BMW 520 vs. BMW 320: which is better?
Both the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series are great cars, but which is the better option for you?
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BMW makes some of the most popular cars on the road, and many drivers aspire to drive one of the brand’s sporty models.
Company car drivers and family motorists frequently return to the 320 and 520 for their exceptional build quality, excellent practicality and sense of style.
Whether you’re after a saloon or an estate, we compare two of BMW’s best-selling vehicles to help you decide whether a petrol or diesel version of the 3 Series or 5 Series is best suited to your needs.
Styling
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As their names suggest, the BMW 520 belongs to the 5 Series family, which means the 320 belongs to the 3 Series. Both are available in saloon and estate forms.
The smaller 3 Series has a sporty and athletic-looking design thanks to sharp and angular lines on the body, which makes it stand out against the softer-looking yet similarly-sized Mercedes C-Class.
The 5 Series is a more sophisticated-looking saloon, with larger proportions and less aggressive styling.
This article relates to the ‘20’ versions of each car, which are powered by 2.0-litre engines. They’re available in all trim levels, so there’s a lot of variation in how each model will look.
Range-topping M Sport versions, for example, have larger and more striking alloy wheel designs and sporty-looking body parts, like bumpers, compared with the mode sedate entry-level SE models.
What are they like to drive?
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Both the 320 and the 520 are rear-wheel-drive cars, which are less common than front-wheel-drive cars. They stand out for their dynamic handling, especially the way they can handle corners.
They’re also available with BMW’s four-wheel-drive system, badged xDrive, which sends most of the power to the rear wheels.
Power can be distributed to the front wheels on an as-needed basis for extra grip in slippery conditions.
The 320 and the 520 both use the same 2.0-litre engines, whether that’s with petrol (320i/520i) or diesel (320d/520d) power.
In recent years, more buyers have been opting for petrol power. In the case of the 20i engine, both cars get 184hp. They’re punchy, but they’re less efficient than the diesels.
The 20d diesel engine is better for long-distance drivers, where it can return more than 50mpg. In both cars, it produces 190hp, and we think it’s a better fit for these large cars.
Some newer engines feature mild hybrid technology designed to reduce CO2 emissions (and your car tax bill) and improve fuel economy, but you’ll have no way of telling this from the car’s badging.
Instead, you’ll have to check each car’s spec sheet individually if that’s what you want.
The 320 and the 520 are both available with manual and automatic gearboxes, but you’ll have a harder job finding newer models with manual gearboxes, with more buyers opting for automatics.
This is no bad thing, though, because while the manual is engaging, the smooth-shifting automatic performs well and can be more comfortable to drive.
Interior and technology
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The BMW 320 has a more compact interior than the 520, however, it still manages to offer enough space for all the family.
Rear-seat passengers in both cars will notice the hump in the footwell, running from the engine in the front to the driven wheels in the rear.
This is common in most rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive cars, but it could have an impact on your ability to carry three adults in the rear.
Both cars offer a similar level of luxury and technology, and you’d be able to jump from one to the other and still be familiar with all the controls.
Because the 5 Series is a more expensive, luxurious car, it has higher levels of standard equipment and technology as well as nicer-feeling materials, but that doesn’t mean the 320 is poorly appointed.
Boot space and practicality
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Both the seventh-generation 3 Series, introduced in 2018, and the one that came before it have a large 480-litre boot, which is as large as some mid-size SUVs.
The estate version, badged ‘Touring’, has a larger 500-litre space, which extends up to 1,510 litres with the rear bench folded flat.
Previous-generation versions sold before 2018 had a slightly smaller 495-litre boot.
Compared with the 320, the 520 has a much larger boot. In saloon format, it offers 530 litres of space.
The 5 Series Touring has 560 litres of space, or 1,700 litres with the rearmost seats folded down.
The new 5 Series, introduced in 2023, has a slightly smaller 520-litre boot, but the difference in the real world will be negligible. At the time of writing, BMW has not confirmed details for the estate model.
While the saloon models have SUV-like luggage capacities, what you can carry is slightly hindered by their narrow boot openings – typical of any saloon, including the Mercedes E-Class.
If you need to carry large, bulky items, consider one of the estate models, which have a more useable hatchback-style boot opening.
Reliability
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Both the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series have similar ratings when it comes to reliability, and are considered to be above average.
The models, and the brand in general, often outperform other key premium rivals, such as Mercedes.
In terms of the 320 and 520 models specifically, because the 20i and 20d models have long been some of the most popular, there’s plenty of data to back up their reliability and finding parts should be easy enough.
Remember that reliability relies heavily on how well a car has been maintained – BMW parts, tyres, and running costs, like insurance, can all be higher with BMW models than with less premium brands.
Size and dimensions
The latest BMW 3 Series is slightly larger than the model it replaced, measuring 4,709mm long, 2,068mm wide and 1,435mm tall.
It’s about the same size as an Audi A4 or the Tesla Model 3 – a popular electric alternative.
Despite its looks, the estate version of the 320 is the same length and width as the saloon version. It’s slightly taller, but only by 5mm.
If you’re used to smaller cars, you’ll notice the larger size of the 5 Series. It’s 4,936mm long, 2,126mm wide and 1,479mm tall, which means it’s around the same size as the Volvo S90.
Fortunately, if you need the extra practicality of the estate model, you won’t have to deal with a much larger footprint.
It’s a bit longer, at 4,942mm long, and a bit taller, at 1,498mm, but it’s the same width as the saloon.
The 2023-onward 5 Series saloon is 5,060mm long, 2,156mm wide, and 1,515mm tall, which means it’ll take up about as much space in a parking space as a Range Rover Sport.
Verdict: BMW 320 vs. BMW 520: which should you buy?
Whether you should choose the 320 or the 520 depends on your needs, but most drivers will favour the 320’s more manageable dimensions and better fuel economy – it’s still large enough to carry the family and all their luggage.
In terms of engine choice, while BMW has made improvements over time to the efficiency of the petrol models, drivers who frequently use the motorway will likely want to consider the diesel variants.