Our correspondent finds that BMW’s latest incarnation of its 5-Series Touring estate handles like a dream without compromising on space, fuel economy or looks
THIS new BMW is an object lesson in how to make a roomy, comfortable, family-friendly mile-muncher. I’d like to say it was perfect, and perhaps should, because what stopped it from being so— bossy, intrusive automation (it twice tried to shut me inside its own boot) and an arcane interface between driver, computer and car—is no more than standard fare nowadays on every new car I drive. Even so, at least the singing, ringing, binging and pinging was not quite so tinging, plinking and plonking as in the Volvo V90 I reviewed a few months ago, a direct rival with all-wheel-drive and similar levels of space and refinement.
With the exception of its infotainment system, the V90 was a fine interpretation of what a big estate should be and yet, beyond the almost untouchable comfort, front and back, of the big Swede, the Bavarian rival shades it in key areas such as real-world economy, performance and smile-on-the-face dynamics.
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