Tag: x5

Overview

So, I am going to review the BMW X5 which was launched 2 decades back. BMW likes to call the X5 an SAV i.e. Sports Activity Vehicle instead of an SUV i.e. Sports Utility Vehicle. BMW has just nailed the ‘S’ in the word SAV completely! The car comes in 3 variants – 2 Diesel variants and 1 Petrol variant.

The 3L twin-turbocharged straight-six produces 262 bhp and 629 Nm of torque in the diesel variants while it produces a whopping 335 bhp and 450 Nm of torque in the petrol 40i M-Sport variant. The car comes with an 8-speed automatic Dual-Clutch gearbox and a 4WD and AWD (xDrive) drivetrain option. The X5 also comes with a load of optional extras to choose from. The X5 is priced between 73.3 to 82.9 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom). 

First Impressions

The exterior of the car is just surreal and true to the BMW style of vehicles. The car is just shy of 5 meters in length and 2 meters wide which just gives the car so much of road presence. The kidney-shaped grill is a 2-piece unit on this model instead of a single piece one like on the newer X5 and other BMWs. The X5 looks stunning from almost any angle and the massive 20-inch wheels add to this with 275 / 45 R20 at the front and 305 / 40 R20 at the rear. The size of that rear tire is almost identical to that of the Lamborghini Huracan i.e. 305 30 R20!

As we swing the door open, we enter into a world of luxury and perfection. The doors shut with a thud and are beautifully finished with an array of different materials. The leather-wrapped steering and gear-knob feel very premium, just as you would expect from a car of this segment. The center console is massive and that’s a good thing, the textured interior wood trim gives dashes of an even more upmarket look. The infotainment system is a touch-screen unit (can also be controlled with a ceramic controller) which comes with Apple Car Play but no android auto connectivity.

The cluster is a digital twin-circle BMW unit (6 WB) which I like the most and feels the closest digital thing to an analog cluster, while the 2019 X5 gets BMWs new digital cluster of which I am not a big fan of. The car gets 4 basic drive modes – Eco Pro, Comfort, Adaptive(custom) and Sport and Sport+. The digital cluster changes depending on the mode you are driving in. The car saves fuel and drives more economically in Eco Pro, Comfort is the standard setting, Adaptive is custom as you may configure it or let the car configure the settings for you based on your driving style. In Sport mode the suspension stiffens up, the steering weighs up and throttle response is sharpened. The main difference between Sport and Sport+ is that Traction control is ON in Sport mode and OFF in Sport+.

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The seats feel good and plush, under-thigh support is good in the front as well as the rear, headroom is almost no problem in this car. Rear seat comfort is also good while the rear AC vents compartment might protrude in the rear, the floor is almost flat and 3 people and comfortably sit in the back.

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The car is very practical, has a lot of cubbyholes and spaces to keep stuff, all 4 doors could fit a 1L bottle easily, the front center armrest is very deep and spacious, the boot space in the X5 is 645L which just adds to the practicality. The mileage is 13.38 kmpl (ARAI) which is good for an SUV. The 2019 X5 comes with air suspension at both the front and the rear which allows the ride height to drop or to be raised on command, this wasn’t possible in the 2018 X5 as it had adaptive air suspension only at the rear. The panoramic sunroof just adds to the airy feel inside the cabin. The soft-close doors feature acts like icing on an already perfect cake. 

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Features/Optional-Extras

The BMW X5 comes feature loaded with a dozen of optional-extras. The main features are – a 4-zone climate control system, front and rear parking sensors with a rear camera (360° camera in 2019 model), 12-way electronically adjustable front seats, steering electric adjust, PESS (passive entry and keyless start/stop), auto-dimming IRVM, Front seats with memory function, all 4- one-touch up-down windows, cooled glovebox, electronic boot release, LED headlamps with DRLs (Laser as an option), led tail lamps, panoramic sunroof, automatic headlamps and wipers, cornering headlights, ambient lighting, touchscreen infotainment system with a 18 speaker setup by Harman-Kardon, digital cluster, paddle shifters, steering mounted controls, cruise control, 8 airbags, TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system), ABS with EBD and ESP, traction control, brake assist, hill-hold control, hill descent control, BMW’s xDrive system and many more features. 

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Some of the optional-extras in this car are – 

1. 19 Inch Lightweight Alloy Wheels W-Spoke style 447 

2. Textured interior wood trim 

3. BMW Intelligent Adaptive QUAD LED headlights with high beam assistance, cornering function and anti-glare beam

4. Digital Multi-Information Display Cluster

5. 18 Speaker 850W Harman-Kardon surround sound system

6. Space saver spare wheel 

7. 12 Way Electronically Adjustable Seat with Memory package 

8. Dynamic Air Damper Control 

9. Adaptive Suspension with ‘Comfort’ and ‘Sport’

10. Soft-close function for doors

11. Trapezoidal Exhaust Exit Pipes

The X5 is just slewed with features. Even I might have missed out on some, so please do excuse me. 

The Ride

This is the surprising part as you may think that a car that ways 2 tons and is so huge in dimensions would lack that BMW feel but you are wrong. The X5 is able to escape the limits bound by its dimensions and deliver above expectations. The ride is comfortable and the car just evens out all the bumps. The X5 is a car to be driven as well as driven around in. The rear seats offer great ride quality just like in the front seats. Even with the traction control OFF the car’s xDrive system will prevent a wheelspin during launch and would be whispering past 100 kmph in no time. Put the car into sport mode and you unleash the beast that it is. The steering weighs up beautifully in sport and the suspension stiffens up as well, the car is ready to be thrown into a corner. For an SUV that weighs about 2 tons, the X5 does an amazing job in the handling department and feels just like a road-hugging sedan.

The X5 does a 0-100 kmph sprint in 6.7 seconds, the quick and smooth shifts add to the frugal acceleration. The car revs till 5,500 rpm (diesel) and is very refined but past the mid-range, it gets a bit vocal. Even past the mid-range, the engine produces a melody to a gearhead’s ears (a sporty note). Turbo-lag is very well contained and the power is just a tap away. The X5 has a punchy low-end and mid-range but the high end is a bit empty. Although it’s no worry cause the automatic gear-box would be shifting at 4200 rpm keeping the car in its power band (when in auto not in manual). The car would not upshift automatically if in manual mode, which is good if you want to hold onto a gear. The only issue with the X5 is that it is a little bit too wide and can be a hassle to park. 

Verdict

Who says big things can’t come in big packages, the BMW X5 is a perfect example. The X5 has got a good and catchy exterior as well as interior. There isn’t much to nit-pick about the X5. The car is feature-loaded and the ride is comfortable. In sport mode, the car surprises the driver as it just doesn’t feel its weight and handles like a dream for a large SUV. The X5 is a soft-roader but wouldn’t mind a splash of mud off-road and is capable both off-road and on-road. The linear power delivery along with the wide tires and xDrive system does put a smile on your face and each time you put your foot down a surge of confidence can be felt which urges you to go beyond the limits each time. If you want an SUV in this budget and size, the X5 is no doubt the one to go for until now. Although one may peer into the Porsche side of SUVs with the new Macan.