2020 Toyota Camry vs 2021 BMW 5 Series

The 2020 Toyota Camry had a renewed focus on quality and appeal, aiming to reclaim its reputation for reliability and value. Its styling was more expressive than ever, with a bold front fascia and taut lines reminiscent of BMW's design cues. Inside, the Camry featured uniformly nice materials and a driver-focused dashboard, making even the base trims feel upscale. The TRD model added sporty red trim accents, elevating the driver's seat to a "cockpit" status. Despite these improvements, the Camry remained a mainstream sedan with a starting price of $25,380, not quite reaching the luxury or sport sedan status of a Lexus or BMW.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had a restrained design, avoiding the flashy elements of other luxury sedans. For 2021, it received a minor styling refresh, including streamlined LED headlights and a larger twin-kidney grille. The interior retained the familiar BMW layout, with high-quality materials and a specific BMW style evident in the positioning of the touchscreen and the unique shifter. The 540i xDrive test car featured Nappa leather and aluminum trim, enhancing the high-end feel, although the sport steering wheel felt out of place. Overall, the 5 Series balanced luxury and sportiness, but leaned more towards a luxury car with sporty pretensions.

The 2020 Toyota Camry offered four distinct powertrains: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with FWD or AWD, a 3.5-liter V6 with FWD, and a hybrid powertrain. The 3.5-liter V6 produced 301 horsepower and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing a smooth and powerful driving experience. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder, with 203 hp (206 in XSE trim), was lighter and offered a more engaging drive, especially in the sporty XSE trim. The AWD system, similar to that in the RAV4, could send up to half of the engine's 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, improving traction in slippery conditions. Fuel economy varied, with the FWD four-cylinder achieving 31 mpg combined, the AWD version 28 mpg, and the V6 models around 25-26 mpg.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series offered a range of powertrains, starting with the 530i's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, capable of 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The 540i featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, generating 335 hp and 362 lb-ft of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds (4.6 seconds with xDrive). The M550i xDrive boasted a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 532 hp, while the M5's V8 produced 617 hp, reaching 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. The 530e plug-in hybrid combined a 2.0-liter engine with an electric motor, offering 288 hp and a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds, with an electric-only driving capability.

The 2020 Toyota Camry was user-friendly, with controls that were easy to reach and operate. The front seats offered increased legroom and hip room compared to the previous generation, but the rear seat had reduced legroom and overall passenger volume. The trunk space was 15.1 cubic feet, smaller than some competitors. The addition of AWD did not compromise the trunk or passenger space, thanks to modifications in the floor structure and fuel tank.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series, available only as a sedan in the U.S., offered spacious front seats and adequate rear-seat room. The trunk space was 14.0 cubic feet, more than the Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, with a 40/20/20 split-folding rear bench for longer items. The test car featured 16-way power front seats with various adjustments, heating, and ventilation. Forward visibility was limited due to the long, high hood, but a surround-view camera system helped with parking.

The 2020 Toyota Camry added Android Auto compatibility to its standard features, joining Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The standard infotainment system had a 7-inch touchscreen, with an optional 8-inch upgrade. The system was functional and responsive, with hard buttons for major functions. Higher trims offered a 7-inch multi-information display and an optional 10-inch head-up display. A three-month trial of WiFi Connect and a one-year trial of Remote Connect were also included.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series featured a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with the latest iDrive 7 system and a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. Standard features included Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The infotainment screen's graphics were excellent, and the rotary knob controller provided a tactile interface. Voice control and gesture controls were also available, although the latter required learning specific gestures.

The 2020 Toyota Camry came with Toyota's Safety Sense suite, including a pre-collision system with emergency braking, dynamic radar adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with steering assist, and automatic high beams. A one-year trial of Safety Connect was included, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was optional. The Camry earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS. There was one NHTSA recall for leaking engine coolant, affecting up to 44,191 cars with 2.5-liter engines.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had not been crash-tested by the IIHS, but the 2020 model received a Top Safety Pick+ award. Standard safety features included lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The Driving Assistance Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, and emergency stop assist. BMW's driver-assist tech was noted for its sophistication and smooth operation.