What car? named the expensive BMW 5 Series hybrid as the used car of the year

With the huge demand for used cars pushing up the value of used cars much higher than usual, guidance on which models to consider during the cost of living crisis will be welcomed by many motorists.

However, the engine chosen as the used car of the year by What Car? 2022, may not suit everyone.

Consumer Titula’s team of motoring experts have chosen the expensive hybrid version of the BMW 5 Series to stand out as a second-hand motor this year – although drivers will need to fork out around £20,000 if they want a second-hand version of this luxury family saloon.

The annual What Car? The award recognizes the best used models in eight categories, from hatchbacks to SUVs, with an overall winner chosen from among the category champions.

Launched in 2017, the 530e is the plug-in hybrid version of BMW’s highly acclaimed 5 Series luxury range, which won the What Car? awards for past years.

It was this year’s winner for its “driver appeal, luxurious interior and class-leading refinement, as well as its potential for great fuel economy and its outstanding value in the used car market,” according to the consumer label.

This year it beat a host of great cars, including the Audi A3 Sportback, Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Passat Estate.

While it can be very attractive to those who can afford it, many drivers are wondering if it’s the right choice of used engine to recommend at a time when wallets are tighter than ever.

With the cost of food, fuel and energy skyrocketing and mortgage interest rates rising, some motorists may have been relying on a less expensive car to get the thumbs up from testers.

He acknowledges the fact that consumers are facing a cost-of-living crisis and are “looking to get the best value,” adding that this makes the What Car? on used cars is more important than ever.

What car? awarded it the gong for its ‘driver appeal, luxurious interior and class-leading refinement’, as well as ‘excellent fuel economy and ‘excellent value in the used car market’. The cheapest model we could find cost over £16,000…

Using just the battery charge, the BMW 530e can travel a claimed 29 miles – which should be enough to cover the school run for at least a week

A quick search on Auto Trader shows that the least expensive examples on the market are around £17,000 and they are all above-average mileage models.

For a 2017 car with 60,000 miles, drivers will have to pay £21,000 for a used example of the luxury Beemer.

While What Car? says the used car market is showing signs of softening, with the latest figures from Auto Trader saying the average price of a used car listed on its site rose by £370 between August and September to £17,409.

That’s 35 percent higher than September 2020 and a whopping 42 percent higher than 2019 before the pandemic.

Commenting on his crowning, Mark Pearson, Used Car Editor at What Car?, said: “The task of choosing just one overall winner gets harder every year. But this time, the BMW 530e stood out from all the other contenders.

“At first glance it might look like just another big and luxurious car that with a few miles on it became decently cheap to buy, but when we delved into its long list of attributes it became clear that it was not only a really desirable car, but a wonderful used purchase.

“It was the exceptional value he offers that ultimately won him the victory. Simply put, nothing offers so much for so little.”

The Tesla Model 3 (pictured) was named the best used electric car of 2022, while the Audi A3 took home the gong for best hatchback

The latest What Car? The Used Car of the Year award also proved successful for Audi, which won three out of eight categories, with the Audi A3 taking home the Used Hatchback of the Year, the Audi A4 the Used Sedan of the Year and the Audi TT the Used Sports Car of the Year. . Year.

Other winners included the Mazda CX-5 (Used SUV of the Year), Peugeot 5008 (Used Seven Seater of the Year), Tesla Model 3 (Used Electric Car of the Year) and Volkswagen Passat Estate (Used Car of the Year). ).