Test drivers agreed that the 2012 BMW 5-Series Hybrid has strong acceleration and a comfortable ride, but you can get better fuel economy and more trunk space in a non-hybrid 5-Series.
The 2012 BMW 5-Series Hybrid's #5 ranking is based on its score within the 2012 Luxury Large Cars category. Currently the BMW 5-Series Hybrid has a score of 7.9 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 14 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
According to automotive journalists, the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5’s turbocharged six-cylinder engine and electric motor deliver strong acceleration and smooth transitions between electric and gas power. The 5-Series Hybrid has rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. According to the EPA, it gets 23/30 mpg city/highway, which is fairly good for the class, but unimpressive compared to some other luxury hybrids’ estimates, and lower than the non-hybrid BMW 528i’s fuel economy estimates. Reviewers said the 5-Series Hybrid drives a lot like the gas-only 5-Series, with a pleasant ride and poised handling, but is not as engaging behind the wheel as it could be. They said the 5-Series Hybrid’s regenerative brakes have none of the sponginess or grabbiness commonly associated with hybrid braking systems.
Automotive journalists agreed that the 2012 BMW 5-Series Hybrid has a first-rate, attractive interior. The 5-Series Hybrid has the same seats as the non-hybrid 5-Series, which reviewers said are comfortable up front, but lack ample legroom in the rear. The ActiveHybrid 5 has 10 cubic feet of trunk space, which is very small for the class. Standard features in the 2012 BMW 5-Series Hybrid include four-zone automatic climate control, navigation and BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. Available features include ventilated front seats, a rear-seat entertainment system, a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, a head-up display and a night vision display with pedestrian detection.
Like the 5-Series Hybrid, critics said the 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid has strong acceleration, a comfortable ride and fairly agile handling. The M35h gets better fuel economy than the 5-Series Hybrid and has a bit more trunk space.
The non-hybrid 2012 BMW 528i gets better gas mileage than the 5-Series Hybrid, and reviewers agreed that it has plenty of power. The gas-only 5-Series also has more trunk space than the ActiveHybrid 5.
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