Editor Gary Skentelbery road tests the BMW 530e hybrid
HAVING driven Land Rovers for the past two decades, taking the BMW 530e out for a road test was certainly going to be a new experience for me!
And what an enjoyable experience it was especially knowing how much more environmentally friendly it was compared to my ageing diesel Freelander which currently has 94,000 miles on the clock!
Hybrid vehicles have certainly upped their game over the past five years and with an average electrical charge usage of around 20 miles, the BMW 530e is perfect for short distances around town.
It takes a while to get used to the silence, especially after all the years of driving diesel Land Rovers. But is certainly a comfortable ride.
When you hit the open roads and it switches to petrol, there is no lack of power or acceleration in the fully automatic vehicle, which comes with various travel modes.
I didn’t have time to master all the gadgets and as this was the basic model I was left wondering what upgrades could be added!!
After enjoying the car for three days I was somewhat reluctant to hand it back and it has certainly given me the taste for considering a hybrid for my next vehicle – if only to help reduce on pollution, especially on those short, start, stop trips around town.
David Lewis, who runs family business Central Self Drive explained the rationale behind monthly hire deals.
He said: “With Brexit and ever changing diesel regulations, not many businesses are committing to lease/contract hire.
“For these reasons we have introduced our month by month hire – flexible rolling monthly hire.- get a new car every 6 months!”
The road tested Bmw 530e works out at £149.00pw plus vat
Benefits include
•All new cars on a 3, 6 or 12 month hire.
•No large initial outlay
•No long term commitment
•No service or maintenance worries.
•Does not affect your credit score
https://www.centralselfdrive.co.uk/month-by-month-vehicles/
