The BMW X5: A Luxury SUV with Dynamic Handling and Great Engines

BMW's reputation is built on cards with dynamic handling, great engines, nice interiors, and complicated controls. This reputation is reflected in their full line of SUVs, including the X5. The X5's base engine used to be a normally aspirated inline 6-cylinder, but now it's turbocharged, resulting in a very smooth and potent powerplant with strong acceleration performance.

The X5's engine is assisted by an 8-speed automatic transmission that shifts frequently, but its frequency is almost impossible to feel. This results in overall fuel economy that's on par with most luxury midsize SUVs. Additionally, the X5 can be equipped with a diesel engine, which isn't as refined or responsive as its gasoline counterpart, but still performs well and offers better fuel economy of four miles per gallon overall. As one would expect from an SUV with BMW's iconic propellers on the hood, the X5 is sporty to drive, with quick and direct steering that communicates well with the driver.

For an SUV of its size, the BMW X5 doesn't lean much in corners, which is a testament to its dynamic handling. However, some drivers complain that the steering can be heavy, particularly at low speeds or when parking. The ride itself is also a low point, being stiff and busy with lots of chopped emotions. It's better on the highway than around town, where the X5 struggles to find its rhythm.

Despite these drawbacks, the cabin of the BMW X5 is quiet and well-insulated from wind and road noise. The engine note from the inline six-cylinder sounds sweet, but the optional diesel engine gives itself away with characteristic diesel clatter at idle and full throttle. Visibility out of the X5 is good to the front and to the sides, although the large rear roof pillar blocks the view of the rear corners. An optional camera can be a big help in navigating tight spaces, but its reversing lines often look busy and obscure the obstacle you're looking for.

One of the most distinctive features of the BMW X5 is its design, which makes it fairly low to the ground and has generous door openings. However, the optional running boards are too wide and get in the way more than they help, causing pant legs to get dirty for style rather than function. Inside, the cabin is a very nicely finished space, with everything looking and feeling high-quality.

However, once you start using BMW's I Drive system, which controls most of the vehicle's functions, it can become overwhelming and time-consuming to navigate through menus to do what you want. The shifter also needs more attention than it should, being an electronic wand that isn't all that intuitive to use. The front seats are well padded but firm, providing supportive seating even on long trips. The second row seat is roomy enough for three adults, while the optional third row seat is tiny and meant for kids, taking up space where a spare tire would fit.

With this third row seat in place, cargo room is next to nothing, but when it's folded down, the X5 reveals a good-sized space. Despite its sporty handling and strong points, the BMW X5 also suffers from a choppy ride and refinement issues, particularly around town. At nearly 63,000 dollars, the price of this vehicle makes it clear that you certainly pay for the privilege of owning one.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enBMW's reputation is cards with dynamic handling great engines nice interiors and complicated controls and their full line of suvs exhibit many of these same traits including the x5 the x-files base engine used to be a normally aspirated inline 6-cylinder but now this engines turbocharged it's very smooth and potent with strong acceleration performance and fuel economy are helped by the 8-speed automatic transmission it shifts frequently but it's almost impossible to feel them and overall fuel economy is on par with most luxury midsize SUVs you can also get the x5 with a diesel it isn't as refined or responsive but it still performs well it also gets four miles per gallon overall better fuel economy which matches the performance of some small four-cylinder SUVs as you'd expect from an SUV with the BMW propellers on the hood the x5 is sporty to drive the steering is quick and direct and communicates well with the driver and for an SUV of its size the bmw x5 doesn't lean much in corners either however some drivers complain that the steering was heavy particularly at low speeds or when parking the ride is a low point it's stiff and busy with lots of chopped emotions it's better on the highway but not likeable around town the cabin is quiet with good isolation from wind and road noise and the engine note from the inline six-cylinder sounds sweet but the optional diesel engine gives itself away with characteristic diesel clatter at idle and full throttle visibility out of the x5 is good to the front and to the sides but the large rear roof pillar blocks the view of the rear corners the optional camera is a help but all the reversing lines on it look busy and obscure the obstacle you're looking for and for the price of this vehicle the camera should be standard the x5 is fairly low to the ground and the door openings are generous but the optional running boards really get in the way they're too wide and get your pant legs dirty there for style rather than function once inside you'll find that the x5 is a very nicely finished cabin everything looks and feels high-quality you'll also find BMWs now typical complicated controls I Drive has gotten better over the years but you still wind up moving through menus to do what you want that takes time and attention the shifter also needs more attention than it should it's an electronic wand that isn't all that intuitive to use the front seats are well padded but rather firm they proved to be supportive even on long trips the second row seat is roomy even for three adults our x5 is a tiny optional third row seat it's meant for kids but even they'll be cramped it also takes up the space where a spare tire would fit meaning all you have are the standard run flat tires with the third row seat up cargo room is next to nothing but full down the seeds reveals a good-sized space the x5 proves to be a sporty choice among luxury SUVs handily and power art strong points but the choppy ride Rob's refinement and at nearly 63,000 dollars you certainly pay for the privilegeBMW's reputation is cards with dynamic handling great engines nice interiors and complicated controls and their full line of suvs exhibit many of these same traits including the x5 the x-files base engine used to be a normally aspirated inline 6-cylinder but now this engines turbocharged it's very smooth and potent with strong acceleration performance and fuel economy are helped by the 8-speed automatic transmission it shifts frequently but it's almost impossible to feel them and overall fuel economy is on par with most luxury midsize SUVs you can also get the x5 with a diesel it isn't as refined or responsive but it still performs well it also gets four miles per gallon overall better fuel economy which matches the performance of some small four-cylinder SUVs as you'd expect from an SUV with the BMW propellers on the hood the x5 is sporty to drive the steering is quick and direct and communicates well with the driver and for an SUV of its size the bmw x5 doesn't lean much in corners either however some drivers complain that the steering was heavy particularly at low speeds or when parking the ride is a low point it's stiff and busy with lots of chopped emotions it's better on the highway but not likeable around town the cabin is quiet with good isolation from wind and road noise and the engine note from the inline six-cylinder sounds sweet but the optional diesel engine gives itself away with characteristic diesel clatter at idle and full throttle visibility out of the x5 is good to the front and to the sides but the large rear roof pillar blocks the view of the rear corners the optional camera is a help but all the reversing lines on it look busy and obscure the obstacle you're looking for and for the price of this vehicle the camera should be standard the x5 is fairly low to the ground and the door openings are generous but the optional running boards really get in the way they're too wide and get your pant legs dirty there for style rather than function once inside you'll find that the x5 is a very nicely finished cabin everything looks and feels high-quality you'll also find BMWs now typical complicated controls I Drive has gotten better over the years but you still wind up moving through menus to do what you want that takes time and attention the shifter also needs more attention than it should it's an electronic wand that isn't all that intuitive to use the front seats are well padded but rather firm they proved to be supportive even on long trips the second row seat is roomy even for three adults our x5 is a tiny optional third row seat it's meant for kids but even they'll be cramped it also takes up the space where a spare tire would fit meaning all you have are the standard run flat tires with the third row seat up cargo room is next to nothing but full down the seeds reveals a good-sized space the x5 proves to be a sporty choice among luxury SUVs handily and power art strong points but the choppy ride Rob's refinement and at nearly 63,000 dollars you certainly pay for the privilege\n"