If you have seen the inside of a BMW 5-Series sedan, you have seen the interior of the Touring. Identical. As we said before, the only difference is that covered cargo section out back.
BMW prides itself on its ergonomics (everything in its proper place for ease of use), and justifiably so. The sound system, though, is a bit complicated - too many small buttons and a really inefficient system for controlling fade/balance and bass/treble. Simply terrible.
The few gauges are large and easy to read. There is a digital systems-check feature. A trip computer is optional.
There is no console storage and no cupholders - the Germans still have not come to grips with the American penchant for driving and drinking coffee or soda pop at the same time.
The hand brake is on the driver's side of the console, where it should be. A drop-down armrest for each front bucket is a nice feature.
Also available is the industry's (heck, the world's) only dual sliding sunroof(s). A front panel and a rear panel can be opened and closed independently or in tandem by a single control.
Important note: Read the instruction manual before trying to operate the sunroofs. Our test driver figured he didn't need any coaching. Fifteen minutes later he finally got both panels closed at the same time.
The interior is comfortable and quite roomy for four. Having three in the backseat is a bit chummy. We were surprised to find the limited amount of cargo space compared with other makes.
Anyone seated in the BMW 525i Touring is surrounded by one of the most impressive arrays of standard comfort and convenience features in the business.
Settle in while we run through a portion of the list: Walnut trim, velour carpeting, time-delay courtesy lights with actuation from the driver's exterior door handle, map lights, tinted glass, power windows with key-off operation, one-touch lowering of all windows and one-touch lowering of driver's window only, two-stage rear defroster, microfiltered ventilation, air conditioning with left/right separate controls, AM/FM stereo with cassette player, illuminated vanity mirrors, rechargeable flashlight in the glove box, and a cargo cover.
As would be expected, the Touring has the edge in quality and luxury over its lower-priced competitors. Only the more-expensive Mercedes-Benz is its equal.
To repeat, the 525i Touring is a sports sedan with a huge trunk, and it rides and drives like the vehicle it is at heart. If you don't ever look in the rear-view mirror, you simply won't know you're piloting a wagon and not a car.
The additional cargo area adds a not-insubstantial 199 lb. to the 3560-lb. curb weight of the sedan. But at no time, even in hard cornering - not a typical wagon situation - does that extra weight make the Touring feel top- or tail-heavy.
The ride is more stiff and controlled than the typical American station wagon, which may surprise first-timers. But after a few miles, even the most zealous soft-ride exponent will begin to appreciate the feeling of security and control the Touring's more taut suspension affords.
The 6-cylinder engine - the result of years of refinement by BMW - is smooth and quiet. It doesn't, however, give the Touring much zip in the acceleration department. Full-throttle starts are at first leisurely, then a bit more brisk as engine speed builds.
But let's be honest here: Station wagon drivers are not typically in the rip-and-tear driving mode. The Touring has plenty of acceleration to blend effortlessly with traffic, pass with confidence and handle everyday driving responsibilities.