2008 BMW 528i road test
The 2008 BMW 528i was in Consumer Guide's test-car fleet for two weeks.

Model: 2008 BMW 5-Series 528i; 230-horsepower 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode

Base Price: $44,300

Options: Premium Package (leather upholstery, front-seat power lumbar adjustment, automatic day/night rear view and outside mirrors, universal garage door opener, additional interior lights), Cold Weather Package (heated front seats and steering wheel, headlight washers), Sport Package (front-seat active head restraints, 20-way power multi-contour front seats, passenger-seat memory, sport steering wheel, satin chrome Shadowline exterior trim, active roll stabilization, sport suspension, 18-inch run-flat tires), Split-Folding Rear Seat, High-Definition Radio, and Keyless Starting.

Price as Tested: $51,675

Total Miles Tested: 497 miles

Miles Per Gallon: 20.3 miles per gallon

Editor's Notes

Damon Bell: In most any guise, the BMW 5-Series is one of the most athletic midsize cars on the market. The 528i doesn't have the seamless, seemingly bottomless power reserves of the 535 and 550, but it's still a fine choice for 5-Series shoppers on a budget. iDrive is still an overly distracting bother, but overall, the 528i offers an enticing mix of sportiness and sophistication.
Jennifer Geiger: 528i is a competent, composed, first-rate premium-midsize car. However, its confounding array of technical features almost negate whatever luxury and convenience they're supposed to impart. That, plus a sticker price that can get pretty high, would make me think twice about owning one. In this class, I'd save some money and some head scratching and take the sportier Infiniti G35 instead.
Ed Piotrowski: BMW's 5-Series offers an enviable blend of sporty performance and personal luxury. The iDrive system without navigation isn't so awful to use once you've familiarized yourself with its operation. The rub is that these cars are extremely pricey. The cost may be worth it for a top-end 550i. With the 528i, however, there's nothing you can't get in a comparable Cadillac CTS or Infiniti G35 for thousands less.