Midsize Luxury Sedan

BMW 5 Series

→ Consider

Solid choice with some caveats

Midsize Luxury Sedan

863 sources · updated June 2026

BMW's sport sedan flagship has split into two distinct eras: the beloved and the bloated. The E39 remains the gold standard, timeless design, balanced performance, and a driving character that still feels modern decades later. The G30 (2017-2023) carried that legacy forward with handsome proportions, a brilliant B58 engine in the 540i, and the kind of daily-driver refinement that makes long commutes feel effortless. Then the 2024 G60 arrived, swollen to 7 Series dimensions with cost-cut interior plastics and awkward styling that owners say looks front-wheel-drive. Experts praise its tech and smoothness; enthusiasts mourn the loss of athletic soul. The smart play? A used G30 540i combines steep depreciation with genuine excellence, just budget for BMW maintenance costs that don't depreciate with the sticker price. Skip the current generation unless you prioritize tech over driving character and can stomach the design.

The generation that matters

This product isn't one story — here's how each era is regarded.

E39 (1996–2003)

1996–2003

Legendary

Widely regarded as 'Peak BMW' and 'the ultra car'—practical, comfortable, great performance, easy to maintain, still feels modern with classic design. Consistently cited as the most legendary generation.

E34, E60, F10 (1988–2017)

1988–2017

Strong

E34 praised as reliable and comfortable; E60 'aged so well' despite initial criticism; F10 'aged like fine wine' and seen as understated successor to E39. Generally well-regarded across these eras.

G30 (2017–2023)

2017–2023

Solid

Described as 'one of the best looking sedans ever made' and 'good-looking, fairly simple car.' Well-received design, though some note it skews more toward luxury than sportiness compared to predecessors.

G60 (2024+)

2024+

Compromised

Criticized for being 'not what it used to be'—lost athleticism, overly large/heavy, numb steering, cost-cutting in interior, excessive screens. Experts note smooth powertrains and tech, but enthusiasts call it 'awful,' 'dead last' in looks, and a 'massive downgrade' from G30.

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Common complaints6 issues

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−G60 (current 2024-2026) generation widely criticized for bloated size, awkward proportions, and design that 'looks FWD' (multiple posts, 182+ upvotes)

−Interior cost-cutting on current generation, cheap glossy black plastics, lack of physical controls, reduced material quality vs G30 (multiple posts, 159+ upvotes)

−Numb steering and reduced athleticism compared to previous generations noted by experts and enthusiasts

−Heavy depreciation hurts original owners, cars lose 70-80% of value in 6 years

−Maintenance costs remain expensive even on depreciated used models, 'you're maintaining a $70k car that depreciated to $20k'

−Current generation criticized for excessive size, 'the size of what a 7-series would be' (multiple posts)

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What owners praise7 strengths

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E39 generation regarded as peak BMW, practical, comfortable, great performance, timeless design (539 upvotes)

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G30 540i praised as excellent daily driver, fuel efficient, comfortable, quick, reliable, good looking (multiple posts, 23+ upvotes)

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Current generation praised by experts for smooth powertrains, plush interior, impressive tech suite (Car and Driver, Motor Trend)

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B58 engine (540i) noted as solid and reliable choice across generations

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Exceptional daily driver comfort, quiet, refined, superior to most competitors for long-distance driving

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Strong depreciation makes used models excellent value, 6-year-old luxury cars drop significantly

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Drive assistance features highly praised, owners say once you use it in traffic, you'll never go back

📊 How this score was calculated — 6-dimension rubric

High confidence▼

863 sources analysed with long-term owner data present

863 sources analysed — strong data quality

Reliability & Durability(22%)7.3

8 positive vs 3 negative long-term reports

User Sentiment(22%)7.2

4,821 positive upvotes vs 1,847 negative upvotes

Complaint Severity(16%)8.5

Complaints: 47 cosmetic, 18 functional, 2 systematic, 0 safety

Consensus Strength(8%)3.5

Opinion is use-case dependent — product divides opinion by intended use

Value for Money(15%)5.3

14 'worth it', 8 'overpriced', 6 mention better-value alternatives

Owner Advocacy(17%)7.6

2 repurchased/gifted, 11 unprompted recommendations, 4 regrets

Scores are percentile ranks: 5.0 is the median product in existence. 8.5+ is reserved for genuinely exceptional products (top ~10%). The score reflects consensus quality, what owners say about the product. Risk is tracked separately and shown above the summary when present. Both are calculated deterministically, so the same signals always produce the same score.

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Specifications2026

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Pricing

Starting MSRP

$61,950

Range

$61,950 - $76,950

Capability

Fuel economy

27/35 MPG city/highway (530i), 26/33 MPG (540i), 29 MPG overall (530i xDrive tested)

EV range