BMW Active Hybrid 5

Introduction

The BMW Active Hybrid 5 comes from the family of BMW 5 Series which is in production since 1972.The BMW Active Hybrid 5 is the sixth generation 5 Series. Active Hybrid 5 was created by BMW focusing on the environment without sacrificing the speed and performance. It was first introduced as a Hybrid electric concept in Geneva Motor Show in 2010 went into production in 2012. Active hybrid 5 is a mid size luxury sedan and is available with automatic transmission in Sri Lanka.

Engine, mileage & variants

The hybrid engine is packed with high-power lithium-ion batteries mounted over rear axle. This electric motor produces a total of 53hp and can drive the car up to a maximum speed of 60 Kmph. Apart from powering the engine it also powers the AC system and other electrical functions like lights etc. During braking of the vehicle it works as a generator which in technical terms is known as Brake energy regeneration. Also fitted with a conventional 3L V6 petrol engine, it generates 340 hp of peak power at 5800 rpm with maximum torque of 450 Nm between 1200 to 5000 rpm. The engine is married with 8 speed automatic transmission which accelerate it from standstill to 100 Kmph mark in just 5.7 seconds and helps it in reaching top speed of 250 Kmph. With its hybrid engine it gives impressive combined fuel economy running around 15.6 kilometer in one liter.

Exterior

On the front you can see the trademark kidney grills along with two dual projector xenon headlamps with day time running LED lights at both ends. The BMW badge is centered right above the front grills. From side view you can see a sharp line running through door handles giving it sporty look. The L shaped LED tail lights along with the chrome plated dual exhaust pipes make the BMW look astonishing. It has a long wheelbase of 2968 mm which increases the stability of the vehicle. Other dimensions of the car are 4899mm x 1860mm x 1464mm (L x W x H). BMW has provided standard 17 inch light alloy wheels with tyre size of 225/55 R17 97W for both front and rear tyres.

Interior

The ActiveHybrid 5 badging on the exterior and the fact that its an electric hybrid would have surely grappled your mind, you must be thinking of all new cabin but the cabin is no different form a regular 5 series BMW's. Because of the positioning of the lithium batteries on the rear axle, boot space is reduced to 375 liters. Adding to that you cannot fold the rear seats because of the battery pack between the luggage compartment and rear seats. Inside the quality of material used and the finish provided is of top quality and you won't cry for leg room or head room. To enhance you multi-media experience it comes with sixteen speakers high-end Bang & Olufsen Surround Sound system which is very innovative and produces perfect sound. The dash-board has 10.2 inch smart touchscreen display which has sat-nav, a BMW app through which you can access all the entertainment and communication functions, you can also change the radio station of your choice, a Bluetooth office which can read out email, texts etc for you, one can also access Internet and always stay connected.

Safety, Braking and Miscellaneous

German manufacturer is known for the safety standards it provide. It has maximum of 5 star rating by EURO NCAP, which tells about its safety standard. It comes pre-loaded with lots of standard features like ABS with EBD, parking sensors, airbags for driver and passengers, brake assist, anti theft alarm and much more. BMW has provided a lot of high-tech features like Head-up Display which projects speed and the road ahead in front of the driver in a very colorful and intuitive way. Also on offer are BMW night vision for safe driving at night (it warns the driver of any approaching danger located outside headlights range), Advance emergency call and passive safety for the safety of pedestrian.

Verdict

ActiveHybrid 5 comes with BMW's attention to detail and a lot of high-tech feature. It has impressive driving experience and you won't feel driving a hybrid. But if you are really looking for a car that is eco-friendly with impressive power and it is not a Toyota Prius, than this sedan will better fit your requirement.