Jeremy Clarkson Really Really Really Likes the 530D XDRIVE Touring
The toughest critic of cars can’t find faults with the 2017 530D.
Good news! Clarkson really likes the 530D Touring. Actually, that could be an understatement, considering he considers it the highest point of motoring perfection in the automobile’s 125-year existence. No, it might not be a sharp-edged supercar, but the 530D knows its purpose in life and performs it beautifully.
Take for instance the ride. Jeremy had complained about cars riding too stiff these days but says the XDRIVE all-wheel-drive wagon rides astonishingly well. And then somehow, it turns into a car that’s fun to slither around, using the diesel engine’s torque for some personal entertainment. He also lauds the new diesel not only on its range but also in performance, describing the car as lunging between bends.
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And then, there’s the controls and interface. With gesture control, it’ll make you completely forget the shortcomings of the iDrive systems of yore. In fact, he thinks it’s a far better way of doing things than what BMW’s German rivals have mustered up so far.
However, as of right now, it’s looking like the 530D Touring will not make it to the U.S., which seems like a bit of a shame. But BMW faces a twofold problem with trying to get good sales out of a car like this in America. First, getting people interested in station wagons once more, and overcoming the current shadow looming over diesel-powered cars.
