2019 BMW 530i 

By Alex Forrest

This is the seventh generation BMW 5 Series, a model range which was once one of BMW's most popular. Nowadays, SUVs are by far BMW's most popular vehicle type. 

In fact, of the 21 different model lines offered by BMW, only seven of those are SUVs, and yet SUVs made up well over half of the total BMW sales volume in Australia in 2018. 

However, a large, refined and good-handling sedan or wagon can be a convincing antithesis to the SUV onslaught. Take the BMW 530i for example. 

It corners neatly and accurately because its dynamics aren't affected by the weight of a four-wheel drive running gear and its gravity isn't affect by raised suspension and tall bodywork. 

The 530i sedan, which we tested, competes with the Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and to a lesser extent the Jaguar XF and Lexus GS. 

It's also available in Touring guise, or to use the unfashionable generic term, a station wagon. 

AS a more voluminous version of the sedan, the Touring is an even more viable alternative to an SUV, especially as it's $4,000 cheaper than a BMW X5 30d. 

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine which makes 185kW and 350Nm. It's very efficient and smooth, while its performance is more than adequate for the vehicle. 

The interior finish and design are what you'd expect of a car in this price range, and find polished wood and metal trim finishes abound. It's roomy inside too, much brighter than the dour BMW interiors of years ago. 

Technology in the 530i includes a system of four camera around the vehicle which work together to construct a bird's-eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings. 

It also has Intelligent Emergency Call, which activates when any of the vehicles airbags are deployed. The system uses an independent telephone unit in the car to automatically convey the car's location and contact a dedicated Australian call centre for help. 

Then there's the option of gesture control, which enables front seat passengers to turn up the audio volume by twirling their fingers in the air. Just be careful doing that in traffic.