I have recently spent a couple of weeks in and out of different cars, and coming back to the BMW meant sliding back into comfortable familiarity.

Which surprised me in a way, because I’ve been a little too focused on the few elements I don’t like about the new 5-series – namely the keyless start but not keyless entry, that leaves you sat inside the car clutching a key that has nowhere to live, and the electric handbrake, which doesn’t disengage automatically like every other system.

But it’s such a great all-rounder whose considerable talents are best appreciated by a period of separation. The ability to cover long distances in peaceful comfort and for pleasantly little fuel use is something to be even more grateful for as I’m about to move 40 minutes further away from the office, while the navigation and radio system has an intuitive use that’s pretty much unmatched across the industry.

BMW 520d saloon SE manual
Mileage 7214 miles
Our average consumption 43.4mpg
Forecast CPM 61.6p
Actual CPM 63.4p
Positive Emissions, running
costs, quality
Negative Electric steering