2023 BMW 5 Series M550i xDrive

　　

2023 BMW 5 Series Review

byWill KaufmanSenior Editor and Content Strategist, CarMax

　　Will Kaufman has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles and reviews over the course of his career. Will is a senior editor and content strategist for CarMax at zzdcar. Will has been featured in the Associated Press and a number of major outlets on the topics of infotainment and vehicle data, vehicle subscription services and autonomous vehicles. Will started his career in online publishing by writing and editing standardized test guides, but he has a lot more fun writing about cars.

　　, rating written byWill KaufmanDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　The 2023 BMW 5 Series is a comfortable and, depending on the trim, exceedingly quick midsize luxury sedan with some great driver aids and tech features. We expect a totally redesigned 5 Series will go on sale next year, so this year's model is mostly the same as last year's, barring a few small but (to some people) potentially significant changes. The good news is that wireless phone charging is back as an option after being dropped for 2022 due to supply-chain issues.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 BMW 5 Series M550i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$229/mo  for 5 Series M550i xDrive

　　5 Series M550i xDrive

　　M550i xDrive 4dr Sedan AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $79,900 MSRP

　　vs

　　$198/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　On to the bad news. We usually don't call out seemingly minor package availability changes, but it's worth noting that the Parking Assistance package is no longer available on the 530i, 530e or 540i — likely another victim of the supply chain. That means no automatic parking, and no automatic low-speed braking while parking manually. But it also means no built-in dash-cam functionality (BMW's Drive Recorder), and it means no 3D surround-view camera system. We love that system. In our initial rating back in 2017, we called the 3D view "the most impressive feature of the 5 Series."

　　The 530i, 530e and 540i still get a rearview camera and front and rear parking sensors as standard equipment. But if you want a forward-facing camera view and the features it enables, you have to jump to the performance-focused M550i trim.

　　That may not seem like much, but even a small change can make a difference when you're spoiled for choice. The midsize luxury sedan segment is packed with awesome choices: There's the luxury masterclass that is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the fun and tech-forward Audi A6, the expansive and impeccably designed Volvo S90, and more. Even though there's plenty to like about the 2023 BMW 5 Series, it's gotten a bit lost in a segment the 5 Series used to define. Check out our test team's Expert Rating for all the details.

　　

What's it like to live with?

We drove a 2018 BMW 540i xDrive for almost 20,000 comfortable miles. It quickly became a road-trip favorite, but we still found one or two things to complain about. BMW has updated the 5 Series since, but the 2023 car is of the same generation so many of our observations still apply. Head over to our BMW 540i long-term road test wrap-up to read more.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the 5 Series drive? If the driving experience is truly important to you, then the 5 Series is a sedan to consider. Most of the models are well-rounded performers. In our testing, the four-cylinder 530i managed to cover 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds, a good showing for a base engine. We also tested a 540i xDrive and recorded an impressive sprint of just 4.6 seconds.

　　Our test 530i had ultra-smooth M Sport brakes that stopped the car from 60 mph in just 108 feet, an admirable result for a midsize luxury sedan. The steering is nicely weighted but somewhat numb. Thankfully, the chassis is both balanced and communicative.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the 5 Series? The 5 Series is a supremely comfortable car, especially with the optional multi-contour front seats. We are also impressed with the ride quality — it's comfortable and relatively plush yet well damped so it doesn't feel floaty. And while there's a mild amount of road noise that creeps in, there's no wind noise and the engine is barely audible when cruising.

　　Our only issue with the climate system was its capacity to keep us properly chilled. While the dual-temp, dual-fan speed controls offer a lot of variabilities, the fan speed was never quite strong enough to deal with temperature extremes.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below