Don’t think small engines in big cars won’t pull the skin off rice pudding. Two Germans prove it works a treat. NEIL DOWLING compares

BMW 520i
Price: $77,900
Star: 3.5
VALUE: The cheapest of the fresh 5-Series range doesn’t skimp on fittings, picking up most of the kit of the $98,200 528i that has a similar drivetrain. At $77,900, the 520i is a five-seater with leather, wood, sat-nav, cruise and park sensors to whet the buyer’s appetite. You can go nuts by ticking option list boxes but restraint is wise. I like the no-cost option of removing the model badge from the boot, making it pretend to be a $115,600 535i.
Star: 4
DESIGN: A softening of the gruff, big-grille look of some BMW models sees the 5-Series return to its more delicate style of the 1980s when a low silhouette reinforced the company’s sporty prowess. The slim headlights and pronounced body crease on its flanks also make the 5-Series appear to be low and long. Inside it’s an exercise in housekeeping as cabin trim has been made neater, controls cleaner and the iDrive function management system a lot easier to use.
Star: 4
TECHNOLOGY: Mercedes, Audi and BMW lead the European push to maximise performance and economy by downsizing engine capacity. To motoring enthusiasts with warm blood in their veins, a 135kW/270Nm 2-litre engine in a 1.6-tonne car is as appealing as cold toast. But a twin-scroll turbocharger, valve management, clever electronics and eight cogs in the auto gearbox change everything. The 520i sprints 0-100km/h in 8.0 seconds and gets 6.4 L/100km. The rest of the package is brilliant – excellent handling with a sports flavour, good steering communication and to save fuel, a regenerative brake package and  a stop-start system.
Star: 3.5
SAFETY: All the good bits here with the maximum crash test rating, electronics for the stability, traction and brake control, park sensors front and back, eight airbags and tyre pressure alert. The run-flat tyres require no spare wheel, apparently.
Star: 4
DRIVING: Bigger-bore BMW’s have an instant acceleration rush off the mark that is a bit muted in the 520i. That’s to be expected. But it’s definitely no slouch and despite initial hesitation off the mark, maximum 270Nm of torque is cooking by 1200rpm and stays flat to 4500rpm. It’s not just the acceleration that brings smiles. The engine noise is unlike a four-cylinder unit, being crisp almost to the point of a bellow. The eight gears in the transmission pluck the torque at the right time and send it to the rear wheels while the lighter engine seems to make the front end more accurate through the corners. At all times, the BMW is smooth, almost effortless and so comfortable. You’d never know this is a 2-litre petrol four.
Star: 3.5

MERCEDES-BENZ E200

Price: $79,900
VALUE: Mercedes and BMW have been peeking over each other’s fence because almost item for item, these cars closely match up. Similarly, the E200 turbo-petrol enters the line-up at $79,900 with a higher spec model above and a diesel to the side. The Merc doesn’t share BMW’s leather but has its own leather-like material, has a 10-speaker audio (against six), Bluetooth, cruise control, trip computer, park sensors and sat-nav.
Star: 4
DESIGN: Young people in my family reckon the Merc is for older people but that’s an opinion not shared by a critical gaze over the E-Class. Yes, it’s a bit conservative but there is lots to like about its balance of tough lines with the odd gentle curve. It seems to appeal equally to men and women and the shape may retain its youthfulness in future years. Inside it’s spacious and carefully trimmed and looks bigger than the BMW (it’s actually 30mm shorter). The downside is the familiarisation needed for the controls – the gearshift column is on the right, there’s a foot park brake (BMW has an electric brake) and the combination indicator and wiper stalk can trip the novice.
Star: 3.5
TECHNOLOGY: Same deal as the BMW with a clever use of a small – this time shrunk even further to 1.8 litres – engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission that’s whipped hard to make it all happen. Output is 135kW/270Nm – OMG, that’s the same as the Beemer! Like the BMW, the Merc is rear drive and just as snappy with a 7.9sec time to 100km/h and 6.6 L/100km fuel average. The good news is attributed to the light 1615kg weight. The Merc gets a space-saver spare wheel.
Star: 3.5
SAFETY: A bit of one-upmanship is the addition of one airbag over the BMW – it’s for the driver’s knees – but everything else save the existence of a spare wheel is the same as the BMW. Little things like the heated mirrors should be seen as being important safety aids in winter mornings – both cars here have these.
Star: 4
DRIVING: Again, such as surprise that such verve can spring from a small engine and, even more amazing, delivered with barely any lag and with the aural maturity of a healthy six-cylinder unit. But instantly I’m aware that the Merc is made for a difference audience than the BMW. The ride is plusher and the engine response a bit restrained, while the gearshifter (on the right side – why?) isn’t conducive to manual operation. Controls need familiarisation because they deviate, perhaps unnecessarily, from the norm. There’s also a slower steering wheel ratio so the sum of its conservativeness creates a car that is less dynamic than its rival. But it shines for ride comfort and the badge on the grille still carries a lot of prestige.
Star: 3.5
VERDICT: On paper, these are practically twins. On the road they will appeal to quite different buyers. Both are very clever and definitive cars for the century’s second decade. I’d lean slight more to the BMW only because I prefer its driving feel.

BMW: 19pts
MERCEDES: 18.5pts