About a month ago, BMW dropped off a 2026 540i to sample for an extended loan into the spring. Typically, auto journalists get to spend a week or less with a car for a review. That’s a fine amount of time to get an overview of a car, but it’s not really enough time to live with it and find the foibles that you love and the ones that might annoy a long-term owner. I wanted to get a deeper impression of the car to see what it was like to use daily, and if it was worth putting in your garage. While I don’t have my final verdict just yet, I do have a good idea of what I do and don’t like about this car now that I’ve spent about 1000 miles behind the wheel. Here’s the rundown.
Good: The Drivetrain
The 540i uses the B58 inline-six paired with a 48-volt mild hybrid setup. That makes 375 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, and is linked to all four wheels via a ZF eight-speed automatic. Now, the B58 is a gem of an engine, smooth and tractable, plenty of power everywhere in the rev range. That works really well with the ZF gearbox, which has become ubiquitous and is well programmed in the new 5 to match the powertrain. I also like that it’s refreshingly simple. It’s not an overworked turbo four. It’s not an overcomplicated and overweight plug-in hybrid. It’s a straight-six-powered sport sedan in that classic BMW tradition. That’s something to celebrate.
But the part that I find most impressive is the 48-volt system.
I’ve never been a fan of start/stop systems, it’s typically the first thing I deactivate when I sit in a new car. These systems are intrusive and annoying, particularly when they don’t correctly judge what you’re doing, like a brief stop that shuts down then starts the engine again in a second. The 540i’s system seems able to anticipate what’s going on, and the 48-volt system makes it quick and seamless to restart. For example, when it realizes I’m coming to a stop, the engine will actually shut down in the final bit of coasting. Then it restarts seamlessly when my foot hits the gas. There is so little delay that it doesn’t feel like it turned off at all. It’s one of the best integrations I’ve seen.
Less Good: The Buttons
I should be specific, it’s the lack of buttons. Nearly all functions have migrated to the iDrive. Granted, iDrive is easy to use, but I still appreciate buttons and knobs. Part of the reason I learned I liked the start/stop system was that the button to turn it off is hidden in about three layers of menus, and after turning it off once I couldn’t be bothered to do it again. Same goes for the climate control. I typically set and forget, but if a passenger wants a different temperature and adjusts their side, then I have to go into the menus to get sync back on again. And heated seats are in the screen as well.
Certain things are better with individual buttons and knobs. While I’m thankful the iDrive controller is still in this generation of 5, it may have taken on a little more than it should. And knowing that the Neue Klasse eliminates the iDrive knob, I know have to wonder if it’ll disappear from the 5 when the LCI comes. I have to imagine it will.
Good: Comfort and Ride (with one exception)
The new 5 rides really nicely, smooth and comfortable, but not floaty and disconnected. It also may be heavy, but it doesn’t feel heavy. The steering is too light and missing feel, a shame considering the lineage of this car. However, it’s how BMW and the industry have moved for the last few generations of models like this, so it isn’t shocking. However, it’s also a quick rack and accurate. And, thankfully, the 5 still handles really well. Matched with the terrific drivetrain, it’s still a fun car to throw into some corners.
If you get a 540i, don’t get the 21s.
The one exception to the above is specific to the car I’m driving: the 21-inch wheels. They look great, but big wheels with low profile tires are a recipe for disaster in the Northeast, especially as we come out of winter. Potholes make every road into a slalom, since a direct hit will pop a tire or ruin a wheel, and if you’re unlucky, it’ll do both. The weight and size of them also impacts the ride on bumpier roads. If you get a new 5, opt for smaller wheels.
Less Good: Minor Annoyances
There are some odd things that I find annoying. I’ll highlight two that I encounter. First, there’s an option to have the car lock or unlock when you walk away or come near it. Great, in theory. But if you have the keys in your pocket and you walk by the car, it unlocks and beeps. Then it locks when you get far enough away. Now, you can turn the beep off, which solves part of the problem. But I like the beep to confirm that the car is locked when I walk in the house if I’m not looking. There’s obviously no real way to fix this other than turn the setting off, which I’m not willing to do. So I’ll just live with it.
But there’s another that I find far more annoying. If the car is in personal mode, which is what it typically goes to on startup, it will turn off when you open the drivers side door after parking. Not bad, right? Well, in certain scenarios, it’s not great. If the driver is getting out to get something but wants to leave it on for passengers, you can’t in that mode. If you go to the car wash and get out to give the car to an attendant, it turns off. The way I’ve been disabling it is putting it in sport mode, which keeps the engine running when the door is opened. If you know another way, let me know in the comments below.
I have another month or so with the 5, and I’m looking forward to it. The annoyances are currently outweighed by the good stuff, which has been refreshing. The 5 Series has always been core to BMW, but with sales and focus moving to cars like the X5, it’s good to see the sedans haven’t been forgotten.
