BMW 530i 2006 Review

The good old family carry-all has been largely supplanted in recent years by the popular 4WD or Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) as they have come to be known.

The majority of wagons still sold are used for commercial purposes and Mitsubishi has even dropped a wagon from its new 380 lineup.

But none of this has not stopped BMW from offering the 530i Touring wagon.

• The 530i Touring boasts Beemer's new- generation, 3.0-litre straight-six VALVETRONIC engine that produces 190kW of power at 6600rpm and 300Nm of torque between 2500 and 4000rpm.

   

• It's a beautiful, refined piece of work with sufficient power to push the wagon from 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h.

   
• Fuel consumption, so important these days, is a claimed 9.5 litres per 100km. Our test car returned 10.6L/100km which is still an excel- lent result.

   

• Dynamic Drive and Active Steering take ride and handling to a new level. Hydraulically controlled anti-roll bars counter body roll and eliminate vibration generated by poor surfaces while active steering reduces the number of turns of the wheel required at slow speeds and when parking.

   

• The downside of this tecnology is that it makes the car rather twitchy and sensitive to sudden movements at lower speeds. The brakes tend to grab too.

   

• A six-speed, sequential automatic trans- mission is fitted designed to maximise per- formance and economy.

   

• Eight airbags and a host of electronic aids are fitted to bolster safety.

   

• Like other BMWs this one is fitted with "iDrive" which employs a large, console mounted control knob to operate the computer display. Try as we may, some functions are still difficult to access.

   

• Our test vehicle was also fitted with the optional, look good M Sport package, which adds $4000 to the already hefty $114,800 price tag.

   

• It comprises a body kit, 15mm lower sport suspension (including self-levelling rear), 18-inch light alloys, run flat 245/40 tyres, plus M Sport steering wheel, door sills, sport seats and aluminium interior trim. Black chrome replaces exterior window trim.

   

• One of the really nice features of this wagon is the standard power operated tailgate. Easily dismissed as just another toy, you wouldn't swap it for the world after hitting the button a few times.

   

• Our test vehicle was optioned to the hilt, with a giant "Panorama" glass sunroof, comprising two glass sections whose trailing edges can be raised. Rear side blinds were also fitted.

   

• Heads-up display was also optioned which projects an holographic image of the car's speed in the lower area of the windscreen. It is an interesting and practical addition, but the result is dimmed by polarised sunglasses.

VERDICT: Nice car. But we're left wondering why you'd buy the wagon, given the avail- ability of the excellent X5, which offers the the same utility but greater versatility – and it's cheaper.