The closing months of last year required me to head back east to Maryland to help transition my mother into assisted living. This happened over multiple trips requiring several rental cars, including a stint in the relatively new G60 BMW 5 Series.
First, let’s talk trucks. For the initial trip, I flew the Cessna 185 Skywagon out to bring the tools and equipment necessary to move my mom, as well as my mountain bike, to blow off the inevitable stress such an endeavor would cause. I’d also need a van or a truck to haul stuff in, preferably something engaging enough to hold my attention for the week. The best I could do from a traditional rental car agency was a Chevy Equinox. While the latest version of the mid-size SUV doesn’t ooze mediocrity as much as previous Equinoxes did, the thought of spending a week in one gave me tremors (I should note that had I done more planning for the week of Thanksgiving, I could have got something more interesting—or similar).
This led to a search on Turo, which revealed a 2023 Ford Raptor for the same price as the Equinox. Already familiar with the Ford platform from our 2022 F350 shop truck, the choice between a week of mid-size SUV mediocrity versus a week of Race Red Baja-inspired sports truck was obvious. Before this, I had never understood the Raptor. It’s less good at being a truck, with reduced payload and towing thanks to its off-road Fox suspension, but it is more expensive than a regular F150 and only comes in a short bed. But after a short drive, I was hooked! The Raptor was more nimble and less cumbersome than my Super Duty while handling better and having faster acceleration. In sport mode, the active exhaust note was intoxicating, and the adjustable suspension made comical work of Columbia, Maryland’s obtrusive “traffic calming” speed humps. The latter became more of an invitation to set the suspension to off-road mode and just send it! And, while Raptors are as common as roadside sunflowers in Colorado, they are seemingly rare in suburban Columbia. When I wasn’t terrorizing my childhood haunts by trying to catch air off traffic-calming humps, people would come out of the weeds to admire what is truly a sports truck. One guy abandoned his whole family in the Costco parking lot to chat it up with another so-called “truck guy.” I left him disappointed, but I appreciated his enthusiasm nonetheless.
The Raptor just didn’t fit in in Columbia, Maryland.
I had high hopes for the Hyundai Santa Cruz…
…but, a used Honda Ridgeline is better.
I still needed to haul stuff for the next trip, so I stuck with the Turo recipe and rented a vehicle that had piqued my curiosity for some time, the Hyundai Santa Cruz. I appreciated the styling of what could best be described as the closest thing to a ute to grace our shores since the El Camino. I had hoped the fit and finish would mirror the surprisingly good Palisade SUV. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. The mid-level Santa Cruz I had chosen was filled with cheap plastics, frustrating infotainment, and an utterly soulless driving experience. The small rear cargo bed was further hampered by a built-in tonneau cover, requiring two vehicles to move a sectional couch we picked up (I would have piled the boxes three high in the Raptor). The Santa Cruz was vastly inferior to my friend’s decade-old Honda Ridgeline (its closest competitor). Maybe the top-shelf turbo version is better, but I wouldn’t roll the dice on the next rental to find out.
A 2024 BMW 530i came to my rental car rescue.
When I couldn’t extend this rental, I opted for a traditional rental car to save time on my early morning airline flight home. It was this circuitous route—a sports truck and a Korean ute—that led me to the 2024 BMW 530i, but once I opened the door, I knew I was home. I picked up the 5 Series from SIXT Rent a Car in a very seamless transaction. I took the opportunity to hang my from my cold dead hands E39 5 Series hat on the wall and try to have an open mind for BMW’s newest 5’er.
The executive-spec 530i in its natural habitat.
The interior featured a digital instrument cluster, a massive infotainment screen, and configurable mood lighting.
Can you find the 5?
The crystal iDrive controller has made it down to the 530i.
The G60 5 Series was released eighteen months ago for the 2024 model year as the eighth-generation 5 Series. The 530i I rented was an entry-level model configured in typical company car specs. The only option was the Convenience Package, which included a remote engine start feature and a heated steering wheel. I appreciated both on a cold Maryland morning. Despite its sparse option list, the standard kit was quite impressive. Items of note were contoured faux leather Veganza seats, no less than 27 inches of digital displays, a crystal iDrive controller that has trickled down-market from the 5’er’s higher-numbered siblings, and the coolest interior trick—vents that are literally hidden in the illuminated black oak trim. It took me half a day’s drive to solve the mystery of what the rubber roller directional controls were on the dashboard and even knowing they were there, I still struggled to find the vents.
The vents are hidden, even in the light.
The B48 engine is a proven platform with some hidden mild-hybrid magic behind the scenes. Sport mode livens things up nicely.
Power for the 530i comes from the proven 2.0-liter turbo-charged B48 4-cylinder engine and superb ZF 8-speed gearbox. Despite a portly 4,000-pound curb weight, the B48 delivered E36 M3 acceleration in the 530i, with an additional 10-second Sport Boost Mode available by holding the left paddle shifter down. This is more than enough to satisfy the mission of the 530i, which is more business casual than its performance-oriented G60 counterparts. Where the 530i outpaced those was a fuel economy that easily surpassed 30 mpg in mixed city/highway conditions, with even me behind the wheel. I was mystified at how this was possible until I discovered the 48-volt mild hybrid system working behind the scenes. It actively activates the start/stop function and captures regenerative braking energy. The fact that I was clueless about its existence is a testament to how good the system is.
As pleased as I was to spend my last days of the trip in a BMW, there were certain transgressions I just couldn’t overlook. The exterior styling leaves much to be desired, granted the optional M Sport package could have filled in the blanks on the bottom of the blunt-nosed front end nicely. The Hofmeister kink is prominently adorned with the number 5, and another is stamped inside the doors on the B-pillar. The only purpose I could see for these was to add specific branding to the 5 Series lineup, but such trivialities are unnecessary. Conversely, the lower-side skirt sported a subtle speed flag pattern that was more visible in optimal lighting, which was a nice design touch. I could take or leave the triple-spoke style 933 wheels, but they were up-market compared to the available wheels on previous entry-level 5 Series generations.
The racing flag decal on the lower sill was a nice subtle touch.
The square steering wheel in the non-M Sport 530i left me with only one question: why?
Inside, the steering wheel was flattened on the top and the bottom into a rectangular shape. This served absolutely no purpose and was more annoying than functional. The optional M Sport package would remedy this back to a circle, but why is that even necessary? Behind it, the digital instrument cluster and curved 15-inch screen were the centerpiece of the interior, the latter providing ample screen room for the app-centric iDrive, Apple/Android connectivity, and selectable mood and ambiance lighting. While the pilot in me always appreciates a button over a touchscreen, the climate control hot buttons at the bottom of the screen were augmented with dedicated heated seats and steering wheel buttons—a necessity to avoid digging through distracting menus to access an essential function.
The G60 530i has a specific mission, which it accomplished successfully.
To properly understand this G60 530i, I had to consider its mission, which will likely be to satisfy the needs of an executive company car (or nicely optioned rental). With a price point of $60K, in today’s money, it’s cheap for a brand new 5 Series, but add the much-needed M Sport Package ($3,000) and a few other options, and the price balloons quickly. Alternatively, two-thirds of that MSRP will get you a good used F80 M3 sedan in the current market—but few corporate car accounts would tolerate such dubious behavior on the company dime. That said, be it a corporate car or a rental, the 530i was comfortable, refined, and delivered 30 miles per gallon while offering the BMW driving experience for the same money as a Chevy Malibu from the adjacent rental counter. I was happy to call it home for a few days, and I will happily rent one again!—Alex McCulloch
