2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5

The good news is that the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 (Base MSRP: $60,950) drives great, testers say -- almost exactly like the excellent gas-powered 2012 BMW 535i (Base MSRP: $52,500) on which it's based.

The bad news is, the hybrid costs $8,000 more and barely gets better gas mileage.

"The car's eco-credentials may at times feel a little tenuous," says Alistair Weaver at Edmunds Inside Line, where editors "struggle to recommend it over a regular 535i."

Among luxury hybrids, experts prefer the 2012 Infiniti M35h (Base MSRP: $53,700). It's faster and more fuel-efficient than the BMW ActiveHybrid 5 -- and it costs $7,000 less, despite being very well equipped with luxury features.

A few hybrid styling tweaks

The ActiveHybrid 5 uses the same body as the 535i sedan, but with a few visual tweaks to set it apart. The hybrid gets ActiveHybrid 5 badges on the C-pillars, special low-drag wheels, a slightly different kidney grille, matte chrome tailpipes and an available blue-metallic paint that's reserved for the hybrid only.

Inside, Autoblog.com's Matt Davis finds "what we've come to expect while sitting in a 5 Series cabin" -- except for the 9.2-inch color screen showing what's going on with the hybrid system. Inside Line's Weaver agrees that the cabin is "classic 5 Series, which is no bad thing.... The quality is tremendous, with the exception of some nasty plastic on the internal B-pillar."

Spacious and loaded

Like the rest of the 5 Series, the ActiveHybrid 5 has room for five, with plenty of space for tall passengers in back. The hybrid battery eats up some trunk space, but it still leaves 13.2 cubic feet -- "a credible cargo hold," says Kim Reynolds at Motor Trend.

Leather seats and dark wood trim come standard on the ActiveHybrid 5, along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and door trim, power moonroof, navigation, voice command for Bluetooth phones, 10-speaker stereo with iPod and USB interface and HD radio, keyless ignition, four-zone automatic climate control, dynamic cruise control and more.

Testers point out the brainy nav system, which looks ahead at the topography (where information's available) to wring the most out of the hybrid system. "For example, if it identifies that a sharp uphill is followed by a long descent, it will happily use all the battery power on the way up, knowing that it will be replenished," writes Weaver at Inside Line. "It's clever, but its success depends on the quality and quantity of the navigation data, which is far from consistent." Although Germany is well-mapped, the U.S. is not, says Davis at Autoblog.com.

'Drives exactly like a 535i'

None of our sources lodge any complaints about the ActiveHybrid 5's powertrain. The 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six engine works seamlessly with the electric motor, hybrid battery, regenerative brakes and eight-speed automatic transmission, cranking out a healthy 335 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque. On its website, BMW says the hybrid can hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds -- just like the gas-powered BMW 535i on which it's based.

"The ActiveHybrid 5 drives exactly like a 535i," Automobile Magazine's Joe Lorio says, and other testers agree. The little muscle boost from the hybrid system (an extra 35 horsepower and 30 pound-feet) cancels out the hybrid's extra 275 pounds. During Reynolds' drive for Motor Trend, "I can't remember how many times my co-driver on our test loop muttered, 'I'd never know this car is a hybrid.'"

Except that the hybrid can drive up to 37 mph on electricity alone, if you feather the throttle -- although it won't go very far. "BMW reckons you can drive 2.5 miles at an average of 22 mph before the gasoline engine must intervene," says Weaver at Inside Line. "If you're dawdling in L.A. rush-hour traffic, then the system has an important role to play, but if you're a country boy, it's hard to see the benefit."

Once you're finished accelerating, you can coast along with the engine off at speeds up to 50 mph, or 100 mph in Eco Pro mode -- "a worthwhile sensation to experience," says Autoblog.com's Davis. Like all hybrids, it shuts off the engine at stoplights and harvests power from its regenerative brakes. The brakes are terrific in tests: "No sign whatsoever of regenerative braking's infamous mushiness," Reynolds says.

Fuel economy gain isn't much

Although the Environmental Protection Agency doesn't list them on its website, BMW lists EPA fuel economy estimates for the ActiveHybrid 5: 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. (These are lower than mpg estimates floating around in early reviews.)

That's 10 percent better in the city -- but 1 mpg worse on the highway -- than a gas-powered BMW 535i with automatic transmission, according to EPA estimates. The Best Reviewed luxury hybrid, the Infiniti M35h, gets a better 27 mpg city/32 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

EPA Fuel Economy Estimates (from BMW)

- City: 23 mpg

- Highway: 30 mpg

- Combined: Not listed

Solid crash protection

The 2012 BMW 535i (which uses the same body as the ActiveHybrid 5) gets nearly perfect crash ratings. It comes equipped with the usual standard safety features: antilock brakes, traction and stability control and front, front-side and curtain airbags. An optional pre-crash system can detect an imminent crash and automatically shut the windows and sunroof, pre-tension the front seatbelts and return seat backs to an upright position to help protect occupants.

We found no reliability predictions for this new model. The 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 carries a four-year/50,000-mile warranty.

NHTSA Safety Ratings

- Front Impact: 4 stars

- Side Impact: 5 stars

- Rollover Resistance: 5 stars

- Overall: 5 stars

IIHS Safety Ratings

- Front Offset Impact: Good

- Side Impact: Good

- Rear Impact: Good

- Roof Strength: Good

- Named 2012 Top Safety Pick