BMW 5 Series 2003-2012 525d Touring

5 Series 2003-2012 525d Touring Review

BMW is a German automobile manufacturing company founded in the year 1917. The company is known for its luxury cars all round the globe. It is one among the most successful manufactures of automobiles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce brands. The company's success has always been built on long term thinking and responsible action, due to which it has been able to establish ecological and social sustainability with comprehensive and clear commitment to conserving resources as a basic part of its strategy. BMW entered the Indian market as a brand in the d+ segment luxury cars. It has 11 car models available in India including BMW X1, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW X3, BMW X5, BMW Z4, BMW Gran Turismo, BMW M Series, BMW X6, BMW 6 Series and BMW 7 Series.

BMW 5 series lies in the sedan segment and has 5 different variants out of which BMW 5 Series 525d is the mid range version. It is powered by a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder In-Line diesel engine, which produces a top 218bhp at the rate of 4400rpm and a torque of 450Nm for a range of 1750-2500rpm. It delivers a mileage of 10kmpl and has a fuel tank capacity of 70 litres . When it comes to the appearance, the exterior features of this car are very aggressive with a high belt line that makes the car look tougher and meaner. The interior design is also decent and complements the overall aura of the car. The 6-speed Steptronic automation in this luxury sedan offers three driving modes, one for each of particular driving style, traffic and weather conditions. The suspension and steering characteristics of the BMW 5 Series are meant for luxury and performance in both all wheel drive (like XDrive) and rear-wheel drive options. As this is a luxury sedan, it comes equipped with all the highly advanced comfort and safety features as well.

Exteriors

The exterior looking of this car is aggressive mainly because of the high belt-line on the bonnet. The front has a dual part grille with chromed horizontal plates. The grille is positioned between two rectangular halogen headlamps. The lower black honeycomb grille has two clear lens fog lamps to provide better visibility on road at night. Just like the front, the side profile of the car also gives it a luxurious appeal. The main beauty is the cant rail, which runs seamlessly from the A pillar back to find support at the rear cheater and the C pillar producing a sweeping curve. The car is available in the market in 8 amazing colours, namely, Deep Sea Blue, Alpine White, Space Grey, Cashmere Silver, Havana, Milano Beige, Imperial Blue Brilliant Effect and Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect. BMW 5 Series has an overall length of 4841mm, width of 1846mm, height of 1,468mm and wheelbase of 2888mm. The front tread, in other words, the distance between the front left and the front right wheel, is 1484mm. Similarly, the rear tread of the car is 1496mm. The kerb weight of the car is around 1705kg while its gross weight is 2315kg.

Interiors

BMW 5 series has plush interior features, which are simply awe-inspiring. The cabin sports an upholstery that is made from the finest Dakota leather, and offers a host of entertainment and comfort features to make every ride a pleasurable one. Wooden furnishing in the car further enriches its internal beauty. It comes with all high class accessories to match up with the sleek wooden trims that adorn the dash and the centre console. Sunroof with tilt/slide functions, and sun blinds on the rear side window are standard features found in all the variants of BMW 5 Series sedan.

Comfort Features

Interiors of the sedan give an irresistible invitation to the onlookers. A number of features have been added to this sedan to make the ride comfortable and relaxing. These features are power steering wheel, front and rear power windows, air conditioner with rear AC vents, automatic climate control , air quality control and remote trunk and fuel lid openers that allow you to open them with a single touch of a button. It also features seat lumbar support, which manages the pressure at the back of the seat and a multi function steering wheel to access various functions directly from the wheel, cruise control and parking sensor to help in parking the car avoiding any damage. The standard features here are low fuel warning light, accessory power outlet, trunk light, vanity mirror, rear reading lamp and seat headrest, front and rear cup holders and heated seats.

Engine and Performance

The car, under its hood, carries a 2.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine that can generate a top 204bhp at the rate of 4400rpm and a torque of 430Nm at a rate of 1750rpm. This engine comes equipped with third-generation common rail direct injection (CRDi) uses a pressure of 1,800 bar to inject the fuel into extremely small drops making combustion smoother and more efficient. BMW 525d accelerates form 0 to 100kmph in just 6.39seconds . The mileage delivered is around 10kmpl whereas the combined CO2 emission varies from 129 to 243 g/km . It is a turbochargered engine, turbocharger further helps in improving the acceleration and power of the car.

Braking and Handling

In the brake mechanism we have ventilated disc brakes both at the front and the rear . These brakes are equipped with features like ABS with EBD and brake assist to enhance the braking and avoid any skidding of car in case of instant braking. The power steering wheel facilitates an easy drive on any kind of terrain and gives this sedan a turning radius of 11.4 meters. In the suspension, we have a Double Joint Spring Strut Axle at the front while an Aluminium Integral Axle at the rear. The suspension system in the car avoids any inconvenience caused due to the shocks, bumps and vibrations on the road and delivers a comfortable ride.

Safety Features

As this is a luxurious sedan, it has both active and passive safety features. The active ones include dual front airbags with side airbags for enhanced cushioning effect in case of a collision, Xenon headlamps to give more light that the normal ones, crash sensor and key-less entry to lock and unlock the vehicle door and trunk without using a key. The passive ones are central locking, power door locks, child safety locks, day and night rear view mirror, passenger side rear view mirror, rear seat belts, seat belt warning, front and side impact beams, traction control, adjustable seats, vehicle stability control, centrally mounted fuel tank and engine check warning.

Pros

Body design, interior comfort and steering wheel.

Cons

High maintenance cost.