How does the BMW 530d match up against the Jaguar XF V6 Diesel?

Great looking and great to drive, the XF promises a stern test for BMW’s new 5 Series in 3.0-litre diesel form.

Even in the world of executive cars, most people stick with the cheap option. Whether or not at the say-so of a fleet manager who somehow runs an M3, or just because they want to avoid a sound pasting from the taxman, most BMW 5 Series and Jaguar XF drivers are going to stick at 2.0 litres.

But given the chance, is it worth twisting? And if you do, which direction should you twist in?

That’s what we’re here to find out. We have a brace of 3.0-litre V6s, with the 530d xDrive M Sport taking on Jag’s XF 3.0 V6 Diesel S; there’s not a lot in it on price, so they’re well matched.

There is a lot in it on transmission, though. The 530d has all-wheel drive, adding an extra layer of grip when the road is in a weather-beaten state and helping it to a quicker 0-62 time – even though the XF has usefully more power. Let’s not pretend that executive car drivers don’t feel the need to put others in their place when the lights turn green, after all.

They also feel the need to be looked after, and BMW certainly knows how to do that. You won’t spend much time in a 5 Series’ cabin without wanting to marry the iDrive system and spend the rest of your life gazing lovingly into its 10.2” screen, but aside from that the standard of fit, finish and material quality everywhere you look is just glorious. It’s beyond premium, really – the level of luxury makes it more like a scaled-down 7 Series.

It’s very spacious, too, and has more rear headroom than the XF. Jag provides more space for the knees back there, however, but while there’s enough leather around the cabin to start a fetishists’ convention the overall cabin ambience doesn’t match the class of the Beemer’s.

The media screen only has 8” to keep you happy with, for starters. There’s a 10.2” system on the options list, and it’s much better, but it’ll add £1225 to the price. This makes it fixable, at a price, but there’s not a lot you can do about switchgear that feels like it belongs in a much cheaper car.

Not that Jaguar is alone in spreading options all over the path ahead. The 5 Series tested here featured Integral Active Steering and Variable Damper Control, which between them would leave you with precisely £20 change out of two grand.

The latter certainly works, giving the 5 Series a sumptuous and feelsome ride which betters even the XF’s – itself nothing short of excellent. Both handle very finely, too – the BMW grips superbly and feels little short of unshakeable, while the Jag steers with excellent feedback and assured control on testing roads.

It also has the thick end of 300bhp on its side, but performance-wise you’ll be equally happy with either. In the real world, where overtaking is what matters, both will launch you unhesitatingly past dawdlers; while the XF’s rear-driven chassis makes it the entertainer of the duo, all-wheel drive means the 5 Series may be the more rapid means of getting from A to B with confidence in all weathers.

It’s an engineering masterpiece, to be frank. It does what it does with huge skill, and the technology that lets it do so is straight from out of the top drawer. It’s more car, and more class, for your money, too – which means that while the superb XF is more fun, and arguably better looking, the new 5 Series has proved itself once again.

Specifications: BMW 5 Series 530d xDrive M Sport

Engine size 3.0-litre V6 diesel
List price £49,265
Target price £47,177
Power 261bhp @ 4000rpm
Torque 457lb ft @ 2000rpm
​0-60mph 5.4sec
Top speed 155mph
​Gov't fuel economy 53.2mpg
True MPG tbc
CO2 emissions 138g/km

Specifications: Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Diesel S

Engine size 3.0-litre V6 diesel
List price £49,995
Target price £46,176
Power 296bhp @ 4000rpm
Torque 516lb ft @ 2000rpm
0-60mph 6.2sec
Top speed 155mph
Gov't fuel economy 51.4mpg
True MPG 38.1mpg
CO2 emissions 144g/km

John Calne is a writer for WhatCar.