The 523i’s a fun car to drive, despite its hefty size.  The responsive steering makes the car feel smaller, especially on twisty mountain roads.  There’s a lot of grip from the 225/50 R 17 tires, but when things let loose though, you can be assured that the standard traction control brings everything back into order.  This is one car that lets you have fun without being too dangerous.

The combination of classic sports sedan handling and high-tech gadgetry is echoed in the 523i’s cabin.  The execution’s nice, solid and leaning towards functionality rather than opulence.  The 3-spoke steering wheel is nice and thick; a perfect ally when pushing the car around turns and bends.  There are wood accents too, but subtlety placed and not too overbearing.  There’s an incredible array of seating adjustment from the power seats, but it was more of a case of trying to find the perfect driving position rather than of comfort.  The headrests, though power adjustable as well, is set far too back for long-distance driving comfort.

The biggest highlight of the 5 Series’s cabin is still the wide-screen LCD screen on the dashboard that serves as the main screen for the iDrive system.  Some people may immediately balk at the mention of iDrive, but the latest version is, by far, the easiest to use.  Major functions are handily found, and generally you’ll not make mistakes in trying to find what you’re looking for.  There are still some minor issues though, but they are mostly centered on how individual functions were programmed (i.e. changing audio settings while selecting music requires you to push the iDrive button knob down then down again to get to the audio settings).  There are 8 programmable shortcut buttons on the 5 Series now, but I didn’t get to personally fiddle with them.

More on the subject of audio, though solid, the 523i tested had a lackluster system, especially for the premium asking price.  Though having a multitude of speakers, the bass was rather weak and the overall quality, though clear was just bearable.  There is little in the way of audio personalization—with just adjustment for bass and treble present.  Oh, and it just runs on a single in-dash CD system too.  On the plus side, the 523i does have an auxiliary audio input, but alas, there’s no aux signal boost—a feature standard on the much cheaper 320i.  It’s suggested that audiophiles tick the BMW Business or Professional audio system.

My love for the 523i didn’t fade during my time with the car.  Despite its idiosyncrasies, this car still drives like a dream.  You can drive it reasonably or hard, and it will respond well.  Beyond the issues on the audio system and some iDrive quirks, the BMW 523i is one excellent luxury sports sedan.  The P4.68-million price tag may be a bit much, but no other car manages to be such a well balanced operator as the BMW 5 Series.

Engine start/stop function is new to the revised 5 Series. Rather odd to use, but once you get used to it, it's alright.

It's the same story with the new sci-fi style shifter.

Interior's largely unchanged. Aux still located (oddly) on the rear vent panel.