BMW 5 Series company car road test

The BMW 5 Series is a popular company car thanks to its combination of comfort, practicality efficient diesel engines.

The pick of the bunch for fleet drivers is the 520d ED, and we’ve been driving it to find out if the performance can match the excellent figures.

So what does ED stand for?

The 2.0-litre diesel engine is the same as the one used in the standard 520d. However, due to the addition of BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology, hence the 'ED' tag, it's much more fuel efficient and achieves lower emissions.

This tech comes in the form of a number of economy-boosting measures including a stop/start system, an optimal gear shift indicator, a brake energy regeneration system, a longer final drive ratio (which means cruising in top gear occurs at a lower RPM), ECO-PRO engine programming and low rolling-resistance tyres.

Can an eco-focused BMW still be the ‘ultimate driving machine’?

Performance figures may seem somewhat redundant in a car built for low-tax, high-economy motoring but that's not the case here. This 5 Series is capable of hitting 62mph in 8.2 seconds and has a top speed of 144mph thanks to its 184bhp 2.0-litre engine. In comparison the similarly low-CO2, but much cheaper, Vauxhall Insignia will take 10.4 seconds to reach 60mph. You’ll really notice those 2.2 seconds on the road.

One of BMW’s strengths is its ability to build large practical cars that are involving to drive and responsive. The 520d ED is no exception; through corners it feels assured and surprisingly agile for such a large car.

Standard equipment on this particular 5 Series includes front and rear parking sensors, USB interface, Bluetooth phone preparation, heated front seats, leather upholstery, 17-inch alloys, Driver Performance Control (which lets you flick between sport, comfort or ECO-PRO mode) and two-zone automatic air conditioning.

Is there an eye-watering options list?

There were several optional extras on the car we tested. BMW’s impressive Media Package (which at £2,000 is also impressively expensive) could be worth a punt if you like your gadgets. It includes a sat-nav system with a 10.2-inch screen, postcode search function, a 3D map, real-time traffic information and even a telematics system, which is likely to put a smile on your fleet manager’s face.

Options that might not be so sensible include the head-up display (you can see your speed and sat nav directions projected on the windscreen, but it'll cost you £980), four-zone climate control (which is good if you’ve got kids but perhaps not worth the £695 premium) , sports seats (£440), anthracite headlining (£265), aluminium trim (£240), exterior folding and automatically-dimming mirrors (£250), metallic paintwork (£655) and DAB digital radio (£315). You may want some of these options, but don’t forget your tax bill will shoot up accordingly.

How much is this car going to cost me in tax?

As we know, the cost most company car drivers are concerned with is company car tax.

CO2 emissions of 119g/km mean the ED ducks under the 120g/km threshold, meaning Benefit-in-Kind is payable at 13% after you’ve taken the 3% diesel levy into account. The P11d value for the basic car is £30,380 so you’ll have to pay £132 per month in company car tax on the 40% pay scale.

However, with the optional extras fitted to our test car the P11d price increases to £37,460, meaning your tax bill this year will shoot up to a whisker over £162 per month. That means you’re paying an extra £1,100 in tax over a three year lease. Definitely worth bearing in mind when you’re perusing the options list.

Next tax year, which begins on April 1, because of the shift in tax bands, you’ll be in for 17% company car tax. This will push the basic BIK cost up to £172 per month and £212 per month with all of the options fitted.

BMW claims this car can average 62.8mpg if you drive extremely carefully. In the real world we saw around 50mpg indicated on the trip computer over a mixture of lower-speed and motorway driving. With the 70-litre fuel tank this means the car should, in theory, do around 750 miles to a full tank of diesel. If you manage the fuel economy that BMW claims that should jump to a theoretical average of 942 miles between fill-ups.

Also consider

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

This exceptionally well-built and comfortable cruiser feels solid on the motorway and boasts a range of low-tax, fuel-efficient diesel engines and a roomy interior.

Audi A6

As a package the A6 is a very impressive bit of kit. The cabin is an extremely comfortable yet stylish place to be and there’s a long list of safety kit as well as a range of silky-smooth diesel engines.

Jaguar XF

The XF is a stylish car that’s also excellent to drive and supremely comfortable. It benefits from a classier image than some of its German contemporaries and the addition of the 2.2-litre diesel engine means its company car driver-friendly too.