BMW of Monrovia

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Driving Impressions

On the road, the BMW X5 comes closer in character to a well-tuned (if large) sedan than all but a few of the sport-utility or crossover vehicles currently available. The X5 is a heavy vehicle, but it can get down the road with more alacrity than the typical SUV. That even applies the diesel-powered X5 xDrive35d.

The X5 30i produces 260 horsepower and 225 pound-feet. Like all X5s, it's matched to an efficient six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability through steering wheel paddles or the gearshift. The inline-6 provides decent power for around-town driving. While it doesn't pin you back in your seat, power is very linear and the vehicle gets up to speed faster than it might feel. The inline six-cylinder engine and transmission provide decent passing punch, but the torque just isn't there to make it downright fast or allow for substantial towing capacity, which tops out at 3500 pounds. In some respects, however, the 30i feels lighter than the V8, perhaps more spry, and the engine is almost as smooth as the V8, too.

The 35d diesel engine provides a lot of power: 265 horsepower, with a whopping 425 pound-feet of torque. This ultra-high tech, 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel engine has such features as all-aluminum construction, high-pressure direct fuel injection, and a turbocharging system that employs both a small and larger turbocharger for optimum response at low and higher speeds. It's eligible for a federal tax credit for extra efficient cars, and it actually produces fewer exhaust emissions than many gasoline engines. It also generates less carbon dioxide.

The 35d has so much torque, even a casual jab at the gas pedal can squawk tires pulling away from a stop sign. (Torque is that force that you feel when accelerating). Once a driver gets used to the throttle, however, the 35d can really haul. It's substantially quicker to 60 mph than the gasoline X5 30i, and not much slower than the V8-powered X5 48i, despite the substantial improvement in fuel economy. It can also tow more than the six, a hefty 6000 pounds. In short bursts of say 100 ft, the 35d will accelerate more quickly than just about any vehicle of its size. And it has none of the smoky, oily, stinky quality that plagued old-time diesels. The same diesel engine has been introduced in BMW's 3 Series sport sedan, but we like it better in the X5. That's partly because it better suits the X5's bigger, heftier character, and partly because the diesel's shortcomings seem less prominent in the X5.

The diesel engine clatters a bit when idling, especially when it's cold. It's louder and rougher in general than the X5 gasoline engines, and also some of the other new-age diesels from Mercedes-Benz and Audi. It requires urea to meet 50-state emissions standards. This ammonia-like substance is stored in an onboard reservoir, much like windshield washer fluid, and the urea tank is more than large enough to be filled only at typical oil change intervals. Still, if the tank runs dry the X5 35d won't restart until it's replenished with urea.

The 4.8-liter V8 in the X5 xDrive48i delivers 350 horsepower and 350 pound feet of torque. The X5 48i we tested was extremely quick to take off, in spite of its substantial 5,300-pound curb weight, with torque coming in a smooth, steady wave. You won't find an engine that delivers its power more evenly than BMW's V8. Acceleration builds quickly when you step on the gas, regardless of how fast you're already going, but it's never rough or intrusive. Deep dips on the gas pedal generate a distant growl that reminds a driver of the capability under the hood, but the sound doesn't intrude on conversations or create more vibration inside the X5. The 4.8-liter V8 makes the X5 as smooth as any luxury SUV for freeway travel, and quieter than many.

With the base V8, the X5 feel quicker than competitors such as the Lexus RX or LX or Audi Q7. The X5's power is emphasized by its quick-reacting gas pedal, which is tuned for pavement driving, while those in many competitors have more pedal travel for more precise modulation off road. Some drivers may find the X5's sensitive throttle annoying during a stop-and-go commute after a long, stressful day.

The EPA rates the X5 30i at 15/21 mpg City/Highway, and the 48i comes in at 14/19 mpg, though we haven't done that well in different tests over varying circumstances. By the official ratings, you can also find better mileage in comparably sized SUVs and crossovers, including BMW's new diesel X5.

Fuel economy ratings for the X5 35d are an EPA-estimated 19 City, 26 Highway, which is nearly 20 percent higher than the gasoline-powered, six-cylinder X5 30i. The fluctuating price of diesel may or may not allow for a reduction in operating costs, and the $3,700 price difference probably means that the diesel won't pay for itself. However, with more power, the diesel has other pluses.

The X6 M uses a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with a unique crossover exhaust manifold that pairs cylinders on opposite sides of the firing order to produce a more constant air flow. This results in reduced turbo lag, and impressive power numbers: 555 horsepower from 5750 to 6000 rpm and 500 pound-feet of torque from 1500 to 5650 rpm. On the road, the X6 M has plenty of immediate grunt, and a further stab of the throttle provides a neck-snapping rush of acceleration. BMW says the X5 M can go from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, and that number feels right. That's impressive for a 5368 pound vehicle. In fact, it's a tenth of a second quicker than the much lighter, though not turbocharged, M3. Of course, fuel economy suffers. The X5 M is EPA rated at only 12/17 mpg (City/Highway).

Handling is impressive in all models, especially when considering the X5's mass. The X5's front suspension breaks with BMW's 45-year tradition of familiar strut design by adding an extra pivot point in the lower control arms. This change is significant to the typical buyer because it plays to the X5's stock-in-trade among luxury SUVs: its exceptional on-road driving dynamics.

How exceptional? On familiar, low-traffic stretches of curving roadway, we can get the typical SUV right up to the point where its tires will lose consistent grip and its mass is ready to slide. We couldn't safely get near the limits of the X5 on public roads because its limits come at speeds far too high for public welfare. It will handle bends that leave Lexus SUVs plowing like tractors, or where the Mercedes ML and Volvo XC90 are leaning toward the outside of the curve like used-up Marathon taxis. The optional 19-inch wheels and high-performance tires grip pavement tenaciously, and the level of stick seems more impressive given the high seating position of the driver. The X5 is a sport-utility for Germany's famed Nurburgring racing circuit, where BMW engineers spent a lot of time tuning it.

In short, the X5 lives up to BMW's well-earned reputation for great handling vehicles. Its on-pavement potential exceeds whatever the vast majority of drivers are likely to exploit, and its strength might be the very reason some buyers should consider a slightly less capable competitor. The emphasis on performance is the source of the X5's compromises as daily transportation.

The X5 features full-time all-wheel drive, which varies the power between the front and rear axles electronically. It has no low-range gearing and it rides closer to the ground than many SUVs. Its AWD system usually sends most of the engine's torque to the rear wheels, promoting the sporty driving feel. It can shift engine power almost instantaneously, and it's a valuable aid in a snow storm or on sloppy pavement. But we'd keep the X5 on the road or at worst on gravel or smooth dirt roads.

The X5 M model adds Dynamic Performance Control. DPC uses two planetary gear sets and two clutch packs in the rear differential to multiply torque to individual rear wheels. Sending more power to an outside wheel helps steer the vehicle through turns. It's hard to feel the system operate, but we swear we could feel it pulling us through a corner on Road Atlanta in the X5 M's sister, the X6 M.

The X5 M also has Active Roll Stabilization, which firms up the anti-roll bars to help the vehicle corner flatter. We found that the X5 M stays very flat in corners, which almost feels strange given the high ride height. It's very much like a sport sedan, only bulkier and higher off the ground.

In all X5 models, the ride quality is firm. It's not obtrusively stiff, in our view, but certainly stiffer than competitors, and probably less comfortable than many buyers want for the handling payoff. The standard steering is heavy at low speeds, surprisingly so. Factor in the sensitive gas pedal, and you might end up with more aggravation than a hockey dad or soccer mom needs.

It's almost as if BMW has gone overboard trying to turn a tall, heavy SUV into a sporting, exhilarating BMW. In this vehicle, the various bits that add up to sporting driving dynamics seem to be just that: bits, somewhat disjointed, without the holistic, organic quality that characterizes a 3 Series or 5 Series sedan. Chalk that up to a taller ride height and excess weight.

The six-speed automatic also contributes to this effect. In fairly aggressive driving, it works well, with firm, satisfying upshifts and quick kickdown shifts when you slam the accelerator at 45 mph. But with light-throttle operation, through suburbia, the transmission can be less than smooth. At times it feels rough or balky in its gear selection, almost clunky. BMW's electronic gear selector doesn't help much, either, requiring familiarity to use efficiently.

The gearchange is a tall, oblong device that reminds us of the paddle control for a video game. There's a button on top to release or engage Park; Drive or Reverse come with a quick flick fore or aft. There's also a separate slot for sequential manual shifting, which fits into the fun/livability conflict throughout the X5.

When the driver wants to shift manually, it works great, changing gears immediately with a quick movement of the wrist, up or down. But this definitely is not a shifter you want to rest your hand on when while driving. Even during a moderately hard stop, the momentum and weight of the hand will slide the selector into neutral or even park, and you may not know it. Similarly, making a quick three-point turn isn't always that quick as it takes some time to figure out each shift. On the plus side, the shifter takes up less space, which BMW uses for cupholders and small items storage.

Drivers can also shift manually via a pair of standard aluminum steering wheel shift paddles. Tapping the paddles up or down shifts gears automatically; there is no need to put the gearshift in a sport mode. There is a Sport mode, though, that holds gears longer for performance driving. In the M model, we found the transmission to be in the right gear 95 percent of the time during performance driving with the transmission in Sport mode and the M Drive in the Power setting.

Stopping power is superlative. Yes, this big sport-utility dips forward more prominently than BMW's sedans might under hard braking, but it pulls to a stop like a sports car. In typical daily rounds, we never came close to exploiting the stopping potential built into the X5. Moreover, the electronic controls allow a driver to maintain full steering control in full-panic stops. The electronics also help keep the X5 balanced when braking hard through a turn, and they now include a feature that compensates for brake fade as the brakes heat up with heavy use.

We also had a couple of opportunities to try the brakes on a racetrack, which is the ultimate test of stopping power. We drove the base models on a shorter racetrack with speeds that didn't exceed 100 mph and while we heated them up, the brakes remained strong with no appreciable fade. The M model has larger brakes that work even better. We tested them in the very similar X6 M on the longer, higher speed circuit at Road Atlanta. The brakes performed admirably initially, but began to fade after numerous full braking maneuvers from 140 mph, due mostly to the vehicle's weight. You probably never go that fast in your X5 M, so brakes won't be a problem. However, some drivers may find that the brake pedal in all models has a sensitive feel. It might require some practice to modulate for smooth, even stops.

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