Say hello to…
…the BMW 5-series Touring in plug-in hybrid form. Power for the 530e comes from a 2.0-litre petrol engine coupled to a 19.4kWh battery and motor that has an official EV range of 59 miles. Together the power output is 299hp which results in a slightly phenomenal 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds for the rear-drive estate.
BMW only offers the 530e in two trims:
- M Sport
- M Sport Pro
Standard equipment on the M Sport includes 19-inch alloys, Alcantara upholstery, Bluetooth, USB ports, cruise control, two-zone climate control, heated front seats, powered front seats, powered steering column adjust, park assist and sports suspension.
M Sport Pro adds 20-inch alloys.
Is The BMW 530e Touring Suitable For My Fleet
It is not an understatement to say that the BMW 530e Touring is one of the most fleet-suitable cars available today for higher mileage drivers.
As well as having an excellent residual value, the plug-in hybrid version of the of the 5 Series estate offers both a healthy EV-only range of more than 50 miles in the real world and a 500+ range between petrol fills. We also found, over 1,500 mainly motorway miles, with only two battery charges, the 530e returned just over 45mpg.
Alongside the good running costs, the boot is huge and there’s plenty of room inside for five adults.
Leasing a BMW 530e Touring
Gateway2lease is offering the BMW 530e Touring in M Sport Pro specification for £683 a month on a 9+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Gensen Reports is forecasting maintenance costs at £94 a month. Class 1A NIC comes in at £65 per month.
Driving A BMW 530e Touring
When FleetandLeasing.com booked the BMW 530e to test, we knew we’d be doing some miles. Namely a 700-mile round trip to deliver the eldest child to university. But due to a family emergency we ended up doing more than twice the number of miles we expected.
This is one of the reasons some business buyers aren’t yet prepared to go for a full EV; the ‘drop-everything and go’ call.
These situations are thankfully very rare, but they do happen.
An EV with a long range would have worked, but it would have been more stressful; simply worrying about the availability of charging in the right locations.
Over 1,500 miles we can categorically report how the 530e Touring drives.
Judging by how rarely it happens, it is incredibly difficult to balance comfort with sporty handling. However, the BMW 530e has it spot on.
The plug-in hybrid will offer a great ride on motorways and more uneven A- and B-roads, partly thanks to the silent suspension, but also due to wonderfully supportive seats. And then if you do want to have a bit of fun on an open, twisty, road, the car will deliver that too.
We’ve not always been fans of BMW’s recent piped-in noises, but in the 5 Series the levels are judged just right and the sound played when you used the ‘boost’ function is just a giggle. Think spaceship entering warp.
For those that still don’t like the sounds, they can also be easily deactivated.
The same goes for the lane keeping and speed warnings, they’re simple to turn off though the large clear and fast-responding infotainment screen.
However, if there is one negative, it’s that if you want to switch between drive modes (say you want a burst of ‘sport’), this is not just a physical button press but also several taps on the screen. Hardly the work of a moment and not great if you quickly want to access ‘sport’ for an overtake. Plus, you can’t activate these modes with voice commands or gesture control, both of which are present in the 530e.
In reality, you end up sticking with the standard drive mode and just flicking the automatic gearbox into sport in such situations.
The gearbox is smooth and predictable, and the brakes are reassuring. As we’ve already said. The 530e is an impressive drive.
Cabin quality is impressive too and fitting of a car in this class, although, while it’s no dealbreaker, we’d have a thinner rimmed steering wheel, if it was offered.
We also should give an honourable mention to BMW’s connected car app. It’s rare that we are able to test such aspects on a short test, but BMW’s system is reliable and easy to use, with functions you actually want to use, such as charge status, fuel level and pre-heat.
Overall, the BMW 530e Touring really is one of the best all-round upper premium cars a business driver can run.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The BMW 530e Touring
One of the best and most versatile large estates a business driver can run.
BMW 530e
- Model: 530e Touring M Sport Pro
- Power: 299hp
- Torque: 450Nm
- Max speed: 155mph
- 0-62mph: 6.4 s
- Official mpg: 353mpg
- Test mpg: 45.3mpg
- Official EV range: 59 miles
- Test EV range: 56 miles
- CO2 emissions: 18g/km
- BIK tax band 2025/26: 8%
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