Blue and BMW are as legendary a pairing as bread and butter. Adding peach jam or bananas would spice things up, but butter will always be the classic, and the same goes for the blue roundel. Think of the most iconic BMWs in its storied 110-year history, and most of them are draped in shades of the sea: Estoril Blue, Interlagos Blue, Laguna Seca Blue, and Macao Blue. If you couldn’t tell, BMW also names them after iconic locations around the globe.

Maldives Blue is no different and summons fond memories of diving around the smallest country in Asia, and is a paint colour available in the BMW Individual program, which offers over 150 unique colours. It usually costs $5,000 for regular BMW models, but it is included with this Canadian-specific 2026 BMW 540i xDrive Legacy Edition. Celebrating the heritage of the 5 Series with 151 units, the Legacy Edition comes standard with BMW Individual Manufaktur paintwork, 21-inch wheels, and a full suite of amenities, including the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, carbon fibre interior trim, panoramic roof, illuminated kidney grill, and heated and ventilated seats. The all-in price is $94,500.

It’s an excellent deal, and perusing the BMW Individual configurator unveils a plethora of different colour combinations. After what felt like an hour, we finally settled on Borusan Turkish Blue over a white leather interior. Whatever paint you choose, you won’t have to worry about the base product, because the 5 Series is incredibly diverse and one of our favourite luxury sedan platforms, even on this base, gasoline-only 540i xDrive model. 

Loaded with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six B58 engine, it produces 375 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed automatic gearbox, and will sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. BMW also offers a 530i with a 255 hp four-cylinder, as well as a 550e with a 483 hp plug-in hybrid setup, but this 540i is the most traditional-feeling. And if you’re on the fence about the six-cylinder due to fuel consumption, know that it’s surprisingly efficient. We averaged an impressive 9.9 L/100km over a mix of city and highway driving.

There are no significant changes for the 2026 model aside from a new flat tire kit, but the combination of low-profile 21-inch wheels and the lack of adaptive dampers or an air suspension makes the 540i ride much busier than its 550e and M5 stablemates. It’s able to dampen bumps with a plush layer of softness, but there isn’t much pliancy, and many minor, persistent bumps and reverberations seep through, causing the chassis to oscillate more frequently. Unfortunately, you can’t option the Legacy Edition with the optional Adaptive Suspension that is available on the standard 5 Series, but it’s highly recommended if you do, as it gives the 5 Series the road compliance to compete with the E-Class on lengthier commutes. 

What the inherently stiffer ride does offer is excellent lateral grip, a large envelope of all-wheel drive security, and employable chassis fluency. No matter what powertrain you choose, the 5 Series is a joy to exploit on roads sprawled onto the map like a bowl of ramen noodles. Barrel it into a corner at speed, and body roll is easily tamed, slip angles are easily induced with throttle control, and a suitable inline-six exhaust with throaty vocals and a thrilling top-end consistently remind you that this is the classic, enthralling BMW experience. It makes the comparative Mercedes E 450 Sedan and Audi A6 feel aloof and indifferent.

It could be the tires or the lack of adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering, but the electric-powered steering feels lighter and more artificial than that of the other 5 Series variants we’ve driven. It requires less strength to rotate and doesn’t load up or become heavier when you pile on speed through corners, either, meaning you have to be more delicate and deliberate with your inputs like operating a sensitive PlayStation controller. It punishes overly quick, rash movements and rewards millimetric accuracy, which is odd for an entry-level sedan. Selecting Sport Mode doesn’t firm it up either. We also lament the lack of a dedicated Sport Mode button. BMW has replaced it with a My Modes button that summons a menu of selectable modes, but we miss the quick-fire action of an aggressive overtaking mode. To remedy this, BMW has installed a Boost Mode function on the left paddle shifter that activates the sportiest settings for 10 seconds, enough for quick overtakes and riskier maneuvers. 

The interior is carried over from last year’s model, but what BMW doesn’t mention in the press release is that they’ve replaced the scratchy plastic, cheap-feeling window switchgear with a nicer, glossy black material. Questionable areas remain, such as the flimsy, hollow, metallic-gray plastic on the gear lever, volume dial, and steering wheel surround, all of which feel 3D-printed and nowhere near the quality found elsewhere in the cabin. Luckily, the open-pore wood and bright, soft leathers distract you from them.

Otherwise, the 5 Series cabin is an absolute delight and a tranquil place to spend time in, replete with dazzling ambient light panels and plush leather seats. We enjoy this dual-screen display setup combined under a single piece of glass, and it’s operated via both a touchscreen and a rotary dial with actual buttons, making it easy to navigate the menus even while focusing on the road. Not to mention, having real toggles and dials on the steering wheel makes it more accessible than those fussy haptic touch sensors littered in every electric Mercedes and Volkswagen. This is user functionality appropriately done.

The 540i Legacy Edition is an enormously likeable sedan and impresses with its sharp chassis, enjoyable and exploitable performance, honeyed inline-six vocals, and a well-furnished interior. While the lack of an adaptive suspension makes for a flintier ride, and there are still some questionable cabin materials, the 5 Series still feels like the most complete and well-rounded package in the luxury sedan space, especially in blue.

Specifications:

Model: 2026 BMW 540i xDrive Legacy Edition
Paint Type: Maldives Blue II Metallic
Base Price: $94,500
Price as Tested: $94,500
Wheelbase(mm): 2,995
Length/Width/Height (mm): 5,060 / 1,900 / 1,515
Curb Weight: 1,982 kg
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six (B58)
Horsepower: 375 hp @ 5,200 – 6,250 rpm
Torque: 398 lb-ft @ 1,900 – 4,800 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Engine & Drive Configuration: Front engine, AWD
Observed Fuel Consumption (L/100km): 9.9
Tires: 245/35R21 front; 275/30R21 rear; Continental EcoContact 6 Q