11/05/10

• Price£42,225
• We like...Rear-seat space
• We don't...Not that great to drive

OK, so it’s not a luxury saloon car as we know 'em. Nor is it a people-carrier, an off-roader or even a giant-sized hatchback. Instead, the new 5-series GT pulls in touches of each.

But ds it add up? Let’s see. First, you should understand that, contrary to what the name might suggest, this is much more than a sporty version of the regular 5-series. While some ingredients are taken from that car, the body is all new, while the running gear mixes elements of the 5-series and its luxury-slanted big brother, the 7-series.
You sit taller than you would in a regular 5-series, though not as lofty as you might in a proper MPV or off-roader. The doors are heavy and big, opening on to a cabin that serves up generous space for four. It actually seats five, but the centre rear bencher has only a narrow strip to perch upon. Rear legroom in particular is ultra-generous and rear-seat comfort is improved by seats that slide and recline.

Out back, the rear opens as a regular (if narrow) boot or as a full tailgate, depending on which of the two opening catches you press. Once the rear is open, the rear seats fold fully flat at the tug of a couple of levers. There is also a useful tray in the boot floor under which you can hide valuables and there is an array of straps and hooks to keep everything in its place.

The 330d SE model we drove is the cheapest in the range but has a terrific engine. It runs through an accomplished eight-speed auto transmission that keeps on song beautifully, pushing the big car along on a seemingly endless wave of low-revs urge. It’s quiet, cultured and economical.

But if you’re considering this car because of BMW’s reputation for making sublime driver’s cars, prepare to be disappointed. For a motorway trip it is very, very good: hushed, quick and whisper-quiet at the M-way legal maximum. It swallows miles.

Thread it through town streets, though and the story is quite different. Here the neat handling and alert steering of, say, a regular 5-series makes it feel ‘smaller’ to drive than it actually is. Not so the GT: it feels every inch its size because there’s not the precision there as you twirl the wheel.














Nor is the suspension set up without flaw. At speed it’s efficient, smoothing away motorway road seams and bumps. But at town speeds a succession of ripples outwits it and eventually you’ll hear and feel a crashing thump, almost as if the suspension has for a moment given up.

Its high belt line, restricted view to the rear and poor turning circle all make it tricky to slot into tight spaces. In an urban multi-storey, it’s not your friend, even though it includes a rear parking camera and another two, fitted in the front bumper to peer out at junctions.

Should you buy one? Well, it is more practical to live with than regular big saloon, it is very comfy for passengers and it is extremely well kitted out: ours had an aircraft-style head-up display showing vehicle speed and sat-nav directions plus three-mode car settings to tailor throttle, steering and damper responses. But for us it dsn’t quite work. It’s different – but not better.

* insurance group shown below uses new 1-50 ratings system

• Engines3.0 diesel
• Power241bhp
• 0-60 mph6.5secs
• Economy43.5mpg
• CO2g/km173g/km
• Insurance groups42*
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: