BMW 5 Series hybrid - Practicality & boot space

The 5 Series PHEV used to be only available on the saloon, but now you can choose the 530e on the 5 Series Touring estate. Unlike petrol- or diesel-powered 5 Series estates, the plug-in hybrid isn’t the most versatile load-carrier on the market but its boot is likely to prove sufficient for the daily use of most buyers.

BMW 530e and 545e interior space & storage

The 5 Series is a spacious car and even taller occupants should be content in the back, although the middle back-seat passenger has to place one foot each side of a prominent hump on the floor. Cup-holders, door bins and cubbyholes are plentiful and usefully shaped and sized.

Boot space

The near-12kWh battery is housed under the boot floor and this has the effect of eating into boot space. It loses 120 litres compared to conventionally powered models, with 410 litres in total. However, BMW is proud of the fact the boot floor is flat, without any awkward humps to load items over. There's an annoying step in the boot of the Mercedes E-Class hybrids. It’s worth noting, however, that split-folding rear seats aren’t standard and cost around £330 to add, which is a little stingy on a car costing almost £50,000.

The 530e Touring offers 430 litres of boot space, with the advantage of a wider opening to make it easier to load bulky items. Folding seats come as standard here, and lowering them gives a total load space of 1,560 litres.