[Ossian]

I’ve got what I think was one of the first G30 530e’s in the US, and I’ve been very happy with it. We recently got an X5 50e for my wife and I have been completely impressed by that vehicle – especially the seamless integration of the B58 and the electric motor – that powertrain is just exceptional. It has also convinced me that PHEV’s are ideal for us – the 41-44 miles of EV range are sufficient for most of our local driving, and I love having the ICE for road trips. Driving that X5 has pushed me towards replacing my 530e with a 550e this summer, but….

I checked out a G60 i5 when I was in San Francisco for business this week and I’m pretty sure that the body design is not going to grow on me. While the G30 may not go down as an all-time BMW classic, I always enjoyed the look with the M-sport package. I have tried to learn to love the G60 design, but it’s not happening. In fact, I flat out dislike it, and there’s no sense paying that much for a car you don’t love.

Thing is, that drive train…

And I-Drive, which I also love.

So, here’s what I’m pondering right now and I’m wondering if any of you have similar internal debates happening?

Buy another X5 50e: I have always had sedans, with a coupe or two mixed in, while my wife has always had SUV’s. The X5 is a stellar vehicle, and handles about as well as any non-Porsche SUV, but it is still an SUV. I enjoy driving my wife’s car, but I’m pretty sure I would miss the driving dynamics of a sedan (even one as massive as the G60).

Keep my G30 and hold out hope for design improvements with the G60 LCI. I was leaning this direction until I realized that I have an older gen high voltage battery, and I believe those only have a 6 year warranty. It’s also a crapshoot – LCI’s can end up being pretty minor on the design front, and there’s no guarantee that I’ll like it any better. Kinda ridiculous to be talking about the LCI in a new model anyway.

Grab a Volvo v60 Polestar Engineered while they are still around: very similar performance stats to the 550e, but a much less refined drive train. I also hate the Google-based infotainment. Also no ventilated seats, which is a big deal for me in Texas. Other than that, I think it’s a classy looking vehicle, and I love the idea of a sport wagon. It is also cheaper than the loaded 550e will be, since it tops out around $72K USD.

Buy the G60 and get over the appearance. I don’t hate it, but I sure don’t love it. That said, since it shares so much with my current X5 50e, I’m pretty sure I’ll be happy with everything but the exterior design. If I'm honest, I'm probably leaning this direction, but I have never bought a car whose exterior I didn't really like. Feels like I am trying to talk myself into it....

I’m pretty much wrapped around the axle on this. If the G60 design was more to my liking, I would have already talked to my dealer about putting down a deposit. No offense meant to those of you who love your G60’s – beauty is in the eye of the beholder – it just doesn’t do it for me. I should also mention that I typically buy and hold – haven’t leased in quite a while, but maybe this is a scenario where leasing makes sense.

Any other options out there that folks have considered and that I’m missing?

[Thrumcap]

Have you seen pics and specs on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E53? Kind of what you would expect if BMW offered an M560e. Much better looking and more performance oriented than 550e.

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by Thrumcap

Have you seen pics and specs on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz E53? Kind of what you would expect if BMW offered an M560e. Much better looking and more performance oriented than 550e.

I had not seen that -- many thanks! Both the performance and EV range numbers look excellent. Gonna keep this one on my radar for sure.

[LVBMW]

Consumer Reports recently ranked MB near the bottom for auto manufacturers. BMW was #1. Just something else to think about.

[RichardInCA]

If you don’t like the looks then it doesn’t make sense to me to consider a G60. Do you have a timeline you’re trying to hit? I wonder if any of the newer models that BMW will be launching in the next couple of years might fill the gap, although I don’t think they have a i5 refresh for some time, the first Neue Klasse models will either be the X3-size SUV’s or possible slightly smaller sedans.

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by LVBMW

Consumer Reports recently ranked MB near the bottom for auto manufacturers. BMW was #1. Just something else to think about.

I've had an interesting quality experience with both BMW PHEV's I've owned. My 2018 G30 had a complete failure of the hybrid drive system during the first year I owned it. The drive train was so new at that time that the local dealers had no idea how to repair it. They ended up bringing in some national level help, with the end result that they had my car for over two months. With that (pretty major) exception, I haven't had a single issue since.

My wife's X5 50e had a failure in the hybrid system 5 months after we bought it. This time it was just a single part, but it had to come from Germany and they had the car for about 6 weeks. Then it got blasted in a hailstorm and spent more time in the shop, but I can't blame BMW for that.

These hybrid systems are complex, so it doesn't shock me that they have problems in each new generation. That said, I have been pretty pleased with all other aspects of BMW quality over the past 8 years or so -- earlier cars, not so much.

When I bought the X5 I mentioned the uptick in BMW quality scores. The financing manager at the dealer asked if I meant the JD Power ratings. I said yes, and he said that their shop was constantly overwhelmed with computer and electronics failures in new models. Good to see any German manufacturer with reliability heading in the right direction in the major publications though.

Haven't seriously considered an MB since I test drove a C63 AMG years ago, but if I go that direction it will probably be a lease. I had always considered them more reliable than BMW -- wonder what's leading to the swap in rankings...

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

If you don’t like the looks then it doesn’t make sense to me to consider a G60. Do you have a timeline you’re trying to hit? I wonder if any of the newer models that BMW will be launching in the next couple of years might fill the gap, although I don’t think they have a i5 refresh for some time, the first Neue Klasse models will either be the X3-size SUV’s or possible slightly smaller sedans.

Was thinking I'd ideally like to replace the G30 by the end of 2024. I saw a couple of the Neue Klasse concept designs, and they didn't lead me to believe that the overall BMW design direction was going to be one that appealed to me. I get, though, that they are focused on creating true EV platforms, rather than continuing to incrementally adapt existing options. BMW sales are exploding, so I guess I have to accept that the car buying public likes what they see.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by Ossian

Was thinking I'd ideally like to replace the G30 by the end of 2024. I saw a couple of the Neue Klasse concept designs, and they didn't lead me to believe that the overall BMW design direction was going to be one that appealed to me. I get, though, that they are focused on creating true EV platforms, rather than continuing to incrementally adapt existing options. BMW sales are exploding, so I guess I have to accept that the car buying public likes what they see.

Fair - I also assumed that the i4 did not appeal

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Fair - I also assumed that the i4 did not appeal

I actually liked the I 4 quite a bit. I have a buddy who has one and he's been quite happy after trading in his Tesla Model 3 for it. Still a possibility, but I do love that B58 -- not quite ready to be fully electrified.

[wagonallterrain]

I had a 2021 V60 R-Design a couple of years back. It was a fun little car - feels very light and drives well. However, the build qualify is not comparable to BMW and unfortunately my car went into the shop 5 times within the first year. I think it's very difficult to get an allocation for the polestars as I think they only send a very small number of polestars to the states.

So I guess I'm saying is that Volvo is probably not a good idea :-)

[robfen]

The looks will grow on you.

With the 550e form follows function!

No other hybrid sedan has the boot/trunk space and battery capacity, not to mention the b58..

Add in comfort, handling, tech etc and it's a modern classic.

An EV most of the time and a great engine when needed.

There's nothing quite like it.

I love mine and didn't like the looks initially either but in the right spec and colour it's handsome and impressive.

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by robfen

The looks will grow on you.

With the 550e form follows function!

No other hybrid sedan has the boot/trunk space and battery capacity, not to mention the b58..

Add in comfort, handling, tech etc and it's a modern classic.

An EV most of the time and a great engine when needed.

There's nothing quite like it.

I love mine and didn't like the looks initially either but in the right spec and colour it's handsome and impressive.

Good to hear! What colors did you end up with, and did you go Sport or M-Sport?

[AP]

If you don’t like the look of the g60, I’d be very surprised if the LCI would make a significance difference. Look at other models and their lcis and it t mfa to be limited to lights and bumpers as regards the exterior. (Presumably as changing the bodywork would be a very significant cost to bmw redesigning and manufacturing that)
Lights and bumpers can be done on the cheap

[Bostongio]

Agreed, the LCI is not going to be any kind of major change, minor front-end and back-end tweaks is about the most you will get. Maybe a new iDrive version, but no significant body work or interior changes.

If you look at the Neue Klasse cars, that is the design language BMW is moving forward with after the G60. You can see things get even more Tesla-like inside (ugh!), and even more minimalism on the outside design too. I'm definitely not digging the future design language of BMW...

[Scrapula]

Originally Posted by Bostongio

Agreed, the LCI is not going to be any kind of major change, minor front-end and back-end tweaks is about the most you will get. Maybe a new iDrive version, but no significant body work or interior changes.

If you look at the Neue Klasse cars, that is the design language BMW is moving forward with after the G60. You can see things get even more Tesla-like inside (ugh!), and even more minimalism on the outside design too. I'm definitely not digging the future design language of BMW...

I love the windshield spanning display, but the giant iPad has to go. I like how Lucid put theirs between the dash and console. It is a much cleaner look. I hope when the production vehicle comes out they will have changed it. I am very excited about their 6th generation battery technology, which should be more on a par with Lucid as well.

[Baylor2000]

I also considered the V60 Polestar, but ended up with a G30 530e LCI because of the Volvo Google interface, lack of interior storage, and the seats. I wasn’t sure about the bright seatbelts too and the very low top speed limiter too. Lol

I am in the same camp as the OP. I just couldn’t get behind the larger and generic G60 design language so I found a fully spec’d 530e to hold me through the next few years.

[Ossian]

Originally Posted by Bostongio

Agreed, the LCI is not going to be any kind of major change, minor front-end and back-end tweaks is about the most you will get. Maybe a new iDrive version, but no significant body work or interior changes.

If you look at the Neue Klasse cars, that is the design language BMW is moving forward with after the G60. You can see things get even more Tesla-like inside (ugh!), and even more minimalism on the outside design too. I'm definitely not digging the future design language of BMW...

Yep, sadly I think you're both right about the LCI never being a truly major change -- I guess it is a refresh, not a redesign, after all. I'm in complete agreement about Neue Klasse. I suppose I'll either get used to this design language or try another brand for awhile.