Road Test: 2014 BMW 535d xDrive

Story and photos by John LeBlanc It may sport Germanic roots, but with a diesel engine and traction at all four wheels, the new-for-2014 BMW 535d xDrive sedan seems like it was designed with the Canadian luxury sedan buyer in mind. You’re probably well aware of the BMW 5 Series’ place in the automotive world. Since arriving in 1972 as the fifth in the German automaker’s “New Class” of vehicles — sandwiched between the compact 2002 and the larger BMW E3, the predecessor to the first 7 Series — the sixth-generation of the mid-sized, five-passenger sedan (and hatchback Gran Turismo variant) have been on-sale in Canada since 2010. In an attempt to meet a wide variety of customer demands, you can get a 5 Series sedan with a wide variety of powertrains. Rear-wheel-drive models include the $56,695 (all prices include freight and pre-delivery inspection fees) 528i (which sports a 241 horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine), the $72,085 gas-electric Active Hybrid 5 (with 300 hp) and the $103,595 M5 super sedan (with its 560 hp twin-turbocharged gas eight.) But seeing this is Canada, where winter can happen nine out of the 12 months of the year, luxury sedan buyers in this class (who probably also have an SUV in the garage) tend to opt for traction at all four wheels. For that, you can get BMW’s so-called xDrive AWD system on the $58,995 528i xDrive, $66,995 535i xDrive (300 hp turbo gas six), $77,995 550i xDrive (400 hp turbo gas eight) or my tester: the 2014 535d xDrive. Did you notice the lower-case “d” there? It indicates the sixth engine option for the 5er sedan, as in “diesel”, the first of its kind in the BMW mid-size sedan lineup since the 524td of the mid-1980s. Contemporary rivals include the usual suspects: the $63,395 Audi A6 3.0 TDI Quattro and $59,795 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec 4MATIC. Needless to say, diesel engine technology has come a long way since the 524td. Sporting such high-tech goodies as common-rail direct injection, variable-vane turbocharging and a urea exhaust cleaning system, the 535d’s 3.0-litre straight-six meets modern tailpipe emissions standards. It also boasts a healthy 255 hp, and even more generous 413 pound-feet of torque (only the 479 lb-ft 550i xDrive and 500 lb-ft M5 have more), and won’t embarrass you when pulling away from a stoplight. Mated to an efficient eight-speed automatic transmission (no manual is offered), the diesel 5er can go from zero to 100 km in only 5.8 seconds — nearly equal to the Audi’s 5.7-second time and 2.1 seconds quicker than the ‘Benz diesel sedan. In practice, the BMW six emits a rorty — if muted — growl when pressed upon, and is nearly equal to the gas six in its smoothness and quietness. Of course, you’re reading this review of this diesel sedan because you may want to save at the pump. In that regard, the 535d xDrive will not disappoint. Rated at 7.9 L/100 km in the city and 5.3 on the highway, I saw a real-world 7.4 during my week with the car. It’s not as miserly as the less powerful (195 hp) E-Class diesel’s 7.4 city and 4.6 highway estimates, but the 5 Series is comparable to the A6, and more impressive when compared to the more expensive ActiveHybrid 5’s 9.2 and 6.6 fuel economy ratings. (That said, at just over $10,000 less expensive — and with its 9.4 L/100 km city and 6.1 highway estimates — it’s hard to ignore the 528i xDrive if you’re looking to save on overall running costs.) With all of the 535d xDrive engine’s torque available at a low, 1,500 rpm, Canadian drivers may be concerned with the occasional fishtailing in snowy conditions. But during my time in the diesel Bimmer, the 535d’s all-wheel-drive system (combined with optional Pirelli Sottozero winter tires) handled the first few weeks of this winter’s snowy roads with aplomb. Working with the electronically-controlled transmission, BMW’s XDrive sends 60% of the diesel’s power to the rear wheels when the roads are dry. If any slippage is detected, a multi-plate clutch centre differential can send up to 100% of the torque to the axle that needs it. As much as I liked the 535d xDrive’s torque-rich and quiet diesel and its foul-weather traction attributes, the rest of the sedan’s driving experience was typical of this generation of 5 Series: it’s more of a cruiser than a sports sedan. Weighing in at 1,930 kilograms, the BMW is heftier than its German competition. It’s also wider and has the longest wheelbase, making it feel more like a shortened-wheelbase 7 Series than any previous 5er. Like a lot of BMWs these days, the transition from hydraulic to electric steering systems is still a work in progress in the 535d xDrive. The helm is slow to react, requiring two takes in corners before the driver feels confident they are on the right path. The 535d xDrive also rolls quite a bit when cornering hard. So you can strike out the “sports” part of the “luxury/sports sedan” description from the 2014 BMW 535d xDrive. Instead, think of the BMW as a frugal, quiet and powerful all-weather cruising sedan, and it may be the perfect 5 Series for the majority of Canadians. Road Test: 2014 BMW 535d xDrive Type of vehicle All-wheel-drive luxury sedan Engine 3.0L DOHC turbocharged I six-cylinder diesel engine Power 255 hp @ 4,000 rpm; 413 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500 Transmission Eight-speed automatic transmission Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS Tires 265/40 R19 M+S Price (base/as tested) $68,150/$81,100 Destination charge $2,095 Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 7.9 city, 5.3 highway; 7.4 as-tested Optional features Premium Package ($4,200) automatic trunk, rear view camera, electric rear sunshade, side sunshades, lumbar support, heated rear seats, Surround View, satellite radio; Technology Package ($4,500) Active LED headlights, Active Blind Spot Detection, Active Protection, lane departure and collision warning, head-up display; Connected Drive Services Prof with ARTTI Package ($850) BMW Online, Advanced Real Time Traffic Information, Concierge Services, Remote Services, Internet, BMW Apps, Convenience Telephony with Extended Smartphone Connectivity; Comfort Seats ($1,500); Driving Assistant ($1,900)

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