2011 BMW 5-Series
With sporty moves and room for a family, BMW’s midsize 5-Series sports sedan has long been a segment benchmark and a MotorWeek favorite. But the all-new 2011 5-Series is something of a renaissance. While still packing a technology and powertrain wallop, it appears less aggressive and more executive. So let’s see if this really is progress.
Right off the mark, our visual take on the 6th generation 2011 BMW 5-Series is that it reminds us a lot more of the current flagship 7-Series than its direct predecessor. Yes, the twin kidney grille is naturally still there, but the previous 5’s Bangle-ized eyebrows are gone.
On the profile, the look is smoother but the character lines are more defined, all stretched over a 2-inch longer body, with a more telling, 3.2 inch longer wheelbase. The L-shaped LED taillights mimic the 7, while the rest of the toned down rear also looks more business than pleasure.
Top and bottom power are familiar. The 528i dons a three-liter straight six, rated at 240 horsepower, a bump up of 10. The 550i borrows the 7’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo 400 horsepower V8. Our 535i has the new powertrain, BMW’s latest 3-liter that trades two turbos for one twin-scroll unit. Output is unchanged, however, at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque.
A proper 6-speed manual is still standard on the six-cylinders, while optional with a six and standard on the V8 is BMW’s new gas saving eight-speed automatic.
Indeed, lots of Efficient Dynamics technologies have found their way into the 2011 5-Series, including regenerative brakes, electric power steering, and engine accessories that only produce engine drag when in use. Later in the year, x-Drive all-wheel drive will become available across the 5-Series lineup.
It didn’t take more than a few minutes at the track, however, to reassure ourselves that this more sedate looking 5 hasn’t dialed back performance one bit. Quick shifting our 535i’s manual delivers 0 to 60 in an impressive, and quite quiet, six seconds flat. The quarter mile mark came up in 14.5 seconds at 98 miles per hour. Both numbers getting close to the 5-Series GT V8 we tested last spring.
Just as laudable was our average 60 to 0 stopping distance of a very short 116 feet. The pedal wasn’t the firmest, but feedback was good, and fade nonexistent, from the all-wheel vented disc brakes.
Still, our handling test would be the big hurdle, an area where the previous 5-Series was a champion. Turn-ins are still quick, even if the electric power steering is a little numb. More curb weight means slightly more body roll, even in stiffer sport mode, but there’ s still little lack of poise, thanks to a new multi-link front suspension. So, when all was said and done, we were very happy.
I didn’t want to like the new 2011 BMW 5-Series. It got bigger, more luxurious, and less like the cars that I’ve always loved. Or so I thought. Sitting behind the wheel, it does feel like a 7-Series, and out on the highway it’s so smooth and quiet. But on back roads when you turn that wheel, well, everything I’ve always loved about a BMW sports sedan is front and center. My conclusion the new 5-Series is a great car.
Inside, the new 5’s interior also takes on the 7’s more luxurious appeal. Our 535i came dressed to really impress with optional wood trim. BMW’s sensible, classy, horizontal architecture now has well-integrated 21st-century touches like adaptive cruise control and a lane departure warning system.
The fourth generation of iDrive appears either on a seven-inch screen recessed atop the now canted center stack, or with optional navigation on a larger 10.2-inch screen.
Rear seat knee room improves very slightly, while comfort is still above par for second-row passengers. 40/60 split-fold functionality is optional, as is a center pass-through.
In Government Fuel Economy Ratings, our manual 535i is rated at a decently frugal 19 miles per gallon city/28 highway. We managed an average of 22.3 miles per gallon on premium gas. On sale now, the 528i starts at $45,425. Our 535i begins at $50,475, and the 550i has a base sticker of $60,575.
With equal parts thrill and finesse, BMW has clearly taken the right path with this thoroughly modern car. Moreover, the 2011 BMW 5-Series remains one slick-shifting, fine-driving, midsize German sports sedan icon.
Specifications
- Engine: 3-Liter Turbo
- Horsepower: 300
- Torque: 300 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 6.0 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 14.5 Seconds @ 98 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 116 Feet
- EPA: 19 MPG City/ 28 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 22.3 MPG
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport
It Does Truck-Like Things Better Than Ever
Honda brought something truly unique to the pickup truck scene when their mid-size Ridgeline debuted for 2006. In 2017, it moved towards becoming a little more true truck-like, both in form and capability, now with yet another step in that direction for 2024. So, let’s see if the Ridgeline is really hitting its stride.
For 2024, it’s all about making this Honda Ridgeline better than ever. There are styling tweaks outside, along with tech and functional improvements inside, but the biggest news is the Ridgeline has now joined Honda’s TrailSport family of off-road inspired vehicles. This more-true-trucklike, second-gen Ridgeline been around since 2017, receiving periodic updates over the years; but joining the TrailSport family is the biggest leap yet.
Primarily, the TrailSport transformation includes General Grabber all-terrain tires, mounted on new Pewter Gray 18-inch wheels, steel underbody protection, and retuning the strut front, and multi-link rear suspension for added wheel articulation. And while we always appreciate the additional traction of off-road tires, the Ridgeline’s standard i-VTM4 all-wheel drive, with Intelligent Traction Management and snow, sand, and mud settings, was already quite capable of handling all but the most extreme off-roading, ground clearance of just 7.6 inches being it’s only real hinderance.
A 3.5-liter V6 remains under the hood as it has since the Ridgeline debuted for 2006; the current version outputs 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, plenty enough muscle to handle its 5,000-lbs. towing capacity. A nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and bevy of push and pull buttons on the console replaced the six-speed automatic back in 2020.
In addition to adding TrailSport capability, a big focus for this update was making it more user-friendly inside, starting with the central touchscreen growing from 8 to 9 inches. It also gets faster processing speeds, menus have been simplified, and the native navigation system is improved with better graphics. It’s accompanied by a new digital instrument cluster, along with an upgraded center console with more storage space. Unique TrailSport touches include heavy duty floormats, leather-trimmed seats, orange stitching throughout the cabin, and orange ambient lighting.
The Ridgeline continues to offer things available nowhere else in the pickup truck market.
Exterior styling doesn’t exactly shout “macho big rig coming your way,” but the more vertical face and larger grille that arrived for 2021, along with this year’s added TrailSport elements, do continue to toughen up the Ridgeline’s image. The 5’4” bed remains highly functional with no large wheel well intrusions, multiple tie-downs points, lighting and even speakers. And of course, the Ridgeline continues to offer things available nowhere else in the pickup truck market, like the dual-action tailgate, and large, lockable, drainable, underbed storage. Not to mention being able to drive around in true car-like comfort, something we took full advantage of on our way to our Mason Dixon Dragway test track.
There was great grip off the line, with full power arriving smoothly but quickly, helping us to get to 60 in 7.0 seconds flat, a tenth quicker than the last Ridgeline we tested. That power delivery stayed fairly consistent the whole way down the track, barely interrupted by the nine-speed automatic’s smooth shifting. Our best quarter-mile run was 15.5 seconds at 90 mph.
The revised suspension and knobbier tires didn’t really seem to add or detract from handling prowess, as it felt as solid, nimble, and car-like as it always has through our cone course. Perhaps a little less stiff than before, but good feedback, tight steering, and minimal body roll for a pickup, made for a very confidence inspiring experience. In our braking test, we stopped in a respectable average of 123 feet from 60, with only moderate amounts of nosedive and good feel through the pedal.
There is, however, a slight reduction in Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the all-terrain tires; 18-City, 23-Highway, and 20-Combined, our average, right on, at 20.4 mpg of Regular. That’s a slightly below average Energy Impact Score of 14.9 barrels of yearly oil use, with CO2 emissions of 7.4 tons.
TrailSport pricing falls in line just under the Ridgeline’s top Black Edition trim with a starting price of $46,375, about five grand over a base Ridgeline Sport.
So, whether you consider the Honda Ridgeline to be a “real” truck or not, this ruggedly smooth 2024 TrailSport does truck-like things better than ever. And we’re not just talking about the slight upgrade in off-road performance, we’re talking about a flexible bed to help you get chores done, and the ability to tow or haul with comfort and flexibility other trucks can only wish for. It’s why the Ridgeline brings more first-time buyers to Honda than any other vehicle, and why it continues to be a great choice in the growing midsize truck realm.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.5-liter V6
- Transmission: 9-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 280
- Torque: 262 lb-ft
- EPA: 18 City | 23 Highway | 20 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 15.5 seconds at 90 mph
- 60-0 Braking (avg): 123 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 20.4 mpg (Regular)
- Max Towing Capacity: 5,000-lbs