Our Fleet Test Drive Review: BMW 520d Touring - 2nd report
Date:
10 November 2009
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Author: Tristan Young
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Category: | Executive | P11D price: | £34790 | Key rival: | Audi A6 | |
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We're now a couple of thousand miles into our 5-series Touring's life and we're starting to discover all those details that can make you fall in (or out) of love with a car.
The boot is the perfect example of this. If you've parked too close to something, or just don't need to open the whole rear hatch, you can open the rear screen to load the boot. To help loading, using either the full hatch or screen, BMW has designed the boot cover to automatically release to an intermediate position angled upward. This is useful - right up until you get back into the driver's seat, glance in the rear view mirror and spot you've not put the cover back down. At which point you swear, get back out and correct the issue. It's something we're just going to have to remember to do every time, but it catches everyone who drives the 520d more than once.
Meanwhile, under the lockable boot floor is a neatly divided storage area suitable for laptops and the like. Under this is where the spare wheel would be in a normal car, but because the 5 is on runflat tyres the wheel-well is available as an extra storage area, which BMW has lined so it's not bare metal. Now that's a thoughtful touch.
BMW 520d Touring M-sport Business Edition 5dr auto | Mileage | 2524 | Claimed combined consumption | 48.7mpg | Our average consumption | 42.8mpg | P11D price | £34,790 | Model price range | £31,090-£67,905 | CO2 (tax) | 154g/km (21%) | BIK 20/40% per month | £121/£243 | Service interval | variable | Insurance | group 16 | Warranty | 3yrs/unlimited | Boot space (min/max) | 500/1650 litres | Engine size/power | 1995cc/177PS | Top speed/0-62mph | 139mph/8.6secs | Why we’re running it | To see if the 520d Business Edition is a match for rivals | Positive | Excellent efficiency, great to drive, classy | Negative | Ride comfort |
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