2003 BMW 5 Series 525i sport review from North America

So far, nothing.

-Just picked up an alpine white 525i with the premium, sport, and cold weather packages. The exterior design is attractive, and the gray leather interior is classic BMW style, designed with the driver in mind. Perhaps the only reservation I have with this car is the engine performance. When I originally test-drove the 525i, I thought the engine felt lively enough. In fact, I decided that there was no point in looking at the 530i with its bigger 6 cylinder engine because the output from the 525's 2.5l was good enough. Now, however, I realize that I was wrong; the engine feels short of torque during town and city driving and gets rpm-winded on the highway. Getting the sport package speeds things up a bit, but if you've got the cash you should go with the 530i. Before deciding on the 525i, I looked at cars such as the Audi A6 3.0 and the Volvo S80 2.9. I didn't feel at ease behind the wheel of the Audi, and according to Consumer Reports S80's were unreliable.

In conclusion, if you decide that a 5 series is right for you, but don't think you have the money to get the best model, try to fish out the extra dollars to get the 530i. If you can't, you'll still get an attractive, reliable, and fun to drive sedan.

I also currently own a 1999 Acura Tl and a 2003 Ford Ranger. Both are highly recommended by me.