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2008 BMW 5-Series Safety Review

July 8, 2008

SAFETY | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Good” front impact protection; “marginal” side-impact protection
IIHS

Three stars, driver-side front impacts; five stars, passenger front impacts; five stars, side impacts
NHTSA

The 2008 BMW 5-Series performed poorly in side-impact crash tests and in driver-side front impact tests—remarkably so for such an expensive vehicle, leading to its very low safety score.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the BMW 5-Series only three stars for driver front-impact protection—a result so surprising, it was widely reported in the non-automotive press. Passengers have five-star protection, and all seats have five-star crash protection as judged by the federal agency.

However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports nearly the obverse: for front impacts, it awards the 5-Series a “good” rating, and with side impacts calls it “marginal,” the second-lowest rating.

Edmunds says the 5-Series’s standard safety equipment includes “stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags and front-and-rear side-curtain airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are optional and, due to safety concerns, you must specifically request that your dealer activate the bags if you order this option.”

ForbesAutos notes two safety options among the 5-Series’s features. “A smarter radar cruise control that can slow as well as now speed up the car when traffic bunches and then clears up” is the first; the second is “a lane-departure warning system that, instead of emitting beeps, vibrates the steering wheel to help keep the driver focused.”

Edmunds also notes that the all-wheel-drive 5-Series comes with Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.

Conclusion

The 2008 BMW 5-Series has erratic crash-test scores.

SAFETY | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:Good” front impact protection; “marginal” side-impact protectionIIHSThree stars, driver-side front impacts; five stars, passenger front impacts; five stars, side impactsNHTSA The 2008 BMW 5-Series performed poorly in side-impact crash tests and in driver-side front impact tests—remarkably so for such an expensive vehicle, leading to its very low safety score. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the BMW 5-Series only three stars for driver front-impact protection—a result so surprising, it was widely reported in the non-automotive press. Passengers have five-star protection, and all seats have five-star crash protection as judged by the federal agency. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports nearly the obverse: for front impacts, it awards the 5-Series a “good” rating, and with side impacts calls it “marginal,” the second-lowest rating. Edmunds says the 5-Series’s standard safety equipment includes “stability control, antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags and front-and-rear side-curtain airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are optional and, due to safety concerns, you must specifically request that your dealer activate the bags if you order this option.” ForbesAutos notes two safety options among the 5-Series’s features. “A smarter radar cruise control that can slow as well as now speed up the car when traffic bunches and then clears up” is the first; the second is “a lane-departure warning system that, instead of emitting beeps, vibrates the steering wheel to help keep the driver focused.” Edmunds also notes that the all-wheel-drive 5-Series comes with Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control. ConclusionThe 2008 BMW 5-Series has erratic crash-test scores.  2008 BMW 5-SERIES STYLING | [8 out of 10] New York Times: "Same carriage, fresh horses" Road & Track: "hard to distinguish a 2008 from a 2007" The Auto Channel: "combines supreme style and presence" The 2008 BMW 5-Series sports a body with avant-garde details that meet with ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Audi A6 Avant is the 2008 BMW 5-Series Sports Wagon's closest competitor, but the Avant only comes with the 255-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6 engine, not the larger, 350-horsepower V-8 that's available on the sedan. As with the Sports Wagon, all-wheel drive is standard, though the Avant has a slightly softer ride, and its handling isn't as sharp as that of the 5-Series, nor does it offer such advanced technology features. The E-Class is offered only in 268-horsepower E350 trim, with standard 4Matic all-wheel drive, but there's also a wagon version of the exclusive, 507-horsepower E63 AMG performance model. Overall, the E-Class is a little roomier inside. The Saab 9-5 SportCombi is now a quite dated design. It comes with front-wheel drive and turbocharged four-cylinder power, and its powertrains aren't as refined as those of the other rivals, but it's packaged well, with excellent seats, plenty of headroom, and more useful cargo space.

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See the BMW 5-Series in Other Years:

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