It’s one of those cars you instantly recognise. And we can tell you even though the latest BMW X5 is completely new, you won’t really spot the changes unless you see it alongside an old one.
First up, it’s bigger in every dimension, and now comes with the option of seven seats, or our choice, five seats and much-improved luggage space.
It gets changes to the suspension, and new technologies which include an electronic gearshift for the 6-speed automatic sports gearbox, same as on the 7 Series, an electronic parking brake, and a “cut-down” version of the horrible iDrive control system, but made friendlier by offering some “favourite” buttons for most-used options.
Plus air conditioning and heating controls operated by ordinary buttons. You’ll notice there’s a lot more room inside the latest X5, with 4 cm more legroom in the back making this a very comfortable vehicle front and rear.
The interior is restyled, too, including modern trim, a new “jet-fighter joystick” gearlever, and a “clamshell” glovebox. Leather upholstery is standard.
Three engines are now offered. Top of the tree is a 4.8-litre petrol V8 producing 261 kW at 6,300 rpm and 475 Nm of torque between 3,400 and 3,800 rpm – figures which are significantly close to those of its rival the Porsche Cayenne S.
And the BMW is actually 0.1 of a second quicker to 100 km/h than the Cayenne – though to be fair, the Porsche is carrying a low range transfer case, making it a “proper” 4WD rather than a “sports activity vehicle”, and gets full air suspension whereas the BMW only has self-levelling suspension.
The other two engines on the X5 are a straight six 3-litre petrol producing 200 kW at 6,650 rpm and 315 Nm at 2,750 rpm, and a 3-litre straight six common rail turbo-diesel giving 173 kW at 4,000 rpm and 520 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 2,750 rpm.
One of the more useful options for the X5 4.8i is AdaptiveDrive system which gives active roll stabilisation of the body, with two settings, normal and sport. This costs $7,500 extra, but results in very flat cornering which keeps the wheels pinned to the road and your body shoved right into the seat bolsters. Other features which enhance performance and agility on the road include enhanced Dynamic Stability Control features.
These include ABS brakes, Automatic Stability Control, Trailer Stability Control, Hill Descent Control, Dynamic Brake Control which boosts brake power in emergency braking, as well as Cornering Brake Control which prevents the vehicle from oversteering whenever the driver applies the brakes lightly in a bend.
There’s also an electronic differential system which acts as a transverse lock between the wheels, automatically applying brakes on a wheel about to spin.
The latest X5s also get bigger brakes, 18 inch wheels as standard (19 inch on the 4.8i), park distance control front and rear, electrically operated seats, mirrors and windows, climate control aircon, xenon headlights (adaptive lights are an option) and a multi-function leather-trimmed sports steering wheel.
There’s a BMW Professional sound system with steering wheel controls and a 6-CD changer.
We drove both the 4.8 and the diesel, and of the two we’d prefer the latter for everyday use, not least for its much more frugal fuel economy.
The new X5s have a much lower centre of gravity than the old ones; this, coupled with the latest xDrive 4WD system, makes them very predictable and agile on tarmac.
At the same time this intelligent all-wheel-drive system significantly enhances traction on rough terrain, feeding the power to the wheels where it can be used best and most efficiently.
The cars all come as standard with run flat tyres, with an emergency spare on five-seat models (the fold-down third row of seats on the seven-seater takes up the space used by the spare).
Safety features include driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags and head airbags for first and second seat rows. Prices:
3.0si and 3.0d start at $119,000; 4.8i $149,000. Third seat row $5,750 for the sixes, $4,450 for the 4.8i.
First up, it’s bigger in every dimension, and now comes with the option of seven seats, or our choice, five seats and much-improved luggage space.
It gets changes to the suspension, and new technologies which include an electronic gearshift for the 6-speed automatic sports gearbox, same as on the 7 Series, an electronic parking brake, and a “cut-down” version of the horrible iDrive control system, but made friendlier by offering some “favourite” buttons for most-used options.
Plus air conditioning and heating controls operated by ordinary buttons. You’ll notice there’s a lot more room inside the latest X5, with 4 cm more legroom in the back making this a very comfortable vehicle front and rear.
The interior is restyled, too, including modern trim, a new “jet-fighter joystick” gearlever, and a “clamshell” glovebox. Leather upholstery is standard.
Three engines are now offered. Top of the tree is a 4.8-litre petrol V8 producing 261 kW at 6,300 rpm and 475 Nm of torque between 3,400 and 3,800 rpm – figures which are significantly close to those of its rival the Porsche Cayenne S.
And the BMW is actually 0.1 of a second quicker to 100 km/h than the Cayenne – though to be fair, the Porsche is carrying a low range transfer case, making it a “proper” 4WD rather than a “sports activity vehicle”, and gets full air suspension whereas the BMW only has self-levelling suspension.
The other two engines on the X5 are a straight six 3-litre petrol producing 200 kW at 6,650 rpm and 315 Nm at 2,750 rpm, and a 3-litre straight six common rail turbo-diesel giving 173 kW at 4,000 rpm and 520 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 2,750 rpm.
One of the more useful options for the X5 4.8i is AdaptiveDrive system which gives active roll stabilisation of the body, with two settings, normal and sport. This costs $7,500 extra, but results in very flat cornering which keeps the wheels pinned to the road and your body shoved right into the seat bolsters. Other features which enhance performance and agility on the road include enhanced Dynamic Stability Control features.
These include ABS brakes, Automatic Stability Control, Trailer Stability Control, Hill Descent Control, Dynamic Brake Control which boosts brake power in emergency braking, as well as Cornering Brake Control which prevents the vehicle from oversteering whenever the driver applies the brakes lightly in a bend.
There’s also an electronic differential system which acts as a transverse lock between the wheels, automatically applying brakes on a wheel about to spin.
The latest X5s also get bigger brakes, 18 inch wheels as standard (19 inch on the 4.8i), park distance control front and rear, electrically operated seats, mirrors and windows, climate control aircon, xenon headlights (adaptive lights are an option) and a multi-function leather-trimmed sports steering wheel.
There’s a BMW Professional sound system with steering wheel controls and a 6-CD changer.
We drove both the 4.8 and the diesel, and of the two we’d prefer the latter for everyday use, not least for its much more frugal fuel economy.
The new X5s have a much lower centre of gravity than the old ones; this, coupled with the latest xDrive 4WD system, makes them very predictable and agile on tarmac.
At the same time this intelligent all-wheel-drive system significantly enhances traction on rough terrain, feeding the power to the wheels where it can be used best and most efficiently.
The cars all come as standard with run flat tyres, with an emergency spare on five-seat models (the fold-down third row of seats on the seven-seater takes up the space used by the spare).
Safety features include driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags and head airbags for first and second seat rows. Prices:
3.0si and 3.0d start at $119,000; 4.8i $149,000. Third seat row $5,750 for the sixes, $4,450 for the 4.8i.
