Driving Impressions

Unfamiliar styling, confusion with iDrive, and an abundance of gadgetry is all forgotten as quickly as you can settle into the 2004 530i driver's seat and turn the key. Whatever BMW's engineering corps experiments with, it almost never forgets one crucial point. BMWs are defined by excellent powertrains and superb chassis tuning. Measured by its balance of slick handling, ride comfort and solid acceleration, the 5 Series is as good as it's ever been. We had the good fortune to evaluate the 530i on a crystal-clear fall day along fast, two-lane roads tracking the Hudson Valley through upstate New York. Yet we didn't have to leave the parking lot at BMW headquarters in New Jersey to learn that Active Steering is no gimmick. Maneuvering through tight confines is a breeze, and filling an empty parking space is as quick a swoop on the steering wheel. On a slalom course in another parking lot 120 miles up the Hudson, we discovered the performance advantages of this new steering system. In a tight slalom a 530i with Active Steering is more responsive than one without it (and the standard car is already quite nimble as heavy sedans go). Slashing through the cones is less work with Active Steering, requiring less sawing on the wheel and fewer corrections. The driver can focus more on the 5's trajectory through the course, less on compensating for mistakes, and it's not hard to extrapolate this behavior to advantages in emergency situations on public roads. Push the Active Steering car into a skid, and recovery is more immediate, and more likely. There's a price for this responsiveness, of course, and it's most obvious traveling at high speeds on an Interstate. Gone is the famous BMW dead spot in the middle of the 5's steering travel, that inch or so of movement each side of center where there is no perceptible change in the 5's direction of travel when the wheel moves. This was developed for decades to account for triple-digits speeds on Germany's autobahns, but it's no longer necessary. With Active Steering, steering response slows down considerably at fast freeway speeds, but there is perceptible reaction from the front tires almost with the first fraction of movement on the wheel. The effect is basically the same, in that small bumps or grooves require no conscious correction from the driver. But the feel with Active Steering is different, and it may take a bit of getting used to, particularly for longtime BMW enthusiasts. The two-lanes through the Hudson Valley offered ample evidence of the value of Active Roll Stabilization. The 530i stayed remarkably flat when attacking the curves, with just enough body lean to remind a prudent driver that he or she is hurtling down a public road at considerable speed. Perhaps the best thing about ARS is that the 530i never feels stiff. When the car is traveling straight, the effect of the roll stabilization is essentially negated. This sedan rides firm, without a sensation of floating, but always smoothly and comfortably. Factor in near-perfect weight balance, and a rock-solid body that's free of creaks, rattles or unpleasant vibration, and the 530i is exactly what we'd like a luxury sedan to be: always quiet and comfortable, nimble and reassuring when it's appropriate to travel at a good clip. If you never drove the 5 Series quickly, you'd be left with a smooth, truly comfortable car with nearly all the bells and whistles and nothing to diminish the experience. Yet should you choose to pick up the pace, you'll discover handling and overall performance that's hard to match in any sedan. No matter which engine sits under the hood, there's plenty of power to get you up to speed. BMW's inline six-cylinder engines remain one of the truly satisfying experiences in motoring. The classic straight six delivers a balance of smoothness, torque, and response that V6 engines can't seem to match. Other luxury

Final Word

Mid-size luxury sedans are popular because they mix comfort, fine performance, manageable size, passenger-friendly accommodations and the latest features in a stylishly functional package. BMW's 5 Series has been the benchmark because it may be the best balanced car in a supremely balanced class. On top of everything else, the 5 is great fun to drive. The 2004 530i delivers a balance of sport and luxury, comfort, performance, speed, fuel economy and carefree driving that's hard to match with any sedan on planet Earth. Anywhere within the $25,000 price spread covered by the 5 Series lineup, you'll find a sedan that's satisfying to own and drive. We might quibble with details in the redesigned 2004 5 Series, or in the marketing scheme behind it. But at its core it's better than ever, assuming you're comfortable with its looks.