Vehicle Overview
The five-seat 5 Series is offered with a twin-turbo V-8 (550i), a single-turbo six-cylinder (535i), a turbo-diesel six-cylinder (535d) and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder for the 528i. Competitors include the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and Infiniti M.
The 5 Series lineup includes the Gran Turismo, a tall hatchback built on the 7 Series sedan platform. There’s also a high-performance M5 sport sedan, which is covered separately in the Cars.com Research section.
(Skip to details on the: 5 Series Gran Turismo)
New for 2014
The biggest news for 2014 is the addition of an all-new diesel model to the 5 Series lineup. Offered with either rear- or all-wheel drive, the 535d is powered by a turbo-diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that makes 255 horsepower and 413 pounds-feet of torque.
The 550i sedan gains a more powerful V-8 engine that’s rated at 445 hp and 480 pounds-feet of torque.
Other improvements to the entire 5 Series lineup – including the Gran Turismo models – include revised front and rear styling, standard adaptive xenon high-intensity-discharge headlamps and an iDrive navigation system with a tracing pad for direct character input. The 5 Series adopts the appearance “Lines” used elsewhere in the BMW lineup and also gains more storage room.
Newly optional features include a rear-seat entertainment system with tablet-style displays, selectable ambient lighting and adaptive LED headlights.
Exterior Highlights
- Shares platform with the bigger 7 Series sedan
- Standard adaptive xenon headlamps; full LED headlamps optional
- LED taillights
- Seventeen-inch alloy wheels (528i)
- Available 18- and 19-inch rims
- Standard power sunroof
- Standard heated side mirrors
Interior Highlights
- Standard iDrive navigation system with 10.2-inch screen
- Ten-way power front seats
- Automatic dual-zone air conditioning
- Power tilt/telescoping steering wheel
- Available head-up display
- Available heated and ventilated front seats
- Available rear-seat entertainment system
- Available Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo
Under the Hood
- Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes 240 hp (528i)
- Turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder makes 300 hp (535i)
- Turbo-diesel 3.0-liter six-cylinder makes 255 hp (535d)
- Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 makes 445 hp (550i)
- Available all-wheel drive
- Available Adaptive Drive system includes active roll stabilization, adaptive suspension and customizable settings for the drivetrain and suspension
- Optional Active Steering varies the steering ratio to render easier turning at low speeds and stable handling at high speeds
- Optional adaptive cruise control includes full stop-and-go capabilities to manage heavy traffic
Safety Features
- Side-impact airbags for the front seats
- Side curtain airbags
- Active front head restraints
- Antilock brakes
- Electronic stability system
- Optional blind spot monitoring system
- Optional lane departure warning
- Optional adaptive cruise control with collision warning system
5 Series Gran Turismo
BMW’s bigger hatchback version of the 5 Series sedan, dubbed the 5 Series Gran Turismo, is offered in 535i GT and 550i GT trim levels. The Gran Turismo can accommodate four or five depending on the backseat configuration.
- Slightly more cargo room for 2014
- Updated exterior design
- Shares the same engines as the 535i and 550i sedans
- Standard air suspension and auto-leveling rear suspension
- Rear- or all-wheel drive
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- Fuel-saving stop-start technology and BMW’s EcoPro system
- Unique hatchback design with two-way opening, power liftgate
- Available M Sport Package and BMW apps
- 40/20/40-split folding backseat; power-reclining rear seats optional
