2011 BMW 535d Sedan Review and Road Test
DRIVING THE BMW 535D
Of course, driving on the open road is where the 5er really shines. While previous generations of the 5 Series were superior to similar vehicles from other automakers,
the new 5er has achieved significant further improvements. While I wasn’t a fan of the previous 5er’s active steering, the new version includes rear steering (the rear wheels steer up to 2.5°) that shortens the turning circle and improves high-speed stability.
There is no question that, even at 200 km/h (124 mph), the car drives as if it were on rails. Indeed, I would not order a BMW without Active Steering after having spent time with it.
The 535d comes equipped with a silky-smooth, 3.0-liter twin-turbo I-6 engine which produces 300 hp (220 kW) and 425 pound-feet of torque. This takes the car from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds, making it actually faster than the lighter and smaller 335d, which needs 6.0 seconds to get to that speed, which is the same for the current gasoline-powered 535i. The previous generation 535d, which was no slouch, needed 6.4 seconds.
The 535d’s optional Dynamic Driving Control allowed me to choose from Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport +, thereby selecting settings for the adaptive shocks. The controls vary jounce and rebound characteristics independently and steplessly, as well as throttle response, and active anti-roll bars. I kept the car mostly in sport mode except for some bumpy city streets where the comfort setting absorbed just about all of the potholes and rough pavement. 
Driving in sport mode made the car feel much smaller and tighter.
The ZF eight-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and is one of the best we’ve seen. It also plays a major role in reducing fuel consumption: witness the 535d’s impressive 38.5 mpg in the European cycle (highway driving).
On the EfficientDynamics front, the 535d not only comes with super-efficient eight-speed automatic transmission but also with electro-mechanical power steering, which further increases fuel economy. Other EfficientDynamics features are included including brake energy regeneration, demand-dependant ancillary components, and active flap control. Lower weight is achieved through doors, hood, front side panels, drivetrain, and suspension components made from aluminum.
The 5er Series gets some features that even the flagship 7er doesn’t get, most notably automatic parking. Now possible thanks to electric power steering, the system uses ultrasonic sensors to see a parking spot and determine if it’s large enough. If the space is 1.2 meters (4 feet) larger than the car, the push of one button starts a process that automatically provides the necessary steering inputs while the driver modulates vehicle speed. I only tested this feature twice but it worked perfectly both times.
Click here to continue to Page 3 – Driver Assistance Systems in the BMW 535d
RELATED ARTICLES
10 Comments »
3 Pingbacks »
-
[...] Full review at The Diesel Driver. Do you like this article ? Tags: 2011 BMW 535d, 2011 BMW 535d review addthis_pub = 'horatiub'; addthis_logo = 'http://www.bmwblog.com/wp-content/themes/bloggingpro_wr/images/logo3.jpg'; addthis_logo_background = 'EFEFFF'; addthis_logo_color = '666699'; addthis_brand = 'BMWBlog'; addthis_options = 'email, favorites, digg, google, facebook, myspace, stumbleupon, twitter, live, delicious, reddit, more'; Share with others [...]
-
[...] model that everyone has been clamoring for is the 535d and The Diesel Driver went to Europe to drive just that [...]
-
[...] BMW’s 535d, for example (which may finally come to the U.S.). According to The Diesel Driver, the 5 Series sedans account for 50 percent of the company’s profit! The 535d has a “silky [...]
Front wheel drive?
Thank you for the thoughtful review. How would you compare the 535d to your 335d in terms of handling, performance and overall feel?
Is there any difference in fuel consumption between 535d touring and 535d sedan?
About Lane Departure Warning, what happen if you change lane without signal? Does it consider as ‘lane departure’?
1.) Yes. We found that the sedan’s fuel economy was far better although the differences on paper are minor. We saw fuel usage of 8.9 l/100 km (24.4 mpg) with the 535d Touring compared to 7.1 l/100 km (34 mpg) in the sedan.
2.) Re Lane Departure Warning, that is the point. If you veer out of your lane without a signal, it alerts you.
Thank you for catching the typo! We’ve corrected it.
There is no question that the 535d feels bigger although it still feels smaller than it really is. The 335d is nimbler, handles a bit better, and is a bit more fun to drive. On the other hand, the 535d is faster. Tough to compare the two but I’d be happy with either.
Given that no diesel automobiles are allowed in Brazil, we’ve only got the 535i or the 550i… which would you choose? Another question: a top-spec 335i sport goes for exactly the same price as the 535i here; what would be your choice? Thanks!
So Jonathan, are you saying 335d handling is still better than 535d with Active steering? How much improvement from 5er w/o active steering to 5er with active steering?
335d is a fabulous car to drive, 535d would be over the top. Only issue is now diesel is more expensive than gasoline in US for reasons that make no sense.
Joca, sorry to hear that no diesel autos are allowed in Brazil. Between the 550i and the 535i, the 535i has much better fuel economy but nonetheless has very good performance. The 335i will handle like a smaller sportier car so it is a difficult comparison. In addition, the 5er Series is new and has the latest technology while the 3er is based on the E90 platform from 2005. In short, there is no easy answer but a test drive may help you decide. Please let our readers know what you finally decide on!