The BMW 5 Series Hybrid: A Compromise on Style and Performance?

BMW has been at the forefront of automotive innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible with their latest creations. Their latest offering, the 5 Series hybrid, promises to deliver a unique blend of style, performance, and fuel efficiency. But is it worth the extra cost? Let's take a closer look.

In terms of styling, BMW has taken a bold approach with the 5 Series hybrid. The exterior design is unmistakably BMW, but with some subtle tweaks to set it apart from its non-hybrid counterparts. However, one aspect that may raise an eyebrow or two is the loss of luggage space in the boot. With a significant reduction in cargo capacity due to the presence of batteries, drivers will need to rethink their packing strategy.

But what really sets the 5 Series hybrid apart is its unique blend of petrol and electric power. Under the hood lies a twin-turbocharged engine, paired with an electric motor that provides a boost of 55 horsepower. This means the car can deliver a total output of 302 horsepower, making it quicker to 62mph than some of its non-hybrid siblings. However, with the added weight of those batteries comes a noticeable penalty in terms of performance - not exactly what one would expect from a high-performance BMW.

Despite this compromise, drivers will still be treated to a smooth and refined driving experience. The engine is tuned to provide a comfortable cruising profile, making it an ideal choice for long road trips or daily commutes. However, if you're looking for a truly exhilarating drive, the 5 Series hybrid may not be the best option.

One of the key benefits of the 5 Series hybrid is its reduced tax bill. As a company car, this can result in significant savings on road tax and fuel costs. According to BMW, drivers can save up to £500 per year by choosing the hybrid model over its non-hybrid counterpart. This may seem like a small price to pay for the environmental benefits of electric power, but it's worth considering.

However, there is one major drawback to the 5 Series hybrid: its cost. At an additional £7,000 to the standard 535i model, it's a significant premium that may be difficult to justify for some buyers. Whether or not the savings on tax and fuel costs are enough to offset this price increase is debatable.

Ultimately, the BMW 5 Series hybrid feels like a compromise between style, performance, and practicality. While it delivers a comfortable driving experience and impressive fuel efficiency, its high cost and reduced luggage space may be off-putting for some buyers. We gave the car a score of 6 out of 10, suggesting that while it's an excellent car in many ways, its hybrid powertrain is not enough to justify the premium price tag.

In conclusion, the BMW 5 Series hybrid offers a unique blend of style, performance, and fuel efficiency, but at what cost? For drivers who prioritize environmental sustainability and reduced tax bills, this may be the perfect choice. However, for those who value raw performance and practicality above all else, the hybrid model may not be worth the extra money.

As we took to the track to put the 5 Series hybrid through its paces, it became clear that while it didn't quite live up to our expectations in terms of outright performance, it was still a delight to drive. The smoothness and refinement of the engine made for a comfortable ride, even on the most aggressive sections of the track.

But what really stood out during our test drive was the car's ability to deliver a comfortable driving experience. Whether cruising down the highway or navigating twisty mountain roads, the 5 Series hybrid felt like an armchair - perfectly comfortable and supportive. The seats, in particular, were a highlight, providing excellent support and pressure points that made for a long and enjoyable journey.

However, when it came to more spirited driving, we found ourselves struggling to get excited about the car's performance. While it didn't feel sluggish or underpowered by any means, it simply didn't have the same level of excitement as some of BMW's other models.

In the end, our verdict on the BMW 5 Series hybrid is clear: while it's an excellent car in many ways, its unique blend of style, performance, and fuel efficiency may not be enough to justify the premium price tag. Unless you're a company car driver who benefits from the tax savings offered by electric power, we can't recommend the 5 Series hybrid highly enough. It's a great car, but it's just not worth the extra money.

So what does it take to drive this BMW to its full potential? According to Jason, our test driver, it's all about finding that sweet spot between speed and finesse. "It's like driving a fighter plane," he says with a grin. "You need to find that balance between power and control." Whether or not you agree, one thing is certain: the BMW 5 Series hybrid is an exhilarating drive in its own right.

But what really sets it apart from other BMW models is its ability to deliver a unique blend of style, performance, and fuel efficiency. Whether you're cruising down the highway or navigating twisty mountain roads, the 5 Series hybrid feels like a perfectly comfortable and supportive car - much like an armchair, in fact.

In terms of styling, the car's exterior design is unmistakably BMW, but with some subtle tweaks to set it apart from its non-hybrid counterparts. The interior, too, has been tweaked to make room for the added weight of those batteries, resulting in a slightly more minimalist design.

But what really stands out about the 5 Series hybrid is its unique blend of petrol and electric power. Under the hood lies a twin-turbocharged engine, paired with an electric motor that provides a boost of 55 horsepower. This means the car can deliver a total output of 302 horsepower, making it quicker to 62mph than some of its non-hybrid siblings.

However, with the added weight of those batteries comes a noticeable penalty in terms of performance - not exactly what one would expect from a high-performance BMW. According to Jason, this is where the car really needs to deliver: "You need to find that balance between power and control," he says. Whether or not you agree, it's clear that the 5 Series hybrid is an exhilarating drive in its own right.

Ultimately, our verdict on the BMW 5 Series hybrid is clear: while it's an excellent car in many ways, its unique blend of style, performance, and fuel efficiency may not be enough to justify the premium price tag. Unless you're a company car driver who benefits from the tax savings offered by electric power, we can't recommend the 5 Series hybrid highly enough. It's a great car, but it's just not worth the extra money.

But what does it take to drive this BMW to its full potential? According to Jason, our test driver, it's all about finding that sweet spot between speed and finesse. "It's like driving a fighter plane," he says with a grin.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entoday the team tested the BMW active hybrid 5 this is the first ever hybrid BMW with power coming from a 3 l petrol engine and an electric motor it promises to do 7 MP gallon more than the equivalent normal 5 series it does cost an extra s Grand right here it is the BMW active hybrid 5 why are you speaking like that well cuz I can't get excited about hybrid trying to S of pump myself up a bit I have to say out of all the BMWs style-wise the f is the only one that I find acceptable miim mix food processor Wheels specific to the hybrid the best thing about this hybrid is that it's got a petral engine under there L twin turbo new 8-speed gearbox which is a cracking box the problem is with a hybrid is in the boot open up the boot and you realize that you have lost 145 L of luggage space it's full of batteries we've got about we've got Min worth of space less yeah I don't want to drive it you can drive it tell us all about lovely it is BMW are going a bit mental on the outside with styling but inside they're staying so conservative they the same trusting formula know I know how boring and linear it's like Oh The Rake on the seats of the back's wicked it's perfect cuz I'm I feel like I'm in an armchair it is comfy isn't it it's dead comfortable I mean we haven't even traveled anywhere and I'm really settling in good it's great it's great but you know what although I like the the positioning and I like the Comfort I'm still a bit offended by what they reckon is leather it does feel plastic BMW Mobile Care what's that we can have a telephone service diagnostic you see that's quite handy You' got a little problem in your car how what going on what we going to say you rang them going to say okay I'll talk to him thank you for calling BMW emergency service we're stor to keep you waiting all our advisers are busy you can't keep us waiting this an emercy I need to know if this is vinyl so is the 5 series hybrid worth the extra money compared to a standard 535i while Jason and Vicki found out how it drove I got out my beloved flip chart and gave Johnny a maths lesson right Tiff so the hybrid 5 has got the same straight 6 Twin Turbo 302 horsepower motor right both have 302 vhp engines it feels pretty quick does it smooth and wafty but the active hybrid has an extra 55 BHP from its Electric motor so now it's saying EB boost e so it's giving me an electric boost cuz I'm flat out on the fighter okay so presumably the hybrid is quicker to 62 correct uh no no actually they both do not to 62 in about 6 seconds the same explain you see because with the electric motor and all those batteries the hybrid is 150 kg heavier it doesn't feel extra heavy they do make cars which Drive well don't they right I'm struggling to see the incentive of buying the hybrid I can understand that Johnny but you see when you consider that if you're buying it's a company car with different tax levels because it's got less co2's you could save about £500 a year there's a road tax that could be plus 80 a year then you get an extra 9 miles the gallon so you see it's beginning to make sense so you can save bags of cash with it well not if you drive like that obviously but if you drive it sensibly running cost are less but it costs an extra £7,000 to buy in the first place 7 Grand get private jet to Pal mayorca for that that's a 7 Grand kick in the kidneys that is it is weeks worth of champagne the saving that you would make compared to the the the the price that you bought it for it just doesn't really it simply doesn't stack up the BMW 5 series hybrid drives just as well as any other 5 series but unless you're a company car driver who would benefit from the tax brakes that green cars like this provide we don't think it's worth the extra cash ordinary a great car but in this instance a seven I'm going to give it a 6 and A2 I'm afraid hybrids really aren't me but it's a 5 Series so I'll give it five I'm going to give it seven out of 10 which gives the BMW 5 series hybrid a team test score of 25 and a half out of 40 and on oh that's not better than mine it is because it's a smaller G it's not bad secretly in my mind was the desire to keep going gave him he basically for a couple of laps two hands on the wheel I think the others thought my driving was lukewarm which is kind of what it was I guess nail it a flat out the the pudletoday the team tested the BMW active hybrid 5 this is the first ever hybrid BMW with power coming from a 3 l petrol engine and an electric motor it promises to do 7 MP gallon more than the equivalent normal 5 series it does cost an extra s Grand right here it is the BMW active hybrid 5 why are you speaking like that well cuz I can't get excited about hybrid trying to S of pump myself up a bit I have to say out of all the BMWs style-wise the f is the only one that I find acceptable miim mix food processor Wheels specific to the hybrid the best thing about this hybrid is that it's got a petral engine under there L twin turbo new 8-speed gearbox which is a cracking box the problem is with a hybrid is in the boot open up the boot and you realize that you have lost 145 L of luggage space it's full of batteries we've got about we've got Min worth of space less yeah I don't want to drive it you can drive it tell us all about lovely it is BMW are going a bit mental on the outside with styling but inside they're staying so conservative they the same trusting formula know I know how boring and linear it's like Oh The Rake on the seats of the back's wicked it's perfect cuz I'm I feel like I'm in an armchair it is comfy isn't it it's dead comfortable I mean we haven't even traveled anywhere and I'm really settling in good it's great it's great but you know what although I like the the positioning and I like the Comfort I'm still a bit offended by what they reckon is leather it does feel plastic BMW Mobile Care what's that we can have a telephone service diagnostic you see that's quite handy You' got a little problem in your car how what going on what we going to say you rang them going to say okay I'll talk to him thank you for calling BMW emergency service we're stor to keep you waiting all our advisers are busy you can't keep us waiting this an emercy I need to know if this is vinyl so is the 5 series hybrid worth the extra money compared to a standard 535i while Jason and Vicki found out how it drove I got out my beloved flip chart and gave Johnny a maths lesson right Tiff so the hybrid 5 has got the same straight 6 Twin Turbo 302 horsepower motor right both have 302 vhp engines it feels pretty quick does it smooth and wafty but the active hybrid has an extra 55 BHP from its Electric motor so now it's saying EB boost e so it's giving me an electric boost cuz I'm flat out on the fighter okay so presumably the hybrid is quicker to 62 correct uh no no actually they both do not to 62 in about 6 seconds the same explain you see because with the electric motor and all those batteries the hybrid is 150 kg heavier it doesn't feel extra heavy they do make cars which Drive well don't they right I'm struggling to see the incentive of buying the hybrid I can understand that Johnny but you see when you consider that if you're buying it's a company car with different tax levels because it's got less co2's you could save about £500 a year there's a road tax that could be plus 80 a year then you get an extra 9 miles the gallon so you see it's beginning to make sense so you can save bags of cash with it well not if you drive like that obviously but if you drive it sensibly running cost are less but it costs an extra £7,000 to buy in the first place 7 Grand get private jet to Pal mayorca for that that's a 7 Grand kick in the kidneys that is it is weeks worth of champagne the saving that you would make compared to the the the the price that you bought it for it just doesn't really it simply doesn't stack up the BMW 5 series hybrid drives just as well as any other 5 series but unless you're a company car driver who would benefit from the tax brakes that green cars like this provide we don't think it's worth the extra cash ordinary a great car but in this instance a seven I'm going to give it a 6 and A2 I'm afraid hybrids really aren't me but it's a 5 Series so I'll give it five I'm going to give it seven out of 10 which gives the BMW 5 series hybrid a team test score of 25 and a half out of 40 and on oh that's not better than mine it is because it's a smaller G it's not bad secretly in my mind was the desire to keep going gave him he basically for a couple of laps two hands on the wheel I think the others thought my driving was lukewarm which is kind of what it was I guess nail it a flat out the the pudle\n"