What The Base Model BMW 5 Series Gets You In 2024

The BMW 5 Series is now in its eighth generation, making it one of the most successful midsize luxury sedans in the market today. Its strong and long lineage was thanks to the 5 Series building a reputation for being the midsize luxury sedan of choice if driving pleasure is your priority. It was even known for its style, especially with the E39 generation. The E60 generation, on the other hand, looked pretty radical and controversial in 2004, but it can’t be denied now that twenty years later, the E60’s radical styling was a case of being ahead of its time.

Now in 2024, we enter the eighth generation G60 2024 BMW 5 Series, which is somehow repeating the mixed reactions that the E60 got twenty years ago. Whether the G60’s design is another case of being ahead of its time or BMW going too far this time around is still up for debate, but amid the glamorous photos and ads on the web of a fully-loaded 5 Series with all the available bells and whistles, what do you get if you only splurge for an absolute no options base model of the 5 Series today? Let’s find out.

Here’s What A Base, No Options 5 Series Looks Like

The base BMW 5 Series without any options will cost $57,900, which gets you the 530i. Whenever we talk about a base model, the first series of questions that come to mind are how the vehicle looks without any options and what kind of features are fitted as standard. Thankfully, with the 2024 BMW 5 Series, you do get a good number of features right out of the box.

A 5 Series That Looks Rather Okay

Without ticking any of the options box, the 2024 BMW 530i comes with 19-inch silver alloy wheels and Alpine White non-metallic paint as standard. These are complemented by standard automatic LED headlights, full LED taillights, and the Comfort Access smart entry and push-button start system.

Because this trim doesn’t come with the M Sport look, the lower portions of the front bumper, side rocker panels, and rear bumper have a matte black treatment as opposed to being body-colored or gloss black. The new 2024 BMW 530i looks very distinct, if not oddly proportioned in some areas, without the M Sport appearance.

Vegans Will Love The 530i’s Standard Interior

The vegan movement is stronger than ever, which is why 2024 is a great time to brand synthetic leather as vegan-friendly leather. Called Veganza in BMW’s fancy marketing speak, this is the no-cost upholstery choice in the new 5 Series. It is offered as standard in black, but thankfully, Smoke White, Burgundy Red, and Espresso Brown are also no-cost options.

In fairness to BMW, they do synthetic leather really well, so we’re pretty much content with the no-cost upholstery interior option. Accenting the interior are two wood trim choices, along with aluminum and silver accents are your no-cost interior trim choices.

Even the standard tech features in a 2024 BMW 530i with no optional extras are impressive. The newest iDrive 8.5 with a 12.3-inch driver’s display and 14.9-inch main infotainment screen are fitted as standard and are even complemented by BMW ConnectedDrive telematics services. Standard features include

• Harman Kardon sound system
• Power-adjustable front seats
• Wireless charging
• LED ambient lighting
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Your optional extras, on the other hand, range from heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and rear sunshades, just to name a few. Unfortunately, at least for now, the enhanced ambient lights called the Interaction Bar, are exclusive to the fully electric i5.

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The New 5 Series Is Setup For Superior Driving Dynamics

The 530i comes with rear-wheel drive (RWD) as you’d expect in a midsize BMW luxury sedan, while the xDrive rear-biased all-wheel drive (AWD) system is an optional extra. The CLAR platform that the G60 5 Series inherits from the G30 5 Series is heavily redesigned for better ride quality and improved refinement (which is already very good in the first place). However, the new 5 Series is also bigger and taller than ever, since it has to deal with both an ICE and a pure electric version.

255 Horsepower Out Of The Box

Because this is the 530i, what you get is BMW’s familiar but improved B48 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine. The improvement comes from the fact that all ICE-powered 5 Series models are mild hybrids. As a result, power is increased to 255 horsepower (+7 hp), while torque is now at 295 pound-feet (+38 lb-ft).

The 48-volt mild hybrid system improves upon the power delivery of the B48 engine whilst making the engine start-stop system operate a lot smoother. Equally smooth is the eight-speed automatic that BMW has mastered at this point, and this powertrain combination is good for a 0-60 mph time of just 5.9 seconds. Adding the xDrive AWD system reduces the acceleration time by a tenth of a second whilst adding the reassurance of inclement weather grip.

’24 BMW 5 Series Performance Specifications

(Source: BMW)

A 5-Star Driving Experience

The 2024 BMW 530i–despite being the entry-level version, isn’t short on delivering a sublime driving experience. As our colleagues from sister site CarBuzz have noted, the new BMW 5 Series serves as a perfect middle ground for the brand’s sedan lineup. As with every new BMW, the already impressive refinement levels just get even better after every succeeding generation, and the new 5 Series is no exception to this. The 540i’s B58 straight-six will no doubt be the engine of choice for those who have the means, but the 530i’s B48 four-cylinder is more than enough for the daily commute.

Handling-wise, the 530i’s steering is responsive with its quick ratio tuning, yet is also light for the daily grid. The suspension is also very compliant without feeling too soft–a testament to how BMW always nails the body control aspect of a vehicle. All-in-all, the BMW 530i should succeed in what it has always done best–be the driver’s choice in the segment whilst being comfortable and fading into the background when you simply want to drive home from a stressful day at work.

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All About That Base And No Trouble

So yes, the 2024 BMW 530i–even in its absolute base model version for $57,900 without any optional extras, is still an excellent midsize luxury sedan. It seems it’s certainly all about that base and no trouble in owning a 5 Series with no options, huh? Yeah, I’m sorry I couldn’t resist the pun, but to sum it all up, here’s why a base model 2024 BMW 530i is just as rewarding if this is your only means to getting the 5 Series.

Well-Equipped And Well-Packaged

The number of standard features you get in the 2024 BMW 530i is pretty good. You already get the best version of BMW’s infotainment system as standard, along with a Harman Kardon sound system, and a good number of luxury interior features. It may not look the best in its base, non-M Sport guise, but as a result, it also undercuts the base price of the yet-to-arrive 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

That’s because, in the E-Class, the AMG Line exterior package and 4Matic AWD are standard, which contributes to its higher base MSRP of $62,300. However, in hindsight, the 530i with xDrive and M Sport exterior package ends up costing $63,200, so not much in it separates it from a similarly-specced E 350 AMG Line 4Matic.

Interestingly, the E350 4Matic’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is also extremely similar to the 530i’s B48 engine. Both produce the same numbers at 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Where they differ is with their transmission choices, which is a nine-speed automatic for the E-Class.

It’s also slightly slower than the 530i xDrive with a 0-60 mph time of 6.1 seconds. We still don’t know the EPA-estimated MPG figures of the E350 4Matic, but the 530i’s 27/35/30 city/highway/combined MPG (whether RWD or AWD) are class-leading.

An Executive Sedan That Looks Out For You, But…

Finally, the 2024 BMW 530i comes with a good number of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard, which means that the 530i is also a luxury sedan that looks out for you. Fitted as standard are Forward Collision Warning,

Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Parking Assistant (BMW’s autonomous parallel and perpendicular parking feature with a reverse camera and all-around sensors), and Lane Departure Warning.

However, if you want the full package and one that matches the value-packed Lexus ES, you’ll have to pay extra for stuff like Parking Assistant Plus, Drive Recorder, a 360-degree Camera, and the Driving Assistance Professional package. The last item, which is a standalone package for $2,500 is where you’ll finally get Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, and the Highway Assistant feature that allows for hands-free driving for up to 85 mph on certain roads.

Highway Assistant also includes Active Lane Change, in which the 5 Series can ask you if you want the vehicle to perform an autonomous lane change, and then it will perform the action when you look at one of your side mirrors.