[2020540]

Today I took a 25 minute drive of a 2024 540i XDrive.

A bit of background on me since we have different preferences in vehicles. When I was younger I would have gotten the Msport with the stickiest tires. Today my preference is smooth power with as good a ride as possible and rear drive biased handling even if handling is no longer my highest priority. I live in SE PA where the roads suck.

I am on my 4th Bimmer since 2015: (all Xdrive) 2016 328i (new off lot), 2016 535i (CPO), 2020 540 (ordered new), 2022 X5 40i (ordered new, about 1.5 yrs old). I have appreciated them all. None were faultless and I keep getting BMWs so I have felt (no guarantees of future purchases) that they suited my needs and wants.

I do not have vivid memories of my G30 to make detailed comparisons. I liked that car very much. It was purchased with multi contour seats and 18 inch go flat tires (which could be ordered in 2019 when I put in the order). The suspension was soft and generally comfy but could unexpectedly crash over bumps. Loved the look, interior quality, and of course the B58, quite possible the best overall ICE powertrain on the face of the earth.

The seats in 328i were exceedingly firm (if supportive) and less than comfortable. I looked for a 535 with multi contours without ventilation or massage after driving one with those features; too hard. I ordered my 540 without those features and my X5 the same way. Each gen the multi contours seem to get a bit better with those on my X5 the most comfortable of any car I have owned.

Understand that I have not updated the Idrive on my X5 to avoid being prevented from coding out the Auto Start Stop. This was something I was watching for on the test drive.

The car I drive had almost zero options. 19 inch wheels, base seats and stereo.

So let's start with the interior. I read on here that they cheapened the interior. In the sense that there is less stitching and leather on the steering wheel, it is cheaper. From the perspective of what appear to be high quality and sturdy materials and excellent fit and finish, it seemed as good as my G30 and X5 (which, in my experience, are a noticeable bit better than my wife's MB GLE 350 from 2020). I did not spend a lot of time on the controls but I trust I would be able to pick up everything quickly and appreciate there is still the Idrive dial. Base sport seats were more comfortable than I remember from previous gens. Jury is out on the luxury seats since they new include ventilation which means they may be harder. Based on absolutely nothing I am going to bet they will have a bit more padding than previously with ventilation. Just my gut feeling given the rest of the car. I did not sit in the back but the front was pleasantly roomy (5'10" tall so I cannot speak for the power forwards in the crowd). Like all recent Bimmers the steering wheel could go down farther. I cannot speak to A/C performance since the weather was right around freezing. Heat worked well.

Again, I have not had my G30 for 1.5 years. But my impression is that the G60 has a more solid, quiet, all-of-a-piece feel. Going from the 535 to the 540 the car felt as solid structurally (the 535 was a tank). But it felt ever so slightly louder to me. I do not think it was in decibels. It was the resonance on certain surfaces. The F10 was mostly steel. The G30 had a lot more aluminum and that transfers noise at different frequencies. The 2024 540 sounded quiet and solid, noticeably better than my X5. Part of this is probably the open echo chamber in the back vs. a closed sedan and part is likely the engineering. But it was notably quiet and felt nicely solid. Might take a bit to get used to the squarish steering wheel.

I was afraid the longer wheelbase would make the car unwieldy. While I did not do a lot of tight turns, my impression was that it was as maneuverable or more so than the G30 and the X5.

This is a base model and base tires. It handled competently and safely. It is a large luxury car so I did not push it. I like BMWs for the rear drive feel.
The G60 has that. Those who want an MSport will order one. Brakes felt good, firm and responsive (better than the X5).

The auto stop start is the best version I have used in a BMW. It is still noticeable but tolerable. I would need more time to make a final judgment since you cannot code it off. Sport mode seemed more aggressive than my X5 so I am not sure I would want to use that as a workaround. But, given the brevity of my test drive, I did not have time to get into adjustments.

Following the comments on the solidity and quietness, the ride seemed notably better than my X5 and what I remember of my G30. Bumps were absorbed without crashing that I could tell. So that is a net positive. I will state that there was a mild oscillation on the highway but I vaguely remember the same on the G30 and the X5 until the car had been used a bit and the springs taken a set. This car literally got off the truck and I was probably the first test drive. My SA had only seen 3 ICE 5 series since intro. I do not notice that oscillation now on the X5 and find it a very good handling vehicle for 4900 lbs.(actually better than the G30 due to its stiffer springing). I will watch for that if/when I take another test drive in better weather and with more time.

Forgetting the start-stop for a moment, the latest version of the B58 is as awesome (or more so) than ever. While BMW sometimes flubs on the their steering and suspension, they do the "M" in BMW exceedingly well. If I do get another BMW it will be due to the B58 ZF combo. Smooth as a baby's bottom (if a baby's bottom had a quiet but stirring ripping sound when exercised), almost telepathic in anticipating when a downshift is needed and smooth shifting without the jolts and clunks of the 9 speed auto in the MB products. This combo is really the heart and soul of the brand and truly works in the 540. Yes, you may get faster acceleration but you really do not NEED any more guts than this combo provides (when I was first driving in the early 1980s and average vehicle took 14 seconds to get from 0-60). We are at peak ICE. And, I get uppers 20s in my X5 on highways drives. I suspect this vehicle will do 30+ MPG on the highway.

Aesthetics are personal. Do I like the look as much as the G30? Probably not. Do I think it looks substantial, elegant and upscale in person (in the Oxide Gray)? Very much. Your mileage may vary.

So, with improved ride, solidity and quiet, as well as one of, if not the best, overall ICE powertrain on the planet (and nicely equipped in the low 70s if you leave off the MSport) I would strongly consider this as my next vehicle because I like comfortable, quiet, elegant sedans with incredible powertrains.

[PsychDoc]

Wonderful and well thought out review. But you've just gone and made me even more impatient (as if that's even possible) for delivery of my 540xi. I need to get hold of some Xanax.

[stormchaser]

Nice write-up. I also posted a rental G60 I had for a few days and own a G30. I liked the ride quality of the G60 better also. The interior was nice but I prefer buttons versus a touch screen. Also, a few things were made of cheap plastic like the horn cover, and turn signal knobs. Otherwise nice car.