BMW 5 Series Touring estate (2010-2017) - Practicality & boot space

There’s plenty of space for two people to get comfortable in the rear of a BMW 5 Series Touring, and space for two child seats to be fixed in place using the ISOFIX mounting points. However, anyone forced to sit in the centre rear seat is likely to start feeling uncomfortable before long, because the large central tunnel forces them to sit with their legs splayed – not ideal.

Still, at least they’ll be able to get out easily enough, even if their legs have gone numb, because the door openings are big and the doors themselves open out a long way.

BMW 5 Series Touring interior space & storage

Good news: BMW has seen fit to give the 5 Series Touring electric seat-height and backrest adjustment, so there’s no need to flop around like a child trying to escape a pushchair every time you need to adjust your driving position. You do still need to move the seat back and forward using manual power, though.

There’s loads of space for the two front-seat occupants to get comfortable in, and it’s easy to get comfortable, too. The cabin also features plenty of cubbies, so it can cope with the detritus of daily life.

Boot space

If there’s one area where an estate car has to excel, it’s the boot, and the BMW 5 Series Touring certainly does that. It’s huge and practical. The boot in the Touring gives you 560 litres of luggage space with the rear seats up and 1,670 litres when they’re down. Those rear seats also split 60:40, so someone can sit in the rear even if there’s a relatively long load being carried.

The amount of space is roughly equivalent to that offered in an Audi A6 Avant, although the gargantuan Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate easily trumps them both. The 5 Series Touring has the widest boot floor in the executive estate class, as well as load-dividing nets, a shallow underfloor storage area and a split-opening tailgate. It also has numerous lashing points to allow you to tie down awkward loads, and there’s self-levelling suspension as standard, so your headlights won’t be pointing at the sky every time you fill the boot.

Towing

The 5 Series Touring is big, sturdy and has some strong engines, so towing is not a problem at all. Even the largest of caravans and trailer should present no issue, although we’d recommend you choose a diesel if you tow, as the mid-range shove of these engines is better suited to the demands of towing.