I do use the paddles more than in any car I've had for a decade. Often to turn the engine on when it's running in EV mode (hold the right hand paddle) but despite there basically being no need to worry whether you're in 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th when overtaking it still feels good to flick it down a few gears.Jimexpl wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2026 2:55 pmHow many times have you used full throttle, and do you ever manually select gears or just let the car decide for you?Jobbo wrote: Fri Oct 16, 2026 12:28 pm M5 Touring update. Passed 10,000 miles on my journey to Cardiff yesterday. Average fuel economy over that is 43.2mpg.
It's been to most corners of the western half of the UK (from the most northerly point on the Isle of Lewis to Looe in Cornwall via Anglesey and pretty much all of mid-Wales, it's been on a heck of a lot of small ferries and a couple of larger ones, it has attracted more attention than I would necessarily like, but less negativity than I might have expected. It's still much more of an event to drive than my previous series of big estates over the last 20 years but it's still fitting into daily life as a big practical estate car should.
If Audi had launched the new Allroad a few months earlier I'd probably have ended up getting one of those instead, but then I'd always have wondered about the M5 so I'm very glad I've got it. I'll probably swap it for an Allroad next time though; the performance is utterly unnecessary. I remember in my first 545i Touring accelerating up a long dual carriageway and being surprised when I looked down and was doing 150. On my journey to Cardiff I pressed the accelerator pedal a bit harder from 70 when something moved over and saw 130 in seconds; I don't think I was flat to the floor either, and I was only in the normal hybrid mode not sports settings. But you wouldn't do silly speeds and not notice; it's very refined crusing at the legal limit but it does make more noise if you prod it.
Oh, and the seats are utterly brilliant, incredibly comfortable but hold you in perfectly due to the adjustable side bolsters. All of the stuff which being a hybrid gets you - like pre-conditioning the cabin and driving around town silently and efficiently - is so useful and doesn't really compromise the car at all. Yes it's heavy but so is a petrol Cayenne. The steering has a really quick rack so it's alert and has very little understeer, while only needing a roll of the wrists for corners - clearly Alfa were right all along because I am really enjoying that.
Downsides: the adaptive cruise control is a step back from my Audi which was a step back from my 2018 Volvo (!) - it is very quick to drop the steering assistance and a bit slow to react to the car in front braking or accelerating. The boot roller cover is a bit flimsy and needed a warranty repair - but it can be stored under the boot floor which is not something any of my previous cars have done, so swings and roundabouts. I think the front P-zeroes are in need of replacement fairly soon so it's not as easy on tyres as my Audi was.
Still very much enjoying it anyway
Full throttle: not sure if I have at all consciously. It's already up and going faster than I can push my foot to the floor so I'm sure I back off before it hits the end of its travel.
