Skip advert
Advertisement

(F10) BMW 5 Series review - (2010-2016) - MPG and running costs

BMW’s 5 Series: so good, it’s all the car you’d ever need

Evo rating
RRP
from £31,115
  • Great engines, superb chassis, lovely interior
  • Bland exterior styling, very common now

MPG and running costs

They might be powerful engines but they sure aren’t wasteful as a result. The figures listed here are the best BMW quotes for a given engine/body; it’s worth bearing in mind that higher specs (and therefore, bigger wheels and tyres) increase BIK and emissions ratings. In all instances where it’s an option, the automatic gearbox makes a model ‘greener’.

Advertisement - Article continues below

For the saloons, the diesels run from 17-25 per cent Benefit-in-Kind (BIK), with economy anything between 53.3mpg for the 535d and 68.9mpg for the 520d SE auto. Emissions ratings range from 109- to 138g/km. For the petrols, the 520i’s 47.1mpg, 139g/km and 20 per cent BIK are the best, while the 550i will do 32.8mpg, 199g/km and attracts BIK of 32 per cent. 

The Touring is heavier and thus slightly more expensive to run: petrol models achieve between 37.7- and 44.8mpg, 147-174g/km CO2 and BIK of 22-28 per cent, while the diesels return 51.4-62.8mpg, 118-144g/km and BIK of 19-25 per cent. The GT is worse still, with overall economy between 30.7mpg (550i) and 51.4mpg (520d), emissions stretching from 144-to 220g/km and BIK of 24-35 per cent. The ActiveHybrid 5, spec-dependent, attracts BIK of 22-25 per cent, returns 40.4-44.1mpg and emits 149-163g/km.

Service Inclusive packages are available for the BMW, as is the three-year/60,000-mile warranty. The 5 Series is one of the most desirable cars in its class, so residual values will remain strong, even though there are a lot of them on our roads.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

My Audi S8 can’t make me hate it, even if its safety systems are often terrible
Audi S8 – interior
Long term tests

My Audi S8 can’t make me hate it, even if its safety systems are often terrible

ADAS systems can be the bane of one’s existence in modern cars, but they can’t take the decadent shine off our long-term limo
16 Jul 2026
New Range Rover Sport electric set to take on new BMW iX5 – we take a drive
Range Rover Sport electric front
News

New Range Rover Sport electric set to take on new BMW iX5 – we take a drive

Range Rover’s next all-electric SUV will be based on its popular Sport model and be ready to take on BMW and Porsche
16 Jul 2026
Mercedes-Benz A-class review – the Audi A3-rivalling hatchback Mercedes can’t afford to kill
Mercedes-Benz A-class front
In-depth reviews

Mercedes-Benz A-class review – the Audi A3-rivalling hatchback Mercedes can’t afford to kill

The current A-class is now almost a decade old. Happily, it still looks and feels relatively fresh
16 Jul 2026