BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring Review

The BMW 5 Series has always been the vehicle of choice for drivers who need to cover thousands of motorway miles, but who also want the car to be practical and attractive enough to handle family duties too.

Customers can opt for a more traditional saloon body style, but we went the Touring route (estate to you and me). Measuring over five meters long, the BMW 5 Series Touring is sold in trims called M Sport, M Sport Pro and Sport Edition. And there are ample powertrain options too – all diesel versions have been dropped, but there’s the petrol-powered 520i; The plug-in hybrids are called the 530e and 550e xDrive, and the all-electric models are called i5 eDrive40 and i5 M60 xDrive,

While not every powertrain can be paired with every trim, we opted for the plug-in hybrid 530e M Sport Pro Touring.

This BMW certainly has a strong presence on the road – in all honesty, it’s huge. It features the famous BMW kidney grille, distinctive light clusters, a bundle of M Sport-specific trimmings and badging, as well as attractive alloy wheels.

How we tested

During our week behind the wheel of the BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring, we completed long motorway journeys, drove into some busy city centers and couldn’t resist putting it through its paces on narrow country lanes.

Independent Rating: 8/10

BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring Specs

Battery, range, charging, performance and drive

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a 19.4kWh battery. With 259hp and 450Nm of torque, this massive car can accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds and top out at 137mph.

But for us, it was the vehicle’s composure and sophistication that really impressed. Yes, it can be quick when needed and has enough zip to overtake slower vehicles, but during day-to-day driving it’s incredibly smooth and sometimes feels like it’s slipping.

As you’d expect, this is a car that’ll happily cruise along at motorway speeds for hours and hours, racking up miles without a care in the world – and without giving you any cause for concern. Then when faced with more challenging country roads, with lots of twists and turns, the BMW is balanced, enjoyable and shows very little sign of any body roll. Although it feels quite wide especially on narrow streets, that was our only concern.

The EV range of 57 miles will easily cover the average UK daily journey (between about 10 and 20 miles), so in theory you could fill the battery on cheap electricity overnight, then travel without using the engine. Up and repeat every few days, and you’ll have much cheaper weekly fuel bills. Meanwhile, the driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility, which also includes all the usual cameras and parking sensors you’d expect.

The eight-speed automatic transmission’s gear shifts are perfectly timed, but there are also steering wheel paddles for additional driver engagement when you’re in the mood. And the list of drive modes seems endless, with Personal, Sport, Efficient, Expressive, Relax, Digital Art and Silent to choose from. These change the ambiance inside the cabin as well as the performance, but in all honesty, personality, efficiency and sport are all you really need.

And special mention goes to the suspension which soaks up road undulations, while highly effective insulation results in a nice quiet and comfortable cabin.

Charging the car’s 19.4kWh battery from empty to 100 per cent via a 7.4kW home charger takes about three hours and 30 minutes.

Interior, practicality and boot space

Finding the right driving position is quite simple. However, the seats are only partially powered, their fore and aft adjustment is manual, which I found disappointing considering the hefty price tag. But keeping that complaint aside, the cabin is beautifully designed and the front seats along with the steering wheel can be heated to ward off the winter weather.

The panoramic roof (a £1,600 optional extra) lets light into the cabin and the fixtures and fittings are of a very high standard with soft touch surfaces and beautifully crafted upholstery.

There’s plenty of space for the driver and front passenger – and of course being an asset there’s plenty of practical luggage space in the boot. But, despite the large dimensions, rear leg room may be a limiting factor for taller adults. This is fine for short trips, but on longer trips you may hear screams of “can we swap places now?”

The boot has a powered tailgate and can swallow 570 liters of suitcases, shopping and sporting equipment. This can then be easily increased to 1,700 liters by removing the split-folding rear seats. There’s extra storage space under the false floor – perfect for a charge cable if you want to take it with you for opportunistic top-ups away from home – and a sliding tonneau cover keeps items out of prying eyes.

Technology, Stereo and Infotainment

Like other current BMWs, the cabin is dominated by a housing that extends right across the dashboard. Measuring 27 inches, it features both a driver instrument display and a touchscreen for the infotainment system. The first is where all the important driving data is clearly displayed, including speed, remaining range, drive mode, navigation and much more – this display can be personalized to taste.

The left screen is all about on-board infotainment, which is in abundance. We like BMW’s traditional iDrive rotary dial, which sits atop the center console and makes navigating features and menus simple. There are also quick access keys to favorites like navigation, telephone, media and home screen, which are often easier to press than tapping and swiping on the display. Additionally, a voice assistant can help with tasks like adjusting the temperature, planning routes, changing radio stations, and more.

The creature comforts are plentiful and include cloud-based navigation with live traffic updates, DAB radio and a pitch-perfect Harman Kardon sound system with streaming apps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Prices and operating costs

BMW’s 5 Series Touring line-up starts with the petrol M Sport version which is priced from £55,375. At the other end of the scale are fully electrified cars, with the i5 M60 xDrive topping the £100k mark. In between we find plug-in hybrid models, including the 530e M Sport priced at £61,905, the as-tested 530e M Sport Pro priced at £64,905, the all-wheel drive 550e xDrive M Sport priced at £79,075 or the M Sport Pro priced at £82,075.

These prices are before any optional extras are offered and, as is the way with premium carmakers, the options appear to be endless. The upgraded paintwork, larger alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, Technology and Comfort packs, as well as some additional safety features, increased the price of our test car by almost £10,000.

But drivers can make some savings, especially business buyers, as the 18g/km carbon emissions figure will result in an attractive nine per cent benefit in kind tax rating. To get close to the official 294mpg figure, you’ll need to keep the battery charged and fully maximize the use of EV-only range – even then it’ll be a challenge.

Other costs worth noting include road tax, which will be £110 for the first year, rising to a standard charge of £195 after 12 months. Because the government’s Expensive Car Supplement cap exceeds £40k, you’ll have to pay an extra £425 a year for years two to six. As per the test the car falls in insurance group 40.

BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring their rivals

questions to ask

How long does it take to charge?

The 19.4kWh battery can be charged from zero to 100 percent in about 3 hours, 30 minutes if using a 7.4kWh home or work-based wallbox.

How much does it cost – is it worth it?

BMW is a premium brand, so expect a premium price tag – and the cost will keep increasing if you add some optional extras. The Plug-in Hybrid Touring line-up is priced from £61,905 to £82,075.

Does BMW replace batteries for free?

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring comes with a standard three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, but the battery is covered for six years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first.

Why trust us?

Our team of motoring experts has decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are tailored with every type of driver in mind. We thoroughly test every car we recommend, so you can be sure our judgments are honest, fair and authentic.

Decision

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring is the ultimate reminder of how practical and rewarding a good estate car can be. It offers plenty of passenger and boot space – albeit with little rear legroom for taller adults – and definitely has the edge over taller SUVs when it comes to performance and handling.