BMW 530d Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: BMW 530d
Prices: £37,175 - £42,625 – on the road
Insurance Group: 17
Emissions: 166g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 6.3s / top speed 155mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 45.6mpg
Safety: Twin front, side & window airbags / ABS / DSC [est]
Dimensions: [4dr] Length/Width/Height 4900/1846/1468mm [est]

ENGINEERED FOR SUCCESS

Our Rating: 7.7 / 10

The 530d remains a real stalwart of the BMW 5-Series range. Steve Walker takes a look.

The range of different cars with BMW badges that buyers can now lay their hands on is quite something. Not so long ago, the marque was content to tempt the public with a bijou model line-up consisting purely of executive and luxury saloons. Model range expansion like this is a sign of the times and BMW’s spreading of wings has been mirrored by its rivals but some things don’t change. As before, it’s the mighty 5-Series that lies at the heart the BMW offering and at the heart of the 5-Series range? That’ll be the 530d.

The practice of platform sharing is a key reason why car manufacturers have been able to assemble such vast product ranges in so relatively short a space of time. Beneath the surface, many modern cars have the same core underpinnings and this is very much the case at BMW, which now has 7-Series, 5-Series and others riding on the same basic big-car platform. As well as facilitating growth in the BMW range, platform sharing has triggered growth in the 5-Series itself. The car is now more capacious than ever but the remarkable six-cylinder diesel engine in the 530d has become more powerful to cope.

BMW’s straight-six diesel is one of the great modern car engines and a process of continual improvement has kept it consistently ahead of the game. The latest version develops 242bhp and a huge 540Nm of torque that’s on demand from 1,750rpm through to 3,000rpm. That’s the kind of muscle that could almost make a three-speed gearbox viable but most 530d buyers will upgrade from the standard six-speed manual to the wonderfully smooth eight-speed automatic which varies its shift pattern and speed according to your driving style. Electric power steering comes as standard and brings rewarding levels of weight and feel to the helm.

Progress in the 530d is serene when you’re not pushing on. Gearchanges from the auto ‘box verge on the imperceptible, engine refinement is superb and there’s very little wind noise. The suspension can clunk and bump over sudden undulations in the road surface but this is solved to a great extent by an upgrade to the DDC (Driver Dynamic Control) system which features adaptive dampers.

When asked to, the 530d can really show some teeth. The wide power band means next to no delay while the turbo gets into its stride and that makes for powerful acceleration, constantly on tap. The standard 0-60mph sprint is all done in 6.3s, accompanied by a muted growl from the engine and the car takes only 5.0s to lurch from 50mph to 70mph in fourth gear. This Five displays great balance and control through corners, with the accurate steering helping to disguise its bulk. Perhaps the sporty side of the standard 530d isn’t as overt as in previous generations but options like the M Sport package, DDC and four-wheel-steering should put that right.

Unlike the previous generation model, there’s nothing that’s likely to offend the traditionalists but the current 5-Series does look a very handsome and imposing car. The nose is flatter than we’re used to seeing, with the famous grille almost vertical. The deep bonnet contours and lines cut into the flanks are as close as it gets to standout features. The wheels are pushed right out to the corners of the car, creating very short overhangs front and rear and a planted stance.

The expanded wheelbase is made to count inside where there’s lots of rear passenger space, including an extra 13mm of knee-room compared to the MK5 car. The seats split 40:20:40 and fold down but even without them lowered, 520-litres of capacity is on offer beneath the boot lid.

The design of the cabin throws up few surprises, with much of the switchgear being similar to items seen before on the larger BMW products. The minimal design is appealing and there’s still