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For anyone interested in my first impressions of the F10 520d, it was delivered yesterday & I had to go straight out on appointments and did about 150 miles on a mix of motorway and A/B roads, by the time I got home the mpg was in the high 40s and not far short of that I’d been getting out of the 320d.
Whilst cruising around the legal limit, it easily returns well over 50 mpg but drive up hills or in stop/start in traffic, and the extra weight translates into a big dip in mpg, but that is to be expected on a big heavy car like the 5 series. I suspect that many of the complaints of poor mpg may well be down to too much start stop motoring.
As for the rest of the car, to say I am pleased with it would be a huge understatement. For a a 2 litre engine in such a big car it certainly is no slouch and, for a big heavy car, it handles very well, although I’d prefer slightly heavier steering with a bit more feel to it, but that is a minor niggle.
The M Sport suspension / 19” runflats give a firm but not harsh ride which is a huge improvement over the e90 which could knock fillings out at times.
The subdued noise levels are a joy (the e90 could give a good impression of the inside of a washing machine) and the F10 is generally a fairly quiet place to be, and the excellent Harmon Kardon setup can be appreciated at much lower volumes, yet still deliver decent bass. I’m not an expert but IMO the Harmon Kardon knocks spots off the Gladen / Mosconi I had in the e90, although some of that could be down to the numpty in Liverpool that installed it
The NBT is exactly what it says on the tin, the graphics are superb and it’s much faster and easier to use, particularly with the touchpad on top of the iController, which makes searches a breeze.
My only niggles are the very light steering as mentioned, there is NO adjustable lumbar support on the M Sport seats and there are no LEDs on the door handles (only with ambient lighting), the latter 2 were on the e90 so I’m a bit miffed that they’ve been omitted from the F10
For those of a sensitive nature, I’m sorry for the comparisons to an e90, which I know is largely unfair, but it’s the only yardstick I have.
So far so good, the car is a pleasure to drive and no regrets about the change!
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