2016 BMW 5 Series 550i xDrive

The 5 Series is BMW's mid-size luxury sedan, the one most people cross-shop with the Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class. It's the kind of car that makes you look for the long way home, with sharp steering and a chassis that stays composed on twisty roads. The cabin is a quiet, well-built place to spend time, with supportive seats and a clean layout that puts everything within reach. The trunk is generous for the class, and the rear seats fold down when you need to haul something longer than the trunk allows. The 550i xDrive swaps the 535i's straight-six for a 4.4L V8 that makes 443 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, with standard all-wheel drive for all-weather grip. That 4.4L V8 pairs with the eight-speed automatic for effortless passing power, though it returns 19 mpg combined around town. The adaptive M suspension firms up body control without ruining the ride, so it's worth looking for on a used example.