Instrumented Test
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Down a single turbo, up 2 gears.
These of us who have been consuming oxygen for a lot more than 3 decades can still keep in mind the time when SUVs were mainly operating or off-road conveyances, manufactured by mid-brow brands rather than the all-goal folks movers that everyone builds these days. For instance, BMW’s first SUV—which the company insists is an SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle)—didn’t hit the market place until the 2000 model year. BMW offers no much less than 5 SUVs (X1, X3, X4, X5, and X6), with a bigger X7 not far down the road. When the Germans locate a trend they like, they blitz it.
The 2014 machine seen here was lately introduced as the third-generation version of the X5. It is still a mid-sized, mainstream wagon—only 2 inches longer than its predecessor at 193.2 inches—which makes it barely longer than a Honda Accord. The planned arrival of the bigger X7 probably inhibited the standard tendency toward growing corpulence that accompanies most model adjustments these days.
Even though nonetheless instantly recognizable as an X5, this third-gen model appears softer and a bit far more anonymous than either of its predecessors, particularly when compared to the far boxier-seeking 1st-generation X5. The newest version has a far more bland profile, even though its twin-kidney grille has grown much more prominent and aggressive—which is the present fashion in German machines.
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Not All Xs are from Texas
Inside, the new X5 supplies the luxurious and comfy cabin that has been one of the model’s hallmarks. The beltline is fairly low, which combines with the elevated driving position to afford excellent outward vision. The interior theme is a somewhat layered look, which is nicely executed and attractive, though with wood, aluminum, and red accent pieces to set off the black moldings, there are perhaps 1 too numerous elements in use.
In the middle of the dash is a freestanding LCD panel—similar to the unit in the existing 3-series—which is standard gear. The large 10.2-inch rectangular panel offers excellent resolution and is very easily viewed with no diverting one’s eyes also far from the windshield. The most current version of iDrive has turn into far easier to use than earlier iterations, although it does require a few a lot more control inputs than the a lot more demanding, earlier versions.
Cruising for Picnics
As in earlier versions, this X5 has a comfy and spacious second-row seat, nonetheless the seat cushion is a little decrease than we’d prefer. There’s also an optional third-row seat that is definitely for children, since there’s not a lot legroom and crawling back there needs a couple of contortions. Cargo space is quite generous with the third row folded and not bad even with those seats up. And as before, the X5 still has the 2-piece tailgate that provides a nice shelf for seating or impromptu picnics.
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The X5 is nevertheless obtainable with 3 engines, all turbocharged. There’s a 3.-liter 6, a 4.4-liter V-8, and a 3.-liter 6-cylinder diesel, which powered our test automobile and probably tends to make the most sense for the X5. The diesel engine in the new model is a distinct version than BMW previously offered, losing one particular of the 2 turbochargers and 10 horsepower as properly as 12 lb-ft of torque. As a outcome, it is slightly slower than the last X5 diesel we tested, hitting 60 mph in 7.3 seconds and covering the quarter-mile in 15.6 seconds—0.4 and .3 second in arrears, respectively
Offsetting the slight efficiency deficit is enhanced drive good quality. The new single-turbo diesel is quieter and smoother in operation than the earlier oil-burner, and a new 8-speed automatic (up from a 6-speed in the final version) provides a wider ratio spread. In every day driving, the X5 diesel feels lots fast and responsive. But there is a bit of turbo lag when leaving from a dead stop. In situations where you have to out-drag an individual else to execute a needed lane change, you’ll uncover that brake torqueing to bring up the boost will be extremely useful.
Firm Ride but Sticky Steering
The X5 has never ever had excellent steering precision and this new 1 is only a slight improvement. It feels a little sticky on-center and lacks the fluid motion of most BMW sedans. Self-centering improves if you choose Sport mode, but then the transmission is usually running one particular gear also low. The X5 has always been somewhat challenging riding as BMW has attempted to preserve responsive handling in this huge and heavy package. The new version is no exception, though drivers attracted to the BMW brand will probably not object.
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The diesel engine strikes us as the way to go in the X5 since it delivers plenty of usable performance whilst consuming little more fuel than a 3-series sedan. Its EPA estimated 26 mpg combined is easy to obtain in genuine-world driving (our leadfoot employees got close to that at 25 mpg). Additionally, the diesel is a lot more attractively priced this year. At $ 57,525, it’s $ 25 less costly than final year’s model and only $ 1500 more costly than the all-wheel-drive version with the 3.-liter gasoline 6. Last year, the increment was more like $ 9000.
Even so, you’ll want to show some restraint when picking choices from BMW’s vast list. Our test vehicle, with a couple of key options but hardly fully loaded, stickered at just $ 125 shy of $ 70K. Saving fuel while driving luxuriously still isn’t inexpensive.
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