Overview & Reviews

It's no exaggeration to say that the BMW 5 Series sets the standard for premium sport sedans. Introduced for the 1972 model year, the midsize 5 Series has long offered a near-perfect blend of performance, luxury and interior room. It's also highly regarded for its refined styling and innovative technology features.

Most BMW 5 Series models you'll come across will be rear-wheel-drive sedans, though you'll stumble upon the occasional 5 Series wagon on the used car market. In addition, all-wheel drive has been optional for some time, and many used sedans in colder climes will be so equipped. Traditionally, the 5 Series has featured an inline six-cylinder gasoline engine, but BMW has also offered V8 engines, turbocharged four-cylinders and even diesel-powered options. When people ask us to recommend luxury cars, the BMW 5 Series is invariably high on the list, new or used.

User Reviews:

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  First...maybe last. Great to drive. Post-warranty fears... - 2006 BMW 5-Series
  By vengefultick - April 26 - 11:39 am

  I bought my 525i as a CPO with ~32,000 miles on it. By the second day I had an appointment to get the rotors replaced as they were warped. November 10 I had to have the radiator replaced as it developed a sizable whole. The transmission engages rather hard from near-stop or even a full stop at times. It occasionally shifts hard at speed. The dealership swears this is my driving style. I find it commical that I did not have this problem with a 99 Ford Escort, 98 Suzuki Sidekick, 98 Toyota Tacoma, 04 Mazda Protege5, or an 05 Chevy Silverado....but I do with the expensive BMW. The car is fun to drive, the stearing and handling are great.

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  Lots of Smiles - M Sport Package - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By chasman9 - April 7 - 1:23 am

  Car is very fast (have no idea why anyone would want the V8). Had a 2009 535i before this and it is every bit as quick. Handling is excellent, but as reviewers have stated, steering gives your less feel of the road. 19" rims are nice, but now no spare. Cup holders with 6-Spd Manual are a joke. Totally non-functional and cups (any size) interfere with shifting and IDrive. German engineering at its worst. Gray Traffic Info screen is very hard to read. Look, inside and out is terrific (really like interior lighting at night). Also, and this is new, the sound this car makes under hard acceleration is shear music. Wow. Zero problems so far at 2500 miles. Its a keeper.

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  Loves it - 2005 BMW 5-Series
  By paulmiceli - March 21 - 9:49 pm

  Owned my 2005 530i for 3 years and never had one problem with it. Drove like a dream and always loved driving it. I put on about 12,000 a year mostly city driving and it performed great. A little tight up front (Im 63) but overall the space inside is good. The interior design is very good the bluetooth always worked great with my phone and IDrive didnt bother me once I got used to it. The cup holders are ok theyre not to bad never had a problem with them. The car is also very safe I got into an accident and the car held up great. Just recently sold it with 57,000 miles I upgraded to a 2008 535xi I hope I have the same luck with it !

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  Tires, Tires and More Tires - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By sleepy8 - March 21 - 2:54 pm

  This was the car I thought I always wanted-500xi with Msport package--what a mistake. This car can not handle a single small road defects without the Goodyear LS2 run flats getting a bubble in the sidewall. I have less than 2500miles and have gone through four tire and two rims. This all wheel drive car was not properly tested to handle the roads in the USA. It could do well on the autobahn, but not here. It should not have been marketed with 19 inch wheels and fragile sidewall run flats--what a mistake! Look elsewhere if you want a car that you can actually drive vs on that just looks good in the driveway.

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  Love, Love this car - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By ladybryant - March 9 - 5:15 pm

  this is my first BMW and i absolutely love it. its very stylish and comfortable. a head turner. the gas milaege is average but overall i love it. my next car will definately be another beemer. i chose the 2008 premium model with idrive and could not be happier. it has all the bells and whistles

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  Great Car - 2007 BMW 5-Series
  By rsochaj - February 27 - 6:32 pm

  I bought the car special order from Germany with a 6 speed manual. The car has been exactly what Ive been expecting, sporty, spacious and with all the luxury you expect with a BMW. The car has been exceptionally reliable with 60k miles without any mechanical or electrical issues. I only wish NA would have the choice for a M5 6 spd Wagon. I am quite sad to see the wagon discontinued when the GT model came to Canada. The car is a perfect family mover.

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  One fine auto. - 2008 BMW 5-Series
  By jpcoregon - February 23 - 8:36 pm

  I bought the 2008 535i certified, including the maint. program to 100K miles 10/08. Outside of the horrendous experience with the lack of honesty and integrity of the BMW dealer, the car is superb. Too bad the certified program still makes one visit a BMW dealership. The cars comfort, ability to handle as well as its outright performance is just plain fun. I quickly dumped the run-flats on this Sport model and bought high end Michelin UHP tires. The difference is a better ride and performance all the way around. Huge lack of space for change, eyeglasses and little things. Cupholders are poor, but one forgets as this thing gets up and runs.

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  too many problems for 70k car - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By samsam3 - February 12 - 6:14 pm

  I had many BMW before this F10, I like the style power and the comfort. The car has a very nice technology package and great sound system but it is short of being the ultimate driving machine any more. Since I got this car I had many problems :power steering pulling to the right, wrong amplifier installed, gear shifter stuck ,needed adding oil to the engine, comfort access had its own mind with lights turns on during day time. after 3 months I traded the car for Japanese Car which has every thing works perfect.

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  Hesitation Problems driving me crazy! - 2011 BMW 5-Series
  By wonmarco - February 5 - 11:19 am

  I would think twice about purchasing this vehicle. I have had a big problem with surging and hesitation at low speeds. The dealer has insisted that it is normal with the adaptive transmission, but I can assure you it is not normal! (Google BMW F10 transmission problems and you will see the problem is widespread). The sad thing is that I really love the rest of the car, but after spending $50,000+, I dont think I should be dealing with this. It really takes the pleasure out of owning the car.

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  Great Wagon - 2006 BMW 5-Series
  By mycayenneturbo - January 31 - 2:27 pm

  We recently purchased a pre-owned 530xi Sports Wagon with 70k miles on it, oh what can we say, we love it! We just took it for a long trip(800 miles round trip) to visit our family and the road trip was a joy. It is very fun to drive & seats are on the firm side and supportive and it didnt give me lower back pain for driving for such long hours! The interior is very quiet(not as quiet as Lexus cars) and it rides very smoothly. We folded the back seats down and it created a great bed for our dogs and spacious cargo area for our luggage. My husband hated the idea of owning a station wagon but he likes this one, it is beautiful, probably one of the best looking station wagons available today.