Safety
Besides options like lane departure warning, the 5 Series comes equipped with a suite of side curtain airbags and front-seat side-impact airbags. Rear seat-mounted airbags can be ordered as a $385 option.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash-tested the 5 Series
sedan, but not the wagon. Front and rear crash tests of the sedan received top
marks of Good, while side tests produced Marginal ratings, which are second
worst. This was because of specific damage to the driver's torso in the tests.
BMW 535 in the Market
The large luxury wagon is not the most sought-after segment in the auto industry, especially these days. The SUV has dominated this market, offering similar utility and space as wagons in a class where gas mileage matters little.
However, for those who want the utility of a smaller SUV and the driving feel of a car, wagons are still quite appealing. If the driving experience is vital to your decision, you have to look at the 535i xDrive. Audi's A6 and Mercedes' E350 compete in terms of utility and price, especially now that the 2009 A6 has upgraded to a new supercharged engine that produces similar power as the 5 Series wagon.
For shoppers in this very limited segment, the 535i xDrive is surely an ideal choice, but with the masses still choosing SUVs even today, I wonder how long any manufacturer will keep producing wagons, no matter how good they are.
See also:
Starting the engine
Starting the engine
Remote control in the ignition lock or, with Comfort
Access, inside the vehicle
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
The starter operates automatical ...
Date
The date is displayed in the
instrument
cluster.
Setting the date and date format ...
Requirements
For measuring parking spaces
▷ Maximum speed while driving forward approx.
22 mph/35 km/h.
▷ Maximum distance to row of parked vehicles:
5 ft/1.5 m.
Suitable parking space
▷ Ga ...