BMW X5
Ratings
4 stars
Summary
Recommended. BMW's latest X5 is still the definitive on-roading off-roader and - Porsche Cayenne aside - remains the most fun SUV to drive.
Review
The 'old' generation BMW X5 had been around for seven years before BMW replaced it late in 2006 with this new car that, on the face of it, looked very similar. But don't be fooled - the company merely opted not to greatly change the appearance of what has been a very successful car for it. Underneath, this latest X5 is very much new, and a much better car - it retains most of what made the old car so popular (its interior quality and ability to entertain keen drivers), but has improved spaciousness and, most importantly, comfort. It remains a vehicle aimed very much at on-road use rather than off-road, though it acquits itself well enough here that it makes a good tow-car. Look out for the revised 3.0d and the new 3.0sd, out in December 2007, that will come below the 225g/km CO2 threshold.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
4 star
BMWs are perceived as a bit hit-and-miss on the design front. The X5 is a hit, picking up from where the old one left off, only a bit bigger, a bit more muscular, but still nicely proportioned and not too fussily detailed.
Handling
4 star
Porsche Cayenne aside, this is the best SUV to drive on the road. Its agility belies its size, it grips strongly and its body is firmly controlled over bumps and undulations. It also rides well - much better than the first-generation X5. There's genuine sophistication to the way it goes down the roa
Comfort
4 star
Again, this is much improved over the last X5, mostly because of that improved ride, which is as good, if not better, than most cars in this class - though Audi's Q7 is a touch more compliant. But noise levels are also low, the driving position is very good and the seats are large and comfortable.
Quality & Reliability
4 star
No qualms with the X5's outright quality: traditionally the X5 has performed reasonably well in customer satisfaction surveys and BMW is rightly proud of the high proportion of current owners who say they'll buy nothing but another one when they change car. Interior quality is also good. Cabin mater
Performance
4 star
More than 90 percent of X5 customers will choose diesels. And they'll not be disappointed. The 235bhp 3.0d is good for 0-62mph in 8.5sec; the 286bhp 3.0sd unit, as used in the 335d, is good for the same in 7.0 sec. There's little point buying the 272bhp 3.0-litre petrol engine, despite its smoothne
Roominess
4 star
Four adults will have no bother finding enough space for themselves in an X5; there's ample head and legroom in the front and the back seats. The boot's respectable, but don't go looking to seat adults in the occasional pair of seats that fold into the boot floor. The X5 isn't a seven-seater like a
Running Costs
3 star
The X5 has very strong residual values, which is probably its strongest point here. Even the most economical engines return no better than mid-30s mpg, insurance groups are high and servicing rates at main dealers are on the premium side.
Value for money
3 star
The X5 demands a premium price - from around £40,000 upwards, but unlike BMWs of old, it does come well equipped and it's competitive against its premium rivals. That doesn't stop it having a long options list, though.
