BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring review: Estate cars don’t come much better than this

The BMW 5 Series has always been the go-to vehicle for drivers that need to cover thousands upon thousands of motorway miles, but also want the car to be practical and appealing enough to double up for family duties too.

Customers can opt for the more traditional saloon body style, but we went down the Touring route (estate to you and I). Stretching more than five metres in length, the BMW 5 Series Touring is sold in trims called M Sport, M Sport Pro and Sport Edition. And there are ample powertrain choices too – all diesel versions have been ditched, but there is the petrol-driven 520i; plug-in hybrids called 530e and 550e xDrive, and all-electric models called the i5 eDrive40 and i5 M60 xDrive.

While not every powertrain can be mated to every trim, we opted for the plug-in hybrid 530e M Sport Pro Touring.

This BMW certainly has a strong road presence – in all honesty, it’s massive. It boasts the famous BMW kidney grille, distinctive light clusters, bundles of M Sport-specific trimmings and badging, plus striking alloy wheels.

During our week behind the wheel of the BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring, we completed lengthy motorway journeys, some busier town centre driving and couldn’t resist putting it through its paces on narrower country lanes.

Independent rating: 8/10

Powering the BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring is a 2.0-litre petrol engine working alongside a 19.4kWh battery. With 259hp and 450Nm of torque, this giant of a car can complete the 0-62mph sprint in 6.4 seconds and tops out at 137mph.

But for us, it was the vehicle’s composure and refinement that really impressed. Yes, it can be quick when necessary and it has ample zip to overtake slower-moving vehicles, but during day-to-day driving it’s incredibly smooth and even feels like its gliding along at times.

As you’d expect, this is the sort of car that happily cruises at motorway speeds for hour after hour, eating away at the miles without a care in the world – and without giving you much cause for concern either. Then when faced with more challenging country roads, complete with plenty of twists and turns, the BMW is balanced, grippy and shows little sign of any body roll. It does feel quite wide on particularly narrow lanes though, but that was our only concern.

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The EV range of 57 miles will easily cover the UK’s average daily commute (between about 10 and 20 miles), so in theory you could fill the battery on cheap overnight electricity, then commute without using the engine at all. Rise and repeat every few days, and you’ll have very cheap weekly fuel bills. Meanwhile, the driver benefits from excellent all-round visibility, aided by all the usual cameras and parking sensors you’d expect.

The eight-speed automatic transmission’s gear shifts are perfectly timed, but there are steering wheel paddles for added driver engagement when you’re in the mood. And the list of drive modes seems endless with Personal, Sport, Efficient, Expressive, Relax, Digital Art and Silent to choose from. These alter the performance, alongside the ambience within the cabin, but in all honesty, the Personal, Efficiency and Sport are all you really need.

And special mention to the suspension which smooths out road bumps and dips, while highly effective insulation results in a nice calm and quiet cabin.

Charging the car’s 19.4kWh battery from empty to 100 per cent, via a 7.4kW home charger, takes about three hours and 30 minutes.

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Finding the perfect driving position is simple enough. However, the seats are only partially-powered, with their forwards and backwards adjustment being manual, which I found rather disappointing considering the lofty price tag. But that gripe aside, the cabin is beautifully designed and the front seats, along with the steering wheel, can be heated to fend off the winter blues.

Light floods into the cabin thanks to the panoramic roof (a £1,600 optional extra) and the fixtures and fittings are of a very high standard with soft touch surfaces and beautifully crafted upholstery throughout.

There is bundles of space for the driver and front passenger – and of course being an estate there’s lots of practical stowage in the boot. But, despite the large dimensions, rear leg room can be a limiting factor for taller adults. It’s fine for short journeys, but you might hear cries of “can we swap places now” on longer journeys.

The boot features a powered tailgate and can swallow 570 litres of suitcases, shopping and sports equipment. This can then easily be increased to 1,700 litres by dropping the split-folding rear seats. There is extra storage space beneath the false floor – perfect for the charge cable if you want to keep one with you for opportunistic top-ups away from home – and a sliding tonneau cover keeps items away from prying eyes.

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As with other current BMWs, the cabin is dominated by a housing that sweeps right across the dashboard. Measuring 27 inches, this houses both the driver instrument display and a touchscreen for the infotainment system. The former is where all the vital driving data is clearly displayed, including speed, remaining range, drive mode, navigation and lots more – this display can be personalised to taste.

The left screen is all about the on-board infotainment, which is plentiful. We love BMW’s traditional iDrive rotary dial, which sits atop the centre console and simplifies navigating the features and menus. There are also quick access keys to favourites such as the navigation, telephone, media and home screen, which are often easier to press than reaching out to tap and swipe at the display. Additionally, a voice assistant can help with tasks such as adjusting the temperature, plotting routes, changing radio stations and plenty more.

Creature comforts are plentiful and include cloud-based navigation with live traffic updates, a pitch-perfect Harman Kardon sound system with DAB radio and streaming apps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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BMW’s 5 Series Touring line-up begins with the petrol M Sport version which costs £55,375. At the other end of the scale are the fully electrified cars, with the i5 M60 xDrive topping the £100k mark. In-between we find the plug-in hybrid models, including the 530e M Sport costing £61,905, the 530e M Sport Pro, as tested, at £64,905, the all-wheel drive 550e xDrive M Sport at £79,075 or in M Sport Pro guise costing £82,075.

These prices are before any optional extras have been introduced and, as is the premium carmaker way, the choice is seemingly endless. Upgraded paintwork, larger alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Technology and Comfort packs, alongside some additional safety features saw the cost of our test car rise by almost £10,000.

But drivers can claw back some savings, especially business buyers as the 18g/km carbon emissions figure will result in an attractive nine per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating. In order to get close to the official 294mpg figure, you would need to keep the battery charged and fully maximise the use of the EV-only range – even then it would be a challenge.

Other costs to look out for include road tax, which will be £110 for the first year, increasing to the standard charge of £195 after 12 months. Since the car exceeds the government’s Expensive Car Supplement threshold of £40k, you’ll have to pay an additional £425 annually from years two to six. The car, as tested, sit in insurance group 40.

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The 19.4kWh battery can be charged from zero to 100 per cent in approximately 3 hours, 30 minutes if using a 7.4kWh home or work-based wallbox.

BMW is a premium brand, so expect a premium price tag – and the costs will keep on climbing if you add some optional extras. The plug-in hybrid Touring line-up costs from £61,905 to £82,075.

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring comes with a standard three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, but the battery is covered for up to six years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first.

Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.

The BMW 530e M Sport Pro Touring is the ultimate reminder of just how practical and rewarding a good estate car can be. It delivers on passenger and boot space – rear legroom for taller adults notwithstanding – and certainly has the edge over tall SUVs when it comes to performance and handling.