Skip advert
Advertisement

(F10) BMW 5 Series review - (2010-2016) - Design

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

Design

Comfortably the Five’s weakest area in an all-round strong showing, it’s not that the F10/F11/F07 cars are ugly, just more that they’re a bit safe and anodyne after the daring angularity of the Chris Bangle era. The sixth iteration of 5 Series is the first generation of the car yet that hasn’t made its immediate predecessor instantly obsolete; to these eyes, the preceding 5 Series in M Sport specification still looks every bit as modern and attractive a car as the current model. In fact, it’s only really the M Sport sixth-gen cars that get you looking twice, as SEs and Luxury versions are plain to behold. Of course, they’re therefore less divisive than Bangle’s flame-surfaced creation, which means this 5 Series is less likely to offend anyone’s sensibilities. A mild facelift in 2013 brought in different lights, bumpers, kidney grilles and side indicators repositioned into the door mirrors; hardly drastic surgery for a shape that’s been around since 2010.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Used Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5, 2004 - 2009) review – one of the best VWs of the last 30 years
VW Golf GTI Mk5 front
In-depth reviews

Used Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk5, 2004 - 2009) review – one of the best VWs of the last 30 years

Volkswagen's quintessential hot hatch saw a stunning return to form in Mk5 guise. It’s aged like a fine wine and is an appreciating modern classic tod…
2 Sep 2025
Boxster and Cayman are dead – Porsche’s sweet-spot sports cars axed
Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4
News

Boxster and Cayman are dead – Porsche’s sweet-spot sports cars axed

The ultimate goldilocks sports cars of our time finally bow out. The segment has lost its all-time great benchmarks
2 Sep 2025
Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI – VW’s small hot hatch will keep the name you know
Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI
News

Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI – VW’s small hot hatch will keep the name you know

The ID. Polo GTI represents a new strategy from Volkswagen, of bringing back names we know and love for future electric models
3 Sep 2025