'd find in a 'Seven' from this period, though BMW stopped short of incorporating that pricier model's expensive carbon-fibre reinforced 'Carbon Core'. Take a seat inside and if you're familiar with the original version of this G30 5 Series model, you'll find that this post-2020-era updated version offers a much improved 'Operating System 7.0 package of more sophisticated and better incorporated digital screen technology. That's matched with some lovely use of leather and very high quality plastics, plus the careful application of real metal finishing, rather than metal-effect plastic. It's not as muted and deliberately under-styled as an Audi A6, nor as brash and in-your-face as a rival W213-series Mercedes E-class. After years of bringing us rather half-hearted digital instrument displays that weren't completely configurable, BMW finally here bit the bullet and delivered a decently sized and properly customisable instrument binnacle screen as part of its freshly added 'Live Cockpit Professional' package. That combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display with a centre-dash infotainment monitor of the same size, all of it accessible via touchscreen, the usual lower iDrive touch controller and your voice, the latter element working via an added 'Hey BMW' voice recognition system that most owners will find easy to get to grips with. And in the rear? Well at the original launch of this 'G30' generation design back in 2016, we commented favourably on the way that the extra 7mm of wheelbase length delivered by this MK7 model's CLAR platform provided improved standards of kneeroom and legroom - though we also pointed out that this BMW remained fractionally behind a rival Mercedes E-Class or Jaguar XF in this respect; that's still of course the case with the updated G30 model. Fitting in three adults in the back is inhibited by a large central transmission tunnel, but at least the middle part of the bench isn't quite as uncomfortable as it is in some competitors. The luggage area in the saloon model is rated at 530-litres, helped by the relatively long rear overhang; that total's only a fraction less than an E-Class or an XF. With the Plug-in hybrid 5 Series models, it'll be 120-litres smaller because the 9.2 kWh battery pack pinches a little bit of the space.. Of course, if you're going to be needing this sort of capacity very often, you'll be better off going for the Touring estate version of this model, which offers a 570-litre boot in conventional form, extendable to 1700-litres if you flatten the rear seat. With the 530e Touring, the respective figures are 430 and 1,560-litres.

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