BMW M5 vs HSV Colorado

What's the difference?

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering. 

What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me. 

The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing. 

The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy. 

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Tough-looking when standing still and a treat to drive on- or off-road, the HSV SportsCat ticks plenty of ute boxes. Yes, you need to redefine your sense of performance (and there are wet weeks that feel faster), but out-and-out speed is hardly the sole purpose of a dual-cab ute.

The M5’s raw size is what you notice first. The G90 M5 is a whopping 113mm longer, 67mm wider and 37mm taller than the car it replaces, with the wheelbase stretched 24mm.

It is also the most pumped M5 yet, compared to a 520i it is 70mm chubbier at its flared wheel arches. The ‘M5’ insignia on the C-pillar means you’ll know this is the fast one. 

Presence is not in question, then, but beauty? Not the right word. The G90 makes its predecessors — especially the original ‘E28’ — look demure. 

The cabin layout builds on the concept debuted by the iX electric SUV, with twin integrated screens and focus on technology and minimal buttons. Materials are mostly high quality and feel fitting for the M5’s asking price.

HSV has sold around 1200 SportsCats to date, and so they had a sizeable pool of people to chat to when plotting this Series II update. The brand hosted feedback sessions with current owners, potential buyers and those who had already bought a rival ute, asking what they'd like to see HSV do differently this time around. 

The answer? More HSV. 

Which is why this Series II ute is plastered with HSV logos no matter where you look, from the dash trim, floor mats and seat backs, to the giant stickers on the side and rear of the ute. Little chance of mistaking this for a regular Colorado, then. 

Elsewhere, though, the front-end desing is unique to HSV, and the brand has focused on adding black wherever it could to add a sense of tough to the SportsCat. It's why the number plate surround and front skid plate has gone from silver to black, and the wheels are blacked-out, too.

The matte-black Sailplane desing was inspired by wakeboarding boats, and the body-coloured hard tonneau (which lifts like a hatchback’s boot) gives the rear a complete, all-of-a-piece look. 

Inside, the SportsCat Series II harks back to HSVs of old, with big, comfortable seats with side bolstering so high you almost need a ladder to climb over them, branded suede inserts in the dash and a better, sportier steering wheel. Parked side by side, the difference between this and the Colorado on which it is based are noticeable.

Perhaps the most noticeable change between this and the Holden, though, is the ride height. While the Coloardo has a nose-down style, the SportsCat has been raised by 45mm at the front, giving the HSV a flatter, sportier road stance.

BMW has persevered with its twin-screen, minimal-button approach for its 'Operating System 8.5' in the M5. 

The 14.9-inch central touchscreen is bright, responsive and high resolution but the software remains a little strange. The main interface is classy but when looking for settings to adjust you’re presented with a Windows 95-esque panel of small square touch targets. It’s not intuitive. 

Wirelessly mirroring Apple CarPlay or Android Auto works a treat, at least. Digital climate controls keep temp adjustment persistently on screen and a shortcut to fan speed. The nipple-like vent direction adjustment grows on you, as do the digital vent sliders. 

The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display still doesn’t have the freedom of customisation and clarity of Audi’s interface. 

The M5 has two cupholders, a deep central storage cubby, door bins that swallow two 600mL plastic bottles and twin wireless charging pad that resolutely grips smartphones even under the sort of tummy-churning G-Forces this M5 can manage. 

Setting the M5 apart from the regular sedan is a unique centre console bunching 'M Drive' modes, 'M Hybrid' modes and other shortcut functions together next to the gear toggle and M-engraved crystal 'iDrive' controller.

Comfortable front seats are power adjustable with in/out, up/down lumbar support and have two memory positions. 

The 5096mm long M5’s back seat is very spacious. Headroom is good for those beyond 182cm (six-foot), the bench is extremely supportive, while leg and toe room are adequate.

A fold-down centre armrest has two cupholders and there are USB-C charge ports in the back of each bucket seat for a total of four. 

You can buy an accessory mount that holds tablets or smartphones for rear seat passenger entertainment, too.

When you look in the boot, BMW offering a Touring version of the latest M5 makes even more sense. The load aperture is big but the usable space is narrow; the sides intrude on load space. 

The 466-litre space will make fitting suitcases for an airport run tricky and, even with the 40/60 split-fold rear bench, you will struggle to fit a bike in the back. There’s no spare tyre, either.

The pitch from HSV here is that the SportsCat is a best-of-all-worlds proposition; one that is sportier on the road, but no less capable off it. 

The key specs are on-par for a dual-cab ute, with a braked towing capacity of 3500kg, and a payload (with passengers) of 876kg (auto) and 869kg (manual).

All SportsCats get on-the-fly 4WD with low range, a limited-slip differential and a sump guard, while SV models also get a clever de-coupling anti-roll bar that, when on the road, stiffens the chassis for better handling, but then automatically disconnects when low range is engaged so off-road capability isn’t impacted. 

HSV says there's 251mm of ground clearance, and quotes approach, departure and ramp breakover angles of 32, 24 and 27 degrees.

Having just spend time wrestling with the sliding cover that rolls out over the Ford Ranger's tray, I love the HSV solution, with its hard cover hinged towards the cabin, so it opens upwards like a regular boot. The slow-dropping tailgate is a knee-saving touch, too.

The SportsCat line-up has been condensed and renamed for this Series II release, with the Look Pack and SportsCat+ renamed the SportsCat V and SV.

The SportsCat V wears a $62,490 sticker, while the SV ups the asking price to $66,790. Swapping the standard manual gearbox for a six-speed automatic adds $2200 to the price, but you can also delete some features on the V trim (the hard tonneau and sports bar) to reduce the manual-equipped asking price to $59,990.

To put that into perspective, the Colorado Z71 on which this SportsCat is based wears at $57,190 sticker price.

So what do you get for your extra spend? Toughness.

Outside, you’ll find 18-inch forged alloys (black, of course) wrapped in all-terrain Cooper rubber, as well as a redesigned front fascia and grille, LED fog lamps and the hard tonneau and sports bar. Inside, expect HSV sports seats with mountain-high bolstering, a new leather-wrapped wheel and a new suede dash element. The 8.0-inch touchscreen is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto equipped, and you get a seven-speaker stereo and dual-zone climate control.

All SportsCats get on-the-fly 4WD, a limited-slip differential and a sump guard, while SV models also get a clever de-coupling anti-roll bar. The SV trim also gets better brakes, with HSV fitting AP Racing calipers at the front, along with increasing the size of the rotors and brake master cylinder. 

Unlike the Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW has kept the M5’s eight-cylinder heart and this has proven to be a good decision. 

The 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol engine has been optimised with “a cross-bank exhaust manifold and optimised oil separation”, says BMW.

The V8 spins to 7200rpm though it isn't a screamer, outputting a full-bodied 430kW (5600-6500rpm) and 750Nm (1800-5400rpm).

Augmented with a transmission-mounted 145kW electric motor that can produce up to 450Nm, thanks to pre-gearing, maximum combined outputs are 535kW and 1000Nm. 

Weight blunts punch, though, so despite nearly 100kW and 250Nm more, the new M5 is a tenth slower to 100km/h than its predecessor (claimed), at 3.5 seconds for the sprint.

You can thank a 220kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio, worse than the old car's 233kW/tonne figure. The new G90 claws some time back with brute force, hitting 200km/h in just 10.9 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 305km/h.

You can choose from five powertrain settings, starting with 'Electric' and 'Hybrid' for everyday use, while 'eControl' lets you store battery power for urban use.

'Dynamic' provides the best balance, says BMW, while 'Dynamic Plus' is like a qualifying mode. Think maximum combined punch for up to 10 minutes, at which point you’ll have drained the battery. 

Driving in pure electric mode, the take-off can be a little jerky but the quietude and decent power make it pleasant. Power sources are combined expertly in Hybrid and giving it some stick in Dynamic is more than enough to make your passengers feel queasy.

The SportsCat still serves up the same power as its Colorado sibling, with a 2.8-litre Duramax turbo-diesel engine good offers 147kW and 500Nm (or 440Nm with a manual).

It arrives with a six-speed manual as standard, but can be optioned with a six-speed auto (which also unlocks that extra torque).

Electric-only range is rated up to 69km in WLTP testing, but the 18.6kWh battery is more likely to give you around 60km in real-world driving. It can be topped up in about two hours using an 11kW AC charger, or overnight on a three-pin socket. 

BMW includes both Mode 3 (public) and Mode 2 (home) charging cables with the M5. 

The M5 uses 3.2L/100km of 98 RON premium unleaded in ADR testing, corresponding to just 72g/km of CO2, so it should sail through the first rounds of Australian emissions regulations. 

Indulging in what the V8 has to offer sees that consumption spike, though. An enthusiastic road drive saw the M5 gulp 12.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

HSV says the SportsCat will sip 8.6L/100km on the combined cycle, and emit 228g/km of CO2. Each is fitted with a 76-litre fuel tank.

The three M5 elements start with daily usability. We trundled out of Bathurst in electric mode, with the adaptive dampers (and other myriad settings) in Comfort. 

The M5 has steel springs, double wishbone front suspension and a five-link rear axle, all of which has been heavily reworked by the boffins at M. Naturally, the ride is firm, though in Comfort the body moves through its motions smoothly. 

The M5 is an effortless tourer, its eight-speed automatic shmoozing through ratios as it climbs and descends steep gradients. Wind and tyre noise insulation is good on coarse chip tarmac, though a bit more burble from the V8 would be appreciated. 

The M5 has nine adjustable parameters to wake it up: 'Drivetrain', 'Energy Recovery', 'Drivelogic' (gear shift aggression), 'Chassis', 'Steering', 'Brake', 'M xDrive', stability control settings and 'M Sound'. Favourite settings can be stored to the wheel-mounted M1 and M2 buttons. 

With the dampers still in Comfort the M5 remains fantastically capable with power delivery from the xDrive mighty rewarding on corner exit. Sport dampers sharpen the experience up further, amplifying the M5’s surprising agility. Thank the rear-wheel steer for this big sedan’s switchback performance. 

Step beyond the limit of grip, brake too late, or get on the power too early, though, and the M5’s mass reveals itself rapidly. It doesn’t help that the accurate steering is devoid of feel. The brake-by-wire pedal is too numb and light, as well, making it tricky to judge grip levels on the road.

Feel is less of an issue on a dry Mount Panorama circuit, where the M5 turns out to be a total pussycat. The all-wheel drive, consistent dynamics, strong brakes and well-tuned stability control make for an approachable but seriously fast sedan.

The responsive transmission will hold gears to redline and is eager on the downshift in its most aggressive setting while tactile shift paddles make commanding ratio changes yourself that bit more engaging. 

Prodigious punch out of corners is matched by the impressive consistency of the carbon ceramic brakes. The M5 pulled up for The Chase every time with minimal fuss, even from above 250km/h.

Similar credit goes to the 285mm front and 295mm rear Hankook S1 Evo tyres which remained consistent and predictable all day despite reaching temperatures over 130 degrees, according to the tyre pressure monitor.

“We see it as performance, just a different kind of performance.” That's the word from HSV on its updated SportsCat, an obvious nod to the fact that this Colorado-based ute is missing the one key attribute that defined HSVs of old - more power.

Instead, it’s intended to strike a balance between on-road manners and off-road chops, with HSV changing the suspension and brakes to get the best of both those worlds.

It’s easy to write all of that off as marketing guff, but after a day spent putting the HSV through its paces at Holden’s proving ground outside Melbourne, you can’t help but think they’ve somehow managed it. 

One of the Colorado’s best features is its easy-going nature when driven on the road, with Holden’s engineering team tweaking the ride and handling to produce a car-like feeling on Australia’s mostly dodgy road surfaces. 

And the good news here is that HSV hasn't changed that feeling - they have enhanced it.

Pushing the SportsCat to above the legal speed limit on a track designed to mimic a genuine road saw the newest HSV acquit itself surprisingly well. A sports car this ain’t, and yet the ride especially manages to blend comfort with control, sitting mostly flat through bends and leaving you confident you're going to burst out the other side of a corner roughly where you were expecting to. 

The steering still has that vagueness common to off-road-focused vehicles, but Holden’s tuning arm has produced a confident, composed drive experience, which does elevate the base Colorado's sportiness.

Perhaps most impressive, though, is the SportsCat’s ability to switch from road to rough track, pushing through an off-road course every bit as challenging as a car like this will ever get asked to face, without so much as breaking a sweat. From water crossings to wheel-articulating bumps and steep, muddy hill climbs, the SportsCat devoured all with serious ease.

There are some drawbacks, of course. The engine can feel loud and gruff, especially when really pushed, and it produces not much in the way of top-end speed for all its fanfare. The low-end nature of the diesel engine ensures the SportsCat feels punchy enough on take-off, but it quickly runs out of puff, and the climb from around 65km/h to 100km/h does feel like it's taking its sweet time. 

But despite all the HSV stickers, you can't lose sight of the fact that this is still a ute, and one that can carry, tow and tackle an off-road run, and so you still find yourself pleasantly surprised by the performance on offer, rather than disappointed by the lack of speed. 

Like the Colorado, you will find seven airbags, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera - but no AEB.

The Holden Colorado donor car wears a five-star ANCAP rating, awarded in 2016. The HSV is untested, but you might expect the same result. 

In Australia, BMW has moved to match other manufacturers in offering a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on all its cars. 

Servicing is recommended on a condition basis, with the M5’s multimedia system prompting a visit to the mechanics. BMW offers pre-paid service packs for five years/80,000km at a price of $5059 for the basic offer and $8152 for 'Inclusive Plus', which covers brake pad and rotor replacements. 

It is expensive next to a regular 5 Series but when you consider the purchase price and performance level, the M5’s service pricing is not astronomical. 

The SportsCat is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and requires servicing every nine months or 12,000kms. HSV does not offer capped-priced servicing.