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BMW 5-Series Saloon 520d EfficientDynamics road test report

520d EfficientDynamics

A company car, fleet driver special sounds like it should a recipe for a stripped bare econo-box. However, we’re talking about BMW here and the 520d EfficientDynamics is anything but pared down. If anything, BMW has come up with one of its best ever cars in honing the 5 Series to sub-120g/km carbon dioxide emissions.

Road Test Reports Says 5 star rating
A front-facing image of the BMW 5-Series Saloon 520d EfficientDynamics

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ALISDAIR SUTTIE SAYS

Performance Performance - 5 stars

With a car that is all about getting the maximum fuel efficiency and lowest possible emissions for company car tax purposes, you could be forgiven for thinking BMW might forget about performance. You’d be wrong, as this is an element essential to the DNA of every BMW, green models included. This means the 520d ED sees off 0-62mph in just 8.2 seconds, which means it’s only 0.1 second slower over this benchmark sprint than a non-ED 520d. Granted, the EfficientDynamics model can only be had with a six-speed manual gearbox and not with the option of an auto’ box, but it’s no hardship when the gearchanges are as precise and slottily slick as this. Add in a clutch with a light action and you have all the makings of a proper sports saloon, which is just what the 520d ED is. It just happens to be a sports saloon that offers superb economy and low emissions to make it a car company drivers will find very hard to ignore. A quirk of the 520d ED’s longer gearing, which means it lopes along at the same speed as a standard 520d but with fewer revs showing on the counter, is it has a higher top speed. Should you find yourself on an autobahn, the EfficientDynamics version will top out at 144mph to the standard 520d’s 140mph. See, being green can be fun and you get to tell dinner party stories about the flap that shuts in the radiator grille at speed to make the car more aerodynamic, the stop-start technology and more aerodynamic wheels. Well, maybe not at the dinner table, but you get the gist.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 5 stars

It may be there to help save you tax and save the planet from the ravages of the automobile, but this is still a BMW 5 Series. So, this means a superb ride and handling balance that puts every other car in the executive sector in the shade. With wheels and tyres that are smaller than most specified for the 5 Series by its owners, the EfficientDynamics model makes for an even cushier ride. It soaks up every rut and ripple with nonchalant ease, yet it suffers no excessive lean or lurch in corners. Quite the opposite, in face, as the ED tracks through bends with the same resolute brilliance as every other 5 Series variant. The steering has nuanced feel that leaves an Audi A6 feeling lumpen in comparison, while high speed stability means the 520d Ed is the ideal car for a spot of cross-continent cruising. Throw in superb refinement and this is a car for all occasions.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

There may be some new technology incorporated into the 520d EfficientDynamics, but none of it will cause you sleepless nights or disturbed journeys. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine is already a proven unit, as is the six-speed manual gearbox, so the ED will see you to your destination in calm confidence. As for the build quality, it’s first class and every bit as solid as you’d expect of a BMW.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 5 stars

As with every other BMW 5 Series, the EfficientDynamics model comes with a full complement of airbags and traction and stability aids. There’s no scrimping on this front or when it comes to security just because this car is aimed at those looking to maximise their fun to outlay ratio. There’s an alarm, immobiliser and deadlocks, and BMW consistently achieves very high marks in security tests.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

While the Audi A6 may offer a smidgeon more rear leg room than the BMW 5 Series, anyone travelling in the back of the BMW is not likely to complain. It’s a very comfortable environment for two adults, though the firm centre section of the rear seat base means a third occupant is not so lucky. Up front, the driver is treated to a superbly comfortable and multi-adjustable driving position and superlatively supportive seat. All-round vision is good and rear parking sensors ensure the sculpted bumpers of the BMW remain intact when reversing in tight spots. BMW’s iDrive system is now a pleasure to use and simplifies most tasks, while shortcut buttons take you directly to key menus. Step out of the spacious and well equipped cabin and round to the back and you’ll find a boot more than commodious enough to cope with all your shopping or luggage needs.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 5 stars

It’s hard to fault an executive saloon with the performance of the 520d EfficientDynamics that can still return a combined economy of 62.8mpg. That outdoes most superminis and the BMW goes further still with carbon dioxide emissions of just 119g/km. With a list price at the most affordable end of the 5 Series range, the 520d EfficientDynamics is not just hard to fault, but impossible. Company drivers will enjoy low Benefit in Kind payments, while private buyers can look forward to cast iron residual values for a model that will have used buyers queuing round the block. While you own the car, you’ll have the comfort of leather seats, climate and cruise controls, Bluetooth connection, a superb CD stereo, and all of the safety kit you’d expect on a car of this class. If there’s a better executive car out there for this sort of money, we’d like to try it.

Submitted: 06/02/2012 08:04:24

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