Stroock639

i don't believe there's an X5 thread here so i'll take care of that now.

the other night i'm driving back with some groceries, when all of a sudden the car in front of my violently swerves to the side. i almost couldn't believe my eyes but right before me there is a deer flying through the air. i swerve to avoid the deer, which unfortunately had been knocked into my path by the car in front of me (we're also both doing 60). i managed to avoid most of it but were i to turn any more i'd be hitting the guard rail, so i had to take one for the team and hit the deer.



you can see the blood

the bumper and fender lining were pretty shot, luckily insurance paid for the repair ($1700). i was entitled to a rental car while mine was being fixed, so i asked for a manual corolla, or just manual something. of course they didn't have anything in stick, and to my surprise when i brought the car in i'm just told i've been given an X5 to use way more than i want/needed but whatever i'd be in poor taste to complain.

i must say for a 4,800 lb SUV (SAV as bimmer likes to call it) this thing is pretty impressive. it was the xDrive35i, which is the 'slow' model and it's got the N55 3.0l turbo I6. my experience with premium SUV's is somewhat limited, but my mom has a 2014 MDX so that was my basis for comparison.

first off, this thing is quick. the turbo I6 is so smooth with it's power delivery, you really don't realize how fast you're accelerating. if i had any complaint it's that it delivers the power in a relatively boring way. modern turbo engines do everything they can to hide their turboness, so you end up with this flat, boring torque curve. make no mistake it gets you the results but the way it does it wasn't all that exciting. the way it shrugs off triple digit speeds was also very impressive, clearly designed with das autobahn in mind. in typical german fashion the seats are pretty stiff and firm, somewhat like the ride. it's not uncomfortable but in this aspect it falls way below the MDX, and obviously the LS. it also handles more truck-like than the MDX, which really just feels like a big car. the 600 lb weight difference probably comes into play there.


here's some performance data for you numbers people (rental car FTW)


it's also got the ZF 8HP transmission which i really can't complain about too much. better than the 9HP that the current MDX uses now for sure, but there's a good 2 second delay from when you floor it to when it actually kicks down. the brakes were also very impressive, coming from my old grandpa car they were a bit touchy but the stopping power is undeniable, it braked to 0 from 100 in under 5 seconds which i think is a pretty impressive result.

the menus and infotainment are pretty responsive and logically laid out, i had no problem figuring out how to use it at first glance. the 'sport' gauges which show how much power and torque the engine is making in real time are amusing although somewhat pointless really. still a cool little party trick though, it's not like you'd ever be upset it's there.

in terms of the overall experience, i'd have to say the MDX wins. more comfortable, better response, more nimble, slower, but more snappy. it's also a good $20,000 less than the X5 so that's certainly something to consider. having now properly experienced the ultimate driving machine i can say i completely understand why i always see these things being driven like total ******, the car almost encourages it. it feels happy when you do. so if you have $75,000 to spend on an SUV i'd say get a fully loaded 2015 (not 2016 they ruined that with the transmission) MDX and a very nice vacation over just the X5.

TangoRed

The X5 is an interesting SUV. The driving experience varies dramatically based on what packages/options it is equipped with. I wouldn't buy one unless it was the 50i M-Sport with all the handling-enhancing options.

Och

iTrader: (3)

I have a 2012 x5 5.0, and while its not slow by any means it feels slow because the throttle delay is just horrendous in comfort mode, and in sport mode it holds gear way too long after a downshift on hard throttle. I don't even try to drive it sporty, but for laid back driving its an awesome luxury cruiser that really pampers my butt. Also handling and high speed stability are as good as they get for a heavy SUV, second to none in its class. The throttle response and reliability are pretty much my only complaints.

BrownPride

X5s are great SUVs but as somebody with expensive experience with the previous generation (E70) model I've got to say that the new F15 X5 is a somewhat of a disappointment. The interior is nicer, the tech is class-leading, it looks just as snazzy when equipped with the ///M sport package, BUT the driving dynamics have been diluted. The suspension is softer and the steering is so light. My folks have an E70 M sport with factory hp/torque upgrades and M performance exhaust. The steering is so thick and heavy and it's so confidence-inspiring. Most fun SUV I've driven in my life. The new model is a shell of the E70.

As a long-term BMW guy overall I'm just disappointed with the driving dynamics of the F-platform vehicles overall. Electric steering has just diluted that old school BMW feel. Still class-leading driving dynamics, but not like it used to be. BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, etc. are all so focused on capturing the same demographic that they've created the same car!

BrownPride

I think the 2012s may still be the pre-LCI models so they have that 6-speed transmission. My folks had a pre-LCI E70 X5 with that 6-speed and that transmission was just horrible, then their post-LCI E70 with the 8-speed ZF has been nothing short of spectacular.

Stroock639

^ ^ ^

yes that was one thing i forgot to say, the steering feels completely artificial, and i remember this one having a decent amount of body roll too. i know active suspension is an option so i guess this didn't have it. i didn't see anything for it in the menus either. when you go to unlock the car you can hear gas hissing from the rear so i guess it had some sort of air suspension. now i'd really love to drive a fully loaded twin turbo V8 model, i'm sure that's something to behold. the one i had also didn't have the usual keyless entry method of cars of this price range. touching the inside of the door handle did nothing.

TangoRed

I really don't miss the ride quality of the E70 X5. When properly optioned, I think the F15 wins out as it has modes that run the gamut of stiffness and comfort when needed. The steering feel was definitely better on the E70 but unnecessarily heavy. There's a balance and I don't think BMW ever got it right on the X5. The Porsche Cayenne does it right.

Yep- BMW definitely needs to turn it back up with the G platform vehicles, as the competition has clearly caught up. Their cars aren't even class-leading from a dynamic perspective in some cases.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Its thr LCI with 8 speed. No problem with transmission, but throttle response is terrible.