2021 BMW 530e M Sport review

BMW’s i electric sub-brand is gearing up for a major model explosion, with the imminent arrival of the iX3, iX and i4.

But for those who need the backup of being able to refuel with petrol while otherwise running on electricity, BMW has a range of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models.

One of those is the 530e, a large sedan that looks like any other 5-Series BMW – until you pop the bonnet.

Yes, there’s a petrol engine, but there’s also an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack for pure EV running.

In Australia its closest rival is the Mercedes-Benz E300e.

And late in 2020 it was upgraded with a more powerful petrol engine and additional equipment as part of a rejigged 5-Series lineup.

Value

The 530e slots somewhere in the middle of what is a broad family, from the entry-level 520i ($99,900 plus on-road costs) through to the bahn-storming M5 (as much as $274,900).

At $122,900 plus on-roads (or around $134,000 drive away) it’s around $3000 more than a 530i that it’s closely aligned with on specification and price (there was a time when the 530e was the same price as the 530i, but those days have long gone).

For that you get a fully loaded luxury sedan that includes a generous smattering of leather and wood, as well as a mind-altering smorgasbord of options to tailor the look and feel to your taste.

The M Sport theme that was previously optional is included on cars sold in Australia and brings with it neat touches such as blue brake calipers and 19-inch wheels.

There’s also wireless phone charging, digital radio tuning, smart key entry, memory function for the electric seats, head-up display, adaptive dampers, ambient lighting, power-opening boot and a punchy 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. BMW also includes its more advanced Professional navigation system as well as BMW ConnectedServices and TeleServices, which can provide infotainment features as well as allowing the car to communicate with a service department. Plus there’s a concierge service and smartphone app that provides real-time information on the car and allows remote locking and unlocking.

Options abound and can quickly ramp the price up higher. They include laser headlights and a glass sunroof.

As with other BMWs, the warranty falls short of many rivals with just three years of coverage. The high-voltage battery as part of the PHEV system gets a separate six-year, 100,000km warranty with a gaurantee that at least 70 percent of the original capacity will still be usable.

Inside

It’s all about tradition with tinges of tech in the 530e. Finishes are meticulous and materials a heady mix of the luxury norm.

There’s lashings of leather wrapping supportive and snug front seats. No shortage of space, either, although rear seat legroom is challenged if those up front set their seats a long way back.

The boot cops a hit as a result of the additional hardware. There’s a step in it that lowers its depth, particularly further into the length of the boot. Overall capacity has been reduced from 530 litres in other 5-Series to 410L.

BMW’s iDrive control system does a terrific job of navigating the central touchscreen, which packs plenty in. Simple to use hard buttons (including memory buttons that can be programmed for phone numbers or navigation addresses) are a plus, too.

The Harman Kardon audio system provides crisp, punchy sound, too.

Performance and efficiency

Like all PHEVs the 530e has a bet each way. There’s the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo used in other BMWs (135kW/300Nm) teamed with an 80kW/265Nm electric motor and an eight-speed automatic. The combined outputs are 215kW and 420Nm, the latter an influential force in how it behaves.

Driven in electric mode, though – which is, after all, a big attraction with a PHEV – the electric motor makes that more modest 80kW and 265Nm. A power gauge in the instrument cluster suggests you’ll have access to 60 percent of the available power, although that’s a tad misleading because the gauge rises above 100 when accessing the additional eBoost burst.

Either way, there’s nothing like the anticipated BMW excitement in Electric mode, one of six driving modes available through the selector buttons.

Instead it’s a relaxed surge as the 530e wafts along, a false floor on the throttle encouraging you not to push further otherwise you’ll wake the engine.

But it’s in hybrid mode that the 530e is far more BMW like, the extra pull of the free-revving engine stepping up the enthusiasm. Hybrid mode also allows access to the maximum power output, so there’s more to play with. The claimed 0-100km/h time also lowers to 5.9 seconds.

It’s smooth and well calibrated darting between electricity and petrol, making for easy progress.

Select Sport – which includes an XtraBoost mode – and the seat bolsters tighten, the steering adds weight and the throttle is more sensitive. The engine also runs all the time, even when stationary, aiding with swifter take-offs.

While it’s a tad hyperactive around town, it’s far more suited to a set of twisty corners where you can open things up. That’s when more of that BMW personality shines, albeit with more weight to contend with. The 530e is about 210kg heavier than the 530i with similar performance.

Charging

The 530e’s high voltage battery pack stores up to 10.4kWh, which is claimed to take the car up to 54km on a charge, although our brief experience suggested that’s very optimistic. Somewhere around 35-40km is more realistic.

Charging is done via an AC Type 2 plug that can accept up to 3.7 kilowatts, so you’re looking at close to three hours for a full top-up. If you use a home powerpoint that time stretches to almost five hours.

Fuel use is claimed at 2.3 litres per 100km but that’s only if you stick to the government’s unrepresentative laboratory test cycle.

In the real world once the batteries are depleted you’ll use more like 7L/100km.

Ride and handling

The 530e is part of the 5-Series family that has built a reputation as being among the best-driving sedans on the market. So the pedigree is good.

But things are not perfect, something you learn with around-town bumps. The 530e can jar into grates and shallow potholes, a product of low-profile tyres designed to look good and hang on around corners.

That occasionally terse ride is much less of an issue out of town, where the class and competence of the 530e is regularly on display. It settles beautifully over mid-corner imperfections and scythes through corners.

The size and weight of the car means it’s more at home in flowing bends and feels more convincing as speed increases, at which point its dynamic ability is on display.

Tighter corners challenge the front wheels, although there’s never a time the BMW sedan feels flustered.

There’s certainly plenty of BMW sports sedan goodness in its DNA.

Talking point

The 530e is also available as an all-wheel drive model overseas (called the 530e xDrive). Like a lot of other BMW AWD sedans that car isn’t available.

Instead, BMW Australia points people to its vast SUV lineup – which will soon include an X3 PHEV – for those wanting all-wheel drive.

Safety

There are seven airbags and an extensive array of active safety systems, including autonomous emergency braking, auto braking in reverse and cross traffic alert front and rear (each with side facing radar to warn of approaching vehicles; it’s handy for poking your nose out of a side street when vision is limited or when backing out of parking spots).

Verdict

The 530e is a car that does its best hybrid work around town and over shorty trips, potentially using no fuel but without the EV range anxiety that a PHEV avoids.

But the 5-Series more broadly is a car that best showcases its talent and excitement on faster roads with plenty of corners.

And in PHEV guise those extra kilos challenge the dynamic ability.

All of which adds up to a car that’s compromised as a sports sedan and compromised when running on electricity.

Still, it plays a role for those who need the occasional backup of petrol with the promise of plenty of EV kays – all in a great-driving large sedan. It’s an impressive PHEV provided your daily commute will slide under its circa-40km EV range limit.

One thing that could dent the appeal of the 530e is the imminent arrival of the i4, the closest thing BMW has to an EV sports sedan.

2021 BMW 530e M Sport specifications

Price: $122,900 plus on-road costs

Basics: PHEV, 5 seats, 4 doors, large sedan, RWD

EV range: 54km (claimed), 35-40km (realistic)

Battery capacity: 10.4kWh

Battery warranty: 6 years/100,000km (70 percent of original capacity)

Energy consumption: 17.6kWh/100km

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo, 135kW/300Nm

Motors: 1 rear 80kW/265Nm

Combined outputs: 215kW/420Nm

AC charging: 3.7kW, Type 2 plug

DC charging: NA

0-100km/h: 5.9 seconds