2011 BMW 5 Series Review

Heated leather seats, hands-free navigation, and plenty of comfortable upgrades give the 2011 BMW 5-series a cabin you won’t want to leave.
Written by Max Werner
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The 2011 BMW 5-series boasts a comfortably connected interior, with premium leather seats, wireless Bluetooth technology, and a wide range of comfort options.
Make no mistake: The 2011 BMW 5-series is a luxury vehicle inside and out. While many luxury sedans emphasize speed and prowess, the 5-series is known for its attention to detail. With the 2011 model, attention to detail is an unmissable highlight—creating a cabin you love to enter but certainly won’t want to leave.
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2011 BMW 5 Series interior

In the chorus that is the 2011 BMW 5-Series interior, nothing sings louder than value. Funny right? We thought we were talking about a luxury vehicle here—but the 2011 model delivers lots of practical upgrades for its steep asking price.
Especially now that we have a decade between us, we can understand everything the 2011 BMW 5-Series brought to the table. Here’s why the 2011 BMW 5-Series interior was the peak of luxurious comfort.
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Seating

Fitting the driver and up to 4 passengers, the 2011 BMW 5-Series has a 60/40 rear seat split. Typical for cars of this era, the 60/40 split allows easy access to the trunk, letting the driver fold down not one or two, but all three rear seats to create more space.
Highlights of the 2011 BMW 5-Series’s seating include dual-power front seats, heated seats, and leatherette trimmings. Optional features, accessed via upgraded trims, are sparse. They include:
  • Leather upholstery (535i)
  • Upgraded front seats (535i)
  • 14-way multi-contour front seats (Sport package)
Interior dimensions
Total passenger volume
100.5 cubic feet
Front headroom
39.1 inches
Front leg room
41.4 inches
Front shoulder room
58.3 inches
Front hip room
N/A
Second-row headroom
38 inches
Second-row legroom
36.1 inches
Second-row shoulder room
56.2 inches
Second-row hip room
N/A
MORE: BMW car-buying guide 

Tech

Technology has always been a staple of BMW’s 5-Series lineup—but is sparse in the 2011 model.
The good:
  • Bluetooth Wireless technology
  • Hands-free phone system
  • Remote keyless entry
  • Smartphone interface
  • Voice recognition software
  • Proximity sensing key
  • Navigation system
  • Push-button engine start
The 2011 BMW 5-Series is available in three trim levels—the
528i
,
535i
, and
550i
—which contain different interior technology. 
In the 528i, you’ll get eight-way power front seats, driver memory functions, an iDrive communications system, a 12-speaker CD sound system, and a power-tilt steering wheel. The 535i adds adaptive xenon headlights, while the 550i introduces auto-dimming mirrors, interior ambient lighting, and real-time traffic navigation. 
2011 BMW 5-Series locks its best features behind
optional packages
. Exclusive a-la-carte features include a night vision camera, premium audio system, top-view camera, rear-seat entertainment, and a heads-up display.
Sadly, the 2011 BMW 5-Series lacks many modern safety features we’d expect from a luxury vehicle today. Though, that’s more or less expected from a decade-old car. 

Storage

Storage in the 2011 BMW 5-Series is lacking. This midsize sedan offers 14 cubic feet behind the back seat and 63 cubic feet with the rear seat down. The 5-Series attempts to make up for this lack of space with a plethora of cubbies and small bins. The usability of these additional storage areas will vary.

Style

Style isn’t everything—but for the 2011 BMW 5-Series, it's a big selling point.
The 2011 BMW 5-Series draws you in with multi-contoured power seats, wood trims, and a simplified iDrive command console. What makes you stay? For many, small attention to detail is synonymous with the BMW brand, like little touches in the form of LED ambient lighting and premium leather upholstery.
As a decade-old luxury vehicle, the 2011 BMW 5-Series may not reinvent the wheel for drivers used to modern luxury, but its overall refinement creates a timeless interior space.

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