Should you buy one?

Oh yes. The latest BMW 5 Series is still the best executive saloon money can buy. The new car might be larger and lardier than the car it replaced, but BMW’s intelligent engineering has produced a car that offers noticeably improved comfort and a similarly engaging driving experience.

The 5 Series’ cabin deserves a special mention, too. It’s beautifully assembled and we love how BMW has managed to cram it full of technology without overwhelming the driver in the same way Mercedes did with the E-Class.

The car’s infotainment screen and ambient lighting system merely enhance the interior rather than define it and, because you can navigate around the central screen using the dial on the centre console, you spend far less time staring at the screen.

Our biggest sticking point is that it feels a little expensive for what it is. We were shocked when we learned that our 550e M Sport test car (complete with a few options) would only give us £625 change from £100,000. For the same money you could have a larger (albeit diesel-powered) Mercedes S-Class luxury limo.

It gets worse when you learn the most basic Mercedes E 300 e is almost £10,000 cheaper than the most basic BMW 550e. However, the 5 Series is an objectively better car in every respect, offering better driving dynamics, better comfort, more space and simpler technology – so we think it’s worth spending the extra cash on.

What we like

The build quality, the practicality, the intuitive interior technology, the driving experience – BMW has absolutely nailed the essential aspects of what makes a 5 Series great for this new model. The plug-in hybrid 550e version is also blisteringly quick.

What we don’t like

We found the price tag quite hard to swallow – but we reckon it’s justifiable, because the 5 Series is so much better than all its rivals. We’re not overly fond of the touch sensitive air vent controls and the 5 Series’ new-found bulk can make it daunting to thread through city streets. There’s very little to criticise here, though.