BMW 5 Series Grand Tourer Tested June 2010

Rating

Quick Summary

Not recommended. The 5 Series Grand Tourer is BMW's Millennium Dome: big, expensive and rather pointless.

Full Road Test

We usually rate BMWs higher than two stars, but we honestly find it hard to recommend the Grand Tourer. It is not that the car is without merits - it has the same excellent engine and gearbox you find in all big BMWs, the same superb build quality plus a classy interior. The problem is that it completely underwhelming to drive and its use of space is quite poor, given its vast bulk - a major problem with a car sold as a more spacious alternative to a 5, or even 7 Series.

The idea of the Grand Tourer is to provide a selection of benefits from the BMW range: the driving position of the X5 without the SUV looks, the experience of an executive saloon with more room, and a profile that (allegedly) reminds people of a coupe. But that is like trying to cook a meal by raiding the fridge while blindfolded. Those attributes have very little to do with each other and some are just fanciful. BMW has gone to the trouble of making the side windows frameless, as with luxury coupes like its own 6 Series, but will anyone seriously mistake this tall, bulky car for a coupe?

Despite being quite a lot larger than a 5 Series estate, the boot is considerably smaller - just 440 litres which must be some sort of record for a hatchback of this size with the rear seats upright. That increases to a respectable, if awkwardly shaped 1,700 litres when the rear seats are folded. However, folding those seats perfectly encapsulates everything that is wrong with the Grand Tourer. Just folding the rear backrest (the part you sit on is fixed) takes six separate operations. The rear seat is in three parts and each part has a separate solid divider between itself and the luggage area, so you have to drop three dividers and three seats. It is this air of having found the most complex solution to every problem that pervades the whole car.

In truth the Grand Tourer was conceived as a hedge against the expected collapse of the SUV market. In fact big SUVs are selling much better then BMW feared when this car was being designed, which renders the car pretty superfluous. By all means buy either a 5 Series estate or an X5, but we would not suggest splitting the difference with the Grand Tourer.

Breakdown

Styling

BMW talks of coupe influences, but it is basically, a big, dull hatchback. More Rover 827 than BMW 6 Series.

Handling

The Grand Tourer never really disguises its bulk and unlike the bizarre X6, never amazes you with its size-defying handling. It is a BMW, so it has strong roadholding and the handling is quite accurate, but it is never going to tempt you to take the cross-country route for the sheer fun of driving.

Comfort

This is where the Grand Tourer should really score, but its ride is actually rather average. Certainly on the larger 20 inch wheels most examples will be fitted with, the ride can be badly upset by large bumps. On the plus side, the seats are very comfortable and four passengers will never feel cramped. A fifth passenger, basically sitting on the uncomfortable rear armrest, is not going to be amused at the idea of touring anywhere in this car.

Quality + reliability

Some small BMWs are showing signs of cost-cutting these days, but the Grand Tourer is in the best BMW tradition.

Performance

Thankfully, the Grand Tourer gets the drivetrain from the top end of the normal 5 Series range. There are not many diesel engines better than the 530d (the most popular version in the UK) and the gearbox is suitably responsive.

Roominess

The interior is very spacious for four, despite the sloping roofline, but the boot is amazingly small with the rear seats up. With the rear seats down (easier said than done) it is big but the sloping roofline makes it triangular in shape. Grand Tourer buyers probably don't shop at Ikea, which is just as well - anything large and rectangular is not going to fit.

Running costs

Thanks to efficient diesel engines, running costs are competitive with any other executive car of a similar price. The big unknown is depreciation - it is hard to imagine used car buyers preferring this to a 5 Series Touring.

Value for money

The extra specification over a 5 Series Touring justifies the price premium from a purely analytical point of view. Emotionally, a starting price of over £40K still seems a lot for something that gives little driving pleasure.

Stereo / Sat nav

Having to pay extra for sat nav in a car this expensive seems a bit cheeky, but it is a very good system. The audio is excellent, but buyers new to BMW will have to learn to speak iDrive. It is a lot easier than it was, but it still takes a bit of getting used to.

Need to know

Replacement Date: 2015

We like:

1. Everything that comes from the standard 5 Series
2. The drivetrain
3. Build quality

We don't like:

1. Everything unique to the Grand Tourer
2. Styling
3. Inert handling

Best and worst:

Most fun: None
Most sensible: 530d
Worst: 550i