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In-depth reviews

BMW 5 Series review - Boot space, practicality & dimensions

“The BMW 5 Series has lots of interior space and the boot isn’t compromised for space in the PHEV models”

Carbuyer Rating

4.3 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Boot space, practicality & dimensions Rating

4.5 out of 5

The BMW 5 Series is a large car that’s now particularly spacious on the inside, and it’s just as comfortable for those in the back as it is in the front. There’s a generous amount of both legroom and headroom, even with the optional panoramic sunroof, although limited door-pocket storage is a minor gripe. We wish the USB-C ports integrated into the front seat backs came as standard, rather than as part of the Comfort Pack, given it’s such an expensive car.

Size comparison

Model 

Length

Width

Height

BMW 5 Series

5,060mm

1,900mm

1,515mm

Mercedes E-Class

4,949mm

1,880mm

1,468mm

Audi A6

4,951mm

1,886mm

1,458mm

Lexus ES

4,975mm

1,865mm

1,445mm

Does the BMW 5 Series have a big boot?

The benefit to the latest BMW 5 Series having been developed on the same platform as the i5 electric model is that – unlike in the Mercedes E-Class – there’s plenty of space for the plug-in hybrid’s smaller battery and so both the petrol and PHEV boast the same amount of interior and boot space. The i5 itself, however, does have a slightly smaller boot at 490 litres, but it’s still quite generous compared to rivals such as the Mercedes EQE, which gets just 430 litres.

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We do have some minor gripes about the 5 Series’ boot though – the cables for the plug-in models take up some of the boot space which, while huge, has a slightly awkward floor shape that makes stowing items trickier.

The BMW 5 Series Touring estate comes with 560 litres of boot space, and folding down the seats frees up a cavernous 1,700 litres of space, so it’s worth springing for this model if practicality is a priority.
 

Boot space comparison

Model 

Boot space

BMW 5 Series saloon

520 litres

Mercedes E-Class saloon

540 litres (PHEV 370 litres)

Audi A6 saloon

530 litres

Lexus ES

454 litres

Is the BMW 5 Series a good tow car?

The entry-level 520i and more powerful 550e plug-in hybrid can tow up to 2,000kg, which is a respectable figure for a car of this size. Go for the 530e plug-in hybrid, though, and its towing capacity is 200kg less. The i5 eDrive40 can tow the least, at up to 1,500kg, while the performance-focused M60 xDrive will haul up to 2,000kg.

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Which Is Best?

Cheapest

  • Name
    520i M Sport 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £52,505

Most Economical

  • Name
    530e M Sport 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £60,045

Fastest

  • Name
    550e xDrive M Sport 4dr Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £77,195

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

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