2017 BMW 5 Series Review

With a new platform and new engines, the 2017 BMW 5 Series looks to reaffirm its standing in the midsize luxury sedan segment. It distinguished itself decades ago as a driver's car and has since evolved into a sophisticated, comfortable sedan that attempts to be all things to most people. In the process, the 5 Series traded some of its driver's car chops for a more isolated feel. The 2017 model doesn't stray far from this contemporary vision of the 5 Series. And despite being a hair larger and bringing an arsenal of technology to bear, the new car manages to avoid the weight bloat that afflicts many such attempts.

BMW didn't take any chances with its successful product. The new 5 Series grows in length by 1.2 inches and stands 0.6 inch taller than the outgoing model, while the wheelbase and width are nearly unchanged. The updated cabin primarily benefits backseat passengers, who gain 1.2 inches of legroom. These modest changes to its footprint, combined with the evolutionary styling, mean the new car is readily familiar.

Under the skin, the new 5 Series keeps its weight in check by employing lightweight and strong metals such as aluminum, magnesium and high-strength steel. Weight is said to be reduced by up to 137 pounds, though that's the best-case scenario. Expect the real-world weight savings compared with last year's 5 Series to be negligible. That's because the new 5 Series is packed with technology that offsets the weight saved in the structure. It even borrows some of its cabin features from its bigger brother, the 7 Series.

The 2017 BMW 5 Series' most direct foe is its crosstown rival, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which brings a formidable combination of style, comfort and performance. Likewise, the Audi A6 manages to feel light on its feet and has an outstanding cabin. The Lexus GS 350 is a finely crafted competitor, and we're also fond of the impressive-handling Cadillac CTS.

The 2017 BMW 5 Series comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front-seat front and side airbags, side curtain airbags, a rearview camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

Available safety features include a lane departure warning system, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, semi-automated steering, and a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking.

The 2017 BMW 5 Series is a five-passenger, four-door sedan available in two trim levels that each indicate a different engine: the 530i and the 540i. All-wheel drive is optional and denoted by the xDrive moniker.

During a short preview drive, both the 530i and the 540i felt more than capable of delivering long-distance comfort and the kind of performance necessary to uphold the 5 Series' reputation as a sport sedan. The smoother power delivery of the 540i makes it the one to get if you like the idea of always having something in reserve, but the 530i will satisfy everyone else.

Continuing the evolutionary progression established by the exterior styling, the cabin's design theme bears close resemblance to that of the outgoing car. The dashboard is mounted a bit lower, but the arrangement of the center stack is very similar. With gesture controls lifted from the 7 Series, plus touchscreen, the iDrive controller knob and voice control, there's an interface that will work for anybody.

Another feature shared with the 7 Series is a remote self-parking function that can be operated from outside the car. (Tesla has a similar feature.) There's also a system to remotely operate the car's bird's eye surround-view function from your smartphone.

Front-seat occupants enjoy the same spacious accommodations as in the outgoing car, and there's more than an inch of additional legroom in the backseat. The optional multicontour seats come with touch-sensitive adjustment controls on the edge of the seat that, in turn, open the seat control menu on the central screen.

Cargo space increases a hair over last year's model, growing from 18.4 to 18.7 cubic feet. It was already an amply sized cargo hold, so the new car's trunk won't disappoint.