2021 BMW 530
The 2021 BMW 5-Series is a luxury mid-size sedan now in its seventh generation, and for 2021 it has been made fresher on the outside and inside. The grille is a bit taller and wider, with more pronounced slats that nudge the now-standard adaptive LED headlights out. The hood has been stretched to accommodate a new mild-hybrid system on the 540i model. At the rear, the taillights are new and the exhaust outlets bolder. The 530e plug-in hybrid gets more power for 2021, although its modest all-electric range of 20 miles remains the same.
In the cabin, BMW advances the technology with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that's 2.0 inches larger than last year, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that customizes driver preferences. The infotainment system is now one of the best on the market, with natural voice commands that can do things like raise or lower the windows.
The cabin's weakness is the narrow rear seat, as this luxury car doesn't seat five very well.
The base 530i packs a punchy 2.0-liter turbo-4 making 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a seamless 8-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. An adaptive suspension impressively reads the nuances of the road.
The 530e plug-in hybrid mates its 2.0-liter engine to a 12.0-kwh battery pack to make the power even punchier than the 530i, with 288 hp and 310 lb-ft. That's an increase of 40 hp over last year.
The 540i uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with new mild-hybrid system that shuts off the engine to recapture energy while coasting, thus improving fuel economy by 2 mpg.
The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the M550i uses an enhanced M suspension with a lower ride height, added grip on larger tires, and more performance goodies.
The M5 makes an awesome 600 hp. For the full M treatment, there's the 617-hp M5 Competition that rockets to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds.
The EPA rates the 2021 530i at 25/33/28 mpg with RWD and 1 mpg less with AWD. The 540i now gets 25 mpg city, 32 highway, 27 combined.
The 2021 5-series aced all six of the IIHS crash tests, resulting in a Top Safety Pick+, thanks to the adaptive LED headlights that are standard in 2021. Standard safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, rear automatic braking, and automatic high beams.
An optional Driving Assistance Plus Package adds adaptive cruise control that can restart from a stop, active lane control, an emergency setting that can bring the car to a stop on a highway shoulder, and hands-free driving up to about 37 mph in clearly marked divided highways with a lead vehicle present. Other safety options include a surround-view camera with parking sensors.
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The 530e plug-in hybrid gets more power for 2021, although its modest all-electric range of 20 miles remains the same.
In the cabin, BMW advances the technology with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that's 2.0 inches larger than last year, and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that customizes driver preferences. The infotainment system is now one of the best on the market, with natural voice commands that can do things like raise or lower the windows.
The cabin's weakness is the narrow rear seat, as this luxury car doesn't seat five very well.
The base 530i packs a punchy 2.0-liter turbo-4 making 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a seamless 8-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. An adaptive suspension impressively reads the nuances of the road.
The 530e plug-in hybrid mates its 2.0-liter engine to a 12.0-kwh battery pack to make the power even punchier than the 530i, with 288 hp and 310 lb-ft. That's an increase of 40 hp over last year.
The 540i uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with new mild-hybrid system that shuts off the engine to recapture energy while coasting, thus improving fuel economy by 2 mpg.
The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the M550i uses an enhanced M suspension with a lower ride height, added grip on larger tires, and more performance goodies.
The M5 makes an awesome 600 hp. For the full M treatment, there's the 617-hp M5 Competition that rockets to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds.
The EPA rates the 2021 530i at 25/33/28 mpg with RWD and 1 mpg less with AWD. The 540i now gets 25 mpg city, 32 highway, 27 combined.
The 2021 5-series aced all six of the IIHS crash tests, resulting in a Top Safety Pick+, thanks to the adaptive LED headlights that are standard in 2021. Standard safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, rear automatic braking, and automatic high beams.
An optional Driving Assistance Plus Package adds adaptive cruise control that can restart from a stop, active lane control, an emergency setting that can bring the car to a stop on a highway shoulder, and hands-free driving up to about 37 mph in clearly marked divided highways with a lead vehicle present. Other safety options include a surround-view camera with parking sensors.
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| Engine | 2.0L I-4 |
| MPG | Up to 25 city / 33 highway |
| Seating | 5 Passengers |
| Transmission | 8-spd w/OD |
| Power | 248 @ 5200 rpm |
| Drivetrain | rear-wheel, xDrive all wheel |
| Curb Weight | 3,765 - 3,878 lbs |
