The BMW X5 4X4 is one of the best cars in its class due to its unique blend of abilities. It is luxurious, comfortable, relatively economical and offers great performance on tarmac. It is available in SE and M Sport models.
How Well Equipped is the X5?
All models of this BMW 4X4 are well equipped. They come with cruise control with brake function, front and rear electric windows, bright automatic headlamps with washers, fog lamps, an on-board computer, air conditioning, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, front side, first and second row airbags, and an auxiliary input for MP3 players. The M-Sport models include sports add-ons such as tweaked suspension, special seats and unique alloy wheels.
The BMW X5 M Sports is a luxury family 4x4 with plenty of space and practicality to keep everyone happy.
The car has a large amount of adjustment for the driving position. The supportive seats make it easy for one to get comfortable and visibility in all directions is good. The now familiar iDrive system operates ancillary controls such as the entertainment system and navigation. The 'infotainment' system has an intuitive interface and it is also easy to get to grips with the dashboard controls.
The car is brilliant on tarmac - it steers accurately and responds well. The car also corners well with very little body roll, even at high speeds. The optional Adaptive Drive setup feature adds even more stability when going around corners. The excellent cabin insulation and slick automatic gearbox make travelling in it a calm and quiet hence pleasurable experience. Its off-road capabilities are acceptable but not excellent, however you wouldn't be wanting to take this vehicle to serious off-road tracks as it's designed as a family car and not for heavy off-roading.
The Practicality of this BMW
The interior of the X5 offers plenty of space and has a 7 seater option for kids or small adults in the rear seats.
The car is spacious enough for tall adults as there is excellent space in the front two rows. You can specify an extra pair of seats to make the car have seven seats in total. The third row of seats is however spacious enough to cope with kids or small adults. BMW recommends they are to be used by passengers who are 1.7 meters tall or less - it's good that a manufacturer isn't trying to pass them off as full-size seats, like so many other 7 seater manufacturers do. These rearmost seats are accessed by sliding the middle seats using a release lever. Sliding in either direction is easy. The seats are easy to operate and can fold flat into the boot floor. The boot space can enlarge from 620 liters to 1,750 liters when you fold the seats flat. The boot has a square shape that makes loading bulky objects in and out much easier as well.
Engine and Fuel Economy
The engine options available are petrol and diesel, with the petrol models being more powerful but also less economical. The 3-liter diesel engine in the X5 xDrive40d produces 306bhp and does 0 to 62mph in 6.1 seconds. The 4.4-liter V8 petrol engine found in the xDrive 50i produces an enormous 402bhp and reaches 62mph in just 5 seconds. The 3-liter diesel engine is more economical and averages 32.5mpg and 231g/Km CO2 emissions. The 4.4-liter petrol engine averages 22.6mpg and 299g/Km CO2 emissions. The diesel X5's cost around £250 a year to tax whereas the petrol models cost a whopping £475.
Verdict
The BMW X5 is a great 4x4 family car that comes with the option of an additional pair of rear seats. It offers superb handling and there are a wide variety of engines and models to choose from. Its only disadvantages are the limited space of the rearmost third row seats, limited off-road capabilities and expensive list prices. The purchase price in the UK ranges from £43,830 to £63,920 - in a similar league to the Audi Q7.
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