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Week at the wheel: BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.

Week at the wheel: BMW 520d EfficientDynamics
Efficient, fast, comfortable and enjoyable to drive, it's little wonder demand is so high for BMW's 520d EfficientDynamics.

   



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| Week at the Wheel | BMW 520d EfficientDynamics |

Overall rating: 5 5 5 5 5

Tax friendly 119g/km CO2 emissions and 62.8mpg combined economy from BMW's 2.0 turbodiesel make the 520d EfficientDynamics sensible, not just on the company spreadsheet, but also on the road. Few cars offer so much with so little compromise.

Key Facts

Model tested: BMW 520d EfficientDynamics
Pricing: £30,435
Engine: 2.0-litre turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Mercedes-Benz E 220 CDI BlueEfficiency, Audi A6 2.0 TDI SE, Jaguar 2.2D SE
CO2 emissions: 119g/km
Combined economy: 62.8mpg
Top speed: 144mph
0-62mph: 8.2 seconds
Power: 184bhp at 4,000rpm
Torque: 280lb.ft at 1,900 - 2,750rpm

Inside & Out: 4 4 4 4 4

As a lesson in a simple, clear and easy to use cabin the BMW 5 Series ranks up there as among the best. Sure, there are plenty of driving and info/entertainment functions hidden away under multiple layers of menus and sub menus in the iDrive system, but all the basics are there. The steering wheel, pedals and gearstick are nicely positioned, though the push button electric parking brake is hopeless in this manually equipped car - give us a proper handbrake any day. It's not got the design flair of its Audi rival, but the BMW feels nicely built inside and all works well.

Outside it's business as usual for the EfficientDynamics version, with no evidence of its fuel-sipping ability. The 5's a fine looking car, the rear lights a nice signature and the proportions just right in saloon guise here - and even better as an estate.

Ride & Handling: 5 5 5 5 5

The 5 Series might not be the absolute masterclass in ride and handling over its Mercedes-Benz and Audi rivals these days but it's still an incredibly appealing car to drive. Arguably more so in smaller engine guises, where the emphasis is more on maintaining speed through bends than shortening the straights between them.

However, the steering lacks the fine level of communication of 5 Series of old, but there's enough to steer the 520d EfficientDynamics with confidence, while the suspension is supple but controlled. Only sharper ridges and bumps unsettle the 5, though that's rare. It's a great all-rounder, with tidy handling combined with a ride that's composed and comfortable.

Engine & Transmission: 4 4 4 4 4

BMW has seemingly made a devilish pact as no engine with the ability to return an official 62.8mpg on the combined cycle should be as punchy as the 2.0-litre turbodiesel here. Despite the 520d ED's size it hauls it along very convincingly indeed, with good refinement and 8.2-second 0-62mph ability. If there's one weak area it's low-rev response, so it's easy to give the engine too little revs when pulling away and nearly stall it.

Providing its best when the peak torque arrives from 1,900rpm upwards the 2.0-litre turbodiesel makes for incredibly easy cruising, though you'll need to try very hard to achieve that official mpg figure - 47 - 50mpg is more realistic - even when you set the car to its most economical settings via the ECO PRO mode. The stop-start works well, though there's a noticeable shake through the car when re-starting, which can be tiresome. The manual six-speed gearbox shifts cleanly and quickly.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: 5 5 5 5 5

Equipment is good, with leather seats, climate control and a decent Bluetooth enabled entertainment system as standard. That's all incidental and up with its competition though, the 520d EfficientDynamics aces them when it comes to economy. None of its rivals can match its 119g/km CO2 output while the BMW's 62.8mpg combined fuel economy figure matches a 1.6 TDI VW Golf's. At £30,435 it represents decent value too, at just over £400 more than a 520d SE.


Kyle Fortune. Photography by Max Earey. - 15 Dec 2011



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2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.



2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 

2011 BMW 520d EfficientDynamics. Image by Max Earey.
 






 

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