I won't say that the 2012 BMW 528i xDrive is slow, because when you wind it out it gets up and going. But the acceleration isn't something you'd comment on, unless, of course, it was the lack of acceleration.
The eight-speed automatic certainly helps in getting at all of the available power. I liked this engine in the Z4, but that car is several hundred pounds lighter than the 5-series here. The small-displacement turbo engine is smooth and revs quickly, with no turbo lag, but it's not something that will ignite much passion.
The car rides on our favorite Goodyear run-flats, and by choosing the comfort suspension setting, the overall ride was more than acceptable. The interior is pure BMW, which means lots of leather, some beautifully finished wood panels on the dash, and a nice, thick steering wheel to hold on to.
This is a prime example of just how quickly options add up in luxury cars. With a base price of less than $50,000, then adding all-wheel drive, the sports package, premium paint, etc., the dollars add up to more than $61,000. I'd dig deep and spend another $3,300 and get the bigger engine. The 535i jumps horsepower up to 300, and if you like and aren't wedded to AWD, can get a six-speed manual gearbox, something not offered in the base car.
DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: If it looks like a 5-series and drives like a 5-series, it must be a 5-series right? Wrong. Imagine that the car in question had all of the right ingredients but sounded like a four-cylinder Honda Accord, and you'd have our BMW 528i xDrive.
I actually didn't find the acceleration lacking, but the experience very much was. Part of the problem is that the BMW straight-six is not something you mess with. It's about as perfect as engines come, so when you expect to hear that deep six bellow and notfeel anything thanks to the smoothness, getting a dose of inline-four is like an ice-cold motel shower.
BMW has also implemented stop/start technology in the new 528i, and frankly it's subpar in this application. I like stop/start, but not if the start part is accompanied by an engine-cranking sound and detectable shudder. The engine also restarts if the steering wheel is moved at a stop, which results in a weird no-assist/crank/assist effect. BMW put a button below the starter button to disable stop/start, and we suspect many drivers will be glad to have it.
If it seems like I'm harping on the powertrain, that's because the rest of the car is a 5-series—in other words, it's damn good. But there's no way I'd opt for the 528i. It feels as if only about 80 percent of the development work was finished before the car was pushed out the door, a rare misstep by BMW.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: My biggest beef with this car is the way the four-cylinder sounds, which is very un-BMW-like and more like an engine in a car that costs $28,000, not $61,000. I was also surprised to see that this is a turbo. It's rather sluggish, considering that.
So the powertrain is a letdown. But I basically liked the rest of the car (forgetting for a moment the price). It's nearly the perfect size, and the ride/handling mix felt excellent to me. For some reason I don't feel that these run-flats beat the heck out of me like those on other BMWs that I've driven. Interior fit and finish and general build quality looked and felt very good.
Overall, no. Not with this turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain. Plus our ongoing problems with the notorious run-flats would haunt me if I owned this car.
SENIOR ROAD TEST EDITOR NATALIE NEFF: I'm in near-total agreement with Stoy on this one. I have many beefs with BMWs in general—mostly with regard to their inane take on switchgear, controls, shifters, etc.—but that's not where this particular car falls short.
This engine in a Z4 or a 3-series is almost forgivable; there's an inherent sportiness with the smaller cars that (almost) allows one to gloss over some level of coarseness or NVH issues so long as the performance is there. And this engine is fine in terms of power so long as you work the gears right. But in the 5-series? No way. This class of car demands a much higher level of refinement than the four-banger imparts. It sounds like a lawn mower, feels like a lawn mower in the hands, and the auto-stop function will have you swearing you actually yanked on a pull cord to get the thing rolling again from stoplights.
I only say I'm in near-total agreement because I don't think it feels as if only 80 percent of the development work was done. To my mind, either this is as much refinement as can be eked from the engine, or BMW sloughed off somewhere around the 50 percent mark.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: When I first started the car in the airport parking lot, I actually got out and walked around back to see whether there was a “d” on the badge. The engine was clattering enough on start-up to do a strong imitation of a diesel. If only I'd been so lucky.
Sadly, if you want max fuel economy (and need/want AWD) in your 5-series, there is no diesel in the lineup. So, as Hart notes, you might as well pony up for the six-cylinder. In the long run, even if fuel prices spike, you'll be happier for it.
This is perfectly reasonable BMW in most areas, but this powertrain is overmatched by this heft.
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Yup, this engine isn't very good in a 4,000-pound 5-series. This is an xDrive model, too, which doesn't help matters (it is 187 pounds heavier than the rear-wheel-drive 528i). To get going, you need to stand on the throttle and even then, not all that much happens. If you leave the car in normal mode, the transmission short-shifts like a madman, and it will have to downshift every time you want to speed up even a little. To prevent that, I ran things in sport mode the entire time.
As Bob notes, it's not the smoothest-sounding engine, either. If it was a diesel, I would be more inclined to cut it some slack, but it's not. Let's not even talk about the $61,100 as-tested price, but even at the roughly $50,000 base price, I wouldn't be thrilled with this engine.
From a dynamics standpoint, it's a BMW 5-series. It handles itself well around turns, steering is direct and responsive, the brakes are strong with firm pedal feedback and ride quality is OK even on these awful Goodyear run-flat tires, which we have plenty of experience with.
In the end, I'm also with Hart on this one. Spend a little more loot and go for the six-cylinder. It's well worth the money. Oh, and get some better tires, too.
Base Price: $49,875
As-Tested Price: $61,125
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; AWD, eight-speed automatic
Output: 240 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 255 lb-ft @ 1,250-4,800 rpm
Curb Weight: 4,001 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 25/25.4 mpg
Options: Sport package including dynamic damper control, sports leather steering wheel, 18-inch alloy v-spoke wheels, multicontour seats, shadowline exterior trim, anthracite headliner ($3,600); premium package including power tailgate, universal garage-door opener, park distance control ($2,250); navigation system ($1,900); cold-weather package including heated steering wheel, split fold-down-rear seat, headed front seats, heated rear seats, retractable headlight washers ($1,450); comfort access keyless entry ($1,000); Mojave metallic paint ($550); sport automatic transmission ($500)
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120628/carreviews/120629837#ixzz2CvNYiqnz
