Safety
Besides options like lane departure warning, the 5 Series comes equipped with a suite of side curtain airbags and front-seat side-impact airbags. Rear seat-mounted airbags can be ordered as a $385 option.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has crash-tested the 5 Series
sedan, but not the wagon. Front and rear crash tests of the sedan received top
marks of Good, while side tests produced Marginal ratings, which are second
worst. This was because of specific damage to the driver's torso in the tests.
BMW 535 in the Market
The large luxury wagon is not the most sought-after segment in the auto industry, especially these days. The SUV has dominated this market, offering similar utility and space as wagons in a class where gas mileage matters little.
However, for those who want the utility of a smaller SUV and the driving feel of a car, wagons are still quite appealing. If the driving experience is vital to your decision, you have to look at the 535i xDrive. Audi's A6 and Mercedes' E350 compete in terms of utility and price, especially now that the 2009 A6 has upgraded to a new supercharged engine that produces similar power as the 5 Series wagon.
For shoppers in this very limited segment, the 535i xDrive is surely an ideal choice, but with the masses still choosing SUVs even today, I wonder how long any manufacturer will keep producing wagons, no matter how good they are.
See also:
Status field symbols
The symbols are grouped as follows.
Radio symbols
Telephone symbols
Entertainment symbols
Additional symbols
...
Mobility
To ensure that you remain mobile at all times, this
chapter supplies you with important information
on the topics of fuels and lubricants, wheels and
tires, service, maintenance, and Roadside
...
All around the headliner
All around the headliner
1. Emergency Request
2. Glass sunroof
3. Indicator lamp for the front
passenger airbags
4. Reading lamps
5. Interior lamps ...