BMW 530e hybrid boot space & seating
The 530e loses some boot space in order to accommodate its batteries, but it's still adequately practical by executive-saloon standards
| Length | Width | Height | Boot volume (seats up) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,936mm | 1,868mm | 1,479mm | 410 litres |
If you regularly carry a lot of luggage, BMW will point you in the direction of the 530e Touring estate. But for anyone satisfied with a four-door, the standard saloon model is likely to be good enough on the practicality front. There’s loads of space for passengers front and rear, plus a decent-sized boot, although you have to pay extra to get split-folding rear seats.
BMW 530e hybrid interior space, storage and comfort
Even tall occupants will be comfortable in the back of the 530e – as well as in this car’s 545e sibling – although the middle back-seat passenger has to straddle a prominent hump in the floor. There’s also loads of storage space, with cup-holders, door bins and cubbyholes aplenty.
The 530e Touring is not only more spacious when it comes to boot space (see below), but also for carrying people in the back. This is thanks to the tall roofline, which doesn’t dip away to the rear like it does in the saloon.
Boot space
The 530e’s battery pack sits under the boot floor, which eats up 120 litres of the luggage space you get in a non-hybrid 5 Series. That leaves 410 litres in total, which is enough for a couple of big suitcases, and a flat boot floor makes loading bulky items easy provided they fit through the unavoidable limitations of the letterbox-shaped saloon boot opening. Split-folding rear seats aren’t standard, so you’ll want to pay extra to get them if you do think you’re going to want more space on occasion.
The 530e Touring, which we’ve reviewed separately, gets a 430-litre boot. This figure is deceptive, however, as it’s only measured up to the parcel shelf. If you’re prepared to sacrifice visibility out the back, then we found it’s far more practical than the saloon.