Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
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With 201,909 currently licensed in the UK, the BMW 5 Series is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the 5 Series 5 stars in 2017, with 93% adult occupant and 86% child protection scores.
It has a 77.2% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, brakes, oil leaks.
Annual running costs are estimated at £4,664 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £389/month or 58p/mile.
Theft risk is rated high at 12.4 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2017
MOT Pass Rate
77.2%
190,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£389
est. annual total
New From
£51,000
Euro NCAP tested the 5 Series in 2017 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
93%
Child Occupant
86%
Pedestrian
72%
Safety Assist
69%
There are 115 known DVSA recalls affecting the BMW 5 Series. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/327
Affected vehicles may be fitted with a drivers airbag which may deploy with too much explosive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released into the cabin. It has the potential to fatally or seriously injure vehicle occupants.
Build dates: 2006-01-07 to 2011-06-30
R/2025/349
Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
Build dates: 2000-09-01 to 2003-09-16
R/2025/349
Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
Build dates: 2004-04-15 to 2011-06-29
R/2025/349
Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
Build dates: 2011-06-29 to 2017-11-04
R/2025/349
Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
Build dates: 2009-09-22 to 2016-10-27
+ 110 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 190,000 MOT tests, the 5 Series has a first-time pass rate of 77.2% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The 5 Series is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old BMW 5 Series are estimated at around £4,664 per year, or £389 per month.
Fuel
£1,679
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£2,060
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The 5 Series achieves a combined fuel economy of around 31.4 mpg (40.9 mpg urban, 40.9 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 31.4 mpg | 2.0L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 31.4 mpg | 2.2L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 30.1 mpg | 2.5L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | DIESEL | 42.2 mpg | 2.5L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 29.7 mpg | 2.8L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | DIESEL | 39.8 mpg | 2.9L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 29.7 mpg | 3.0L |
| 5 SERIES E39 | PETROL | 24.4 mpg | 3.5L |
Starting from £51,000 new, a BMW 5 Series typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £38,250 | −£12,750 |
| 2 years | 64% | £32,500 | −£18,500 |
| 3 years | 56% | £28,600 | −£22,400 |
| 4 years | 50% | £25,750 | −£25,250 |
| 5 years | 46% | £23,700 | −£27,300 |
| 6 years | 43% | £22,050 | −£28,950 |
| 7 years | 41% | £20,700 | −£30,300 |
| 8 years | 39% | £19,650 | −£31,350 |
| 9 years | 37% | £18,700 | −£32,300 |
| 10 years | 35% | £17,750 | −£33,250 |
The 5 Series has a theft rate of 12.4 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated high compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Consider additional security measures such as a steering lock or tracking device.
There are currently 201,909 licensed and 40,736 SORN 5 Seriess in the UK (242,645 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The 5 Series has a 77.2% first-time MOT pass rate based on 190,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the 5 Series 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2017. It scored 93% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection, 72% for vulnerable road users, and 69% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old 5 Series are estimated at around £4,664 per year (£389/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 115 known safety recalls affecting the 5 Series. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The 5 Series has a theft rate of 12.4 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated high compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Extra security measures like tracking devices and steering locks are recommended.
A new 5 Series starts from around £51,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
Free & instant — no signup required
Get a free email reminder 28 days and 7 days before your MOT expires.
✓ Free ✓ No spam ✓ Unsubscribe any time
Driving without a valid MOT can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
Free Plate Check may earn a small commission from partner links, at no cost to you.
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