The G30 generation BMW 5 Series was a strong contender in the saloon market, with consumers erring more towards SUVs. The car was cracking, but which engine was better? Petrol or diesel?
Choosing between a petrol or diesel model in BMW’s 5 Series range is not easy. Both types of engines have so much going for them in this large sedan range. But we take the plunge anyway, and come up with a winner.
BMW’s G30 generation 5 Series sedan was launched in South Africa in March 2017 to widespread acclaim, and production of this model ended in 2023, with a new 5 Series coming in 2024. While sedan ranges in this size and configuration have been overlooked in recent years due to the relentless switch-over to SUVs, there are still customers who love a luxurious, fine-handling, high-performance sedan. And yes, the 5 Series meets those criteria to a T.
At the time of launch, the new 5 Series was available with two petrol engines and two diesel engines. As is usual with BMW nowadays, the model designations don’t necessarily match the engine sizes, and this was the case with the original model line-up just over two years ago. Things switched up slightly with the facelift models, though. Here are the top 3 things to know about the BMW G30 5 Series.
A change in engine and model line-up since launch
The petrol and diesel engines available in 2017 in the new model were all new-generation engines, and all featured TwinPower turbocharging technology. However, since then, BMW South Africa has slightly revised the model line-up. At launch, the petrol line-up comprised the 530i and 540i models. The 530i was fitted with a 185 kW, two-litre petrol four-cylinder engine. This model has now fallen away, as BMW has replaced it with a more modestly powered 135 kW two-litre, with the new model designated a 520i.
The petrol engine line-up
520i: A 1 998 cc turbocharged four-cylinder is now used in the entry-level 5 Series, developing 135 kW and 290 Nm of torque between 1 350 rpm and 4 250 rpm. It has a manufacturer-rated average fuel consumption figure of 6,2 litres/100 km. The 0-100 km/h time is 7,8 seconds, and the top speed is 225 km/h.
530i: This model featured a 1 998 cc four-cylinder turbocharged engine. This engine has fallen away in favour of the 520i, but this engine developed 185 kW and 350 Nm of torque between 1450 rpm and 4800 rpm. The claimed average fuel consumption is rated at 5,9 litres/100km. The 0-10km/h time is 6,2 seconds, and the top speed is rated at 250 km/h.
540i: This potent model uses a 2 998 cc turbocharged six-cylinder engine, developing 250 kW and 450 Nm of torque at 1 380 rpm to 5 200 rpm. The manufacturer-rated average fuel consumption is 7,2 litres/100 km. The 0-100 km/h time is 5,1 seconds, and the top speed is 250 km/h.
Current diesel engine line-up:
520d: It is interesting that the two-litre diesel produces more kW than the two-litre petrol motor used in the 520i model. The 1 995 cc four-cylinder turbodiesel in the 520d produces 140 kW and 400 Nm of torque at 1 750 pm to 2 500 rpm. The average manufacturer-rated fuel consumption is 4,7 litres/100 km. The 0-100 km/h sprint time is 7,5 seconds, and top speed is 235 km/h. For a video review on the BMW 520d, click here.
530d: This model uses a straight-six-cylinder turbodiesel, developing 195 kW at 4 000 rpm and 620 Nm of torque between 2 000 rpm and 2 500 rpm. The manufacturer-rated average consumption is 5,1 litres/100 km. The 0-100 km sprint time is 5,7 seconds, and the top speed is 250 km/h.
Which is better, petrol or diesel?
Choosing between petrol and diesel variants in a BMW is never an easy task. The reason? Because the BMW petrol engines are generally extremely charismatic and deliver their performance in a very satisfying manner.
With respect to the 3,0-litre fitted to the 540i, this is an understatement! BMW have all but perfected the art of creating sweet-revving, powerful six-cylinder engines, and as this one develops its peak power between 5 500 and 6 500 rpm, you can well imagine the soulful sound it is making at those high revs.
On the other hand, BMW is right up there with producing the sweetest diesels on the market, too, particularly the six-cylinder motor fitted to the 340d. This engine, from the cabin, sounds almost exactly like a muted version of the petrol-fueled six-cylinder engine, the only discernible difference being that it stops revving beyond the 5,000 rpm mark (as all diesels do).
And our choice is…
After lengthy consideration, we would opt for the diesel engine in either the 520d or, if the budget stretched that far, in the 530d. The performance of the diesel is, in fact, superior in the smaller two-litre models, while the engine in the 530d delivers almost as good sprinting ability as the 540i’s engine.
Taking into consideration pricing and fuel savings in the diesel models, we feel they are well worth their asking price. And, somehow, a refined diesel engine in a large sedan like the 5 Series, with the accent more on grace than pace, feels perfectly appropriate.
*Note that we are not including the high-performance (and much more expensive) M5 models in this comparison. That car uses a highly-tuned turbocharged V8 engine, developing 441 kW in the standard model and 460 kW in the Competition model. However, we felt that the M5 customer would have an entirely different “profile” to that of the typical 5 Series customer. And there is currently no equivalent diesel engine to that stonking petrol-fueled V8 used in the 5 Series.
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