BMW 5 Series

BMW 5-Series Wagon (535xi)

The BMW 5-Series Sports Wagon may be the best of all possible worlds: the functional capacity of a sports utility, the comfort and luxury of one of the most highly-reated sedans in the world, all-wheel drive for safety on wet and icy roads, the handling of a sports sedan, and power from the 2008 535 twin-turbo engine, the best engine in the BMW line-up.  

To create this all-arounder, BMW took the chassis and the body of the 5-Series forward of the back doors, and melded it with a station wagon rear that many reviewers think is an improvement on the 5-Series sedans.

Focusing on what's really important in a station wagon: good grunt and all-weather handling, the product planners offer the wagon only with the 300-horsepower, 300 pound-feet of torque inline six 535 engine and electronically managed all-wheel drive.

The standard suspension is competent and comfortable. For 2008, 'Active Steering' has been added that uses electronic steering to supplement the stability controls acting on the wheel brakes and power. Active Roll Stabilization is another high-tech improvement, which replaces anti-sway bars with electronically controlled pumps to maintain a level ride under nearly all conditions.

On the interior, trim is a tasteful combination of wood and leather, with a variety of choices available. The dash is elegant, with few buttons, but dominated by a center screen that monitors all functions and provides vision for the optional navigation and new night vision systems. All of this is controlled with BMW's iDrive, which offers a one-knob interface that is loved by computer jocks and hated by many other reviewers.

Cargo space in the wagon is an expansive 33.6 cubic feet with five passengers aboard, and over 58 cubic feet with the back seats folded, more than many mid-sized SUVs. The flat load area is fully-carpeted, almost four feet wide, and includes handy enclosed bins, bag holder, cargo tie-downs and a cargo net, a power point, and a rolling luggage area cover.

Other optional technical gadgets include Heads-up Display, Lane Departure Warning, Active Cruise Control with Stop and Go-which does exactly what it says, managing the car's speed in stop-and-go traffic-and Sirius satellite radio, HD radio and an iPod connection.

As with the other models in the 5-Series, the wagon offers a full range of passive safety features, including extended crumple zones, six air bags, antilock brakes, traction and dynamic stability control, BMW Emergency Assist with automatic collision notification, and optional rear passenger airbags.