The new BMW X5 with its styling and improved economy is sure to impress most drivers. This is a big, bulky and stylish 4x4 where the feeling of size is boosted by the grunt of the six-cylinder diesel engine.
If you are moved by the sound of an engine, then the X5 will do it for you.
If size matters and the solid feel of a big 4x4 impresses you, then it’s worth taking one of these for a test drive, even if you might never own one.
I believe that there isn’t a man in Ireland that wouldn’t be moved by the X5. That’s why it was so difficult to hand it back after my test drive. So why was I so impressed? Was it the BMW badge that got me?
The combination of the engine’s six-cylinder sound and impressive economy for a machine of its size was what wooed me. It’s expensive, let’s not hide that fact, but if you are in the market for a more luxury-end 4x4 with lower-than-average running costs, then the BMW might tick all the boxes.
This engine is superb. BMW’s Efficient Dynamics system has proved its worth again and again.
The rated economy figure is well ahead of the competition at 12.2km/litre (6.2l/100km or 45.6 mpg). You’ll notice that from behind the wheel where the eight-speed automatic gearbox allows the X5 to cruise at the legal limit of 120km/hr on motorways with the engine revs running nicely below 2,000 rpm. Many of the commercial 4x4s that farmers drive, day in and out, never come near to half that economy level.
And I didn’t reach that economy level either, but I came close enough to it. I achieved a full 85-litre tank figure of over 850km. That’s also impressive, as it allows you to drive on without too many pump stops.
The engine performance is just huge. Imagine a 0 to 100km acceleration rate in just 6.7 seconds for a machine that weighs in at over two tonnes. That performance shaves seconds off the competition, which includes the Range Rover with its similar-sized V6 diesel.
As it is the most economical in its class, it has lower CO2 emissions and lower running costs. With a CO2 rating of 162g/km, the BMW X5 is a Class E rated car, with a road tax rate of €750.
I know that figure is high, but it seems reasonable when you compare it to the €1,200 road tax bill on a Range Rover or Toyota Land Cruiser. That’s a running cost that’s €450/year lower, and that’s before you add in the significant fuel economy savings.
It’s great to be able to argue the logic of owning an impressive SUV like the BMW X5 on issues like fuel economy and ownership costs. But buying-in remains expensive at an entry price of €86,460 or £52,595 in Northern Ireland. And, like many of the other similarly expensive SUVs, the X5 will depreciate at a rate of about €10,000 per year over an initial three-year ownership cycle.
The other practical feature where the BMW X5 is let down a little is in the vital towing statistics. The standard version has a 2.7-tonne towing rating, which is significantly lower than the Range Rover’s figure of 3.5 tonnes.
The test version was impressively fitted with leather seating and satnav, to name just a few features. The surround-view system, which is also on the extras listing, was very impressive and made reversing and parking of what is a big SUV, so much easier.
The leather seating is included in the price, but everything else costs. It’s easy to be encouraged to add up extras that will bring the X5 price close to that of the more expensive Range Rover. So this clearly shows why pricing and comparisons at the higher end of the market are always difficult.
The X5 is a seven-seat SUV if you pay an additional €1,600. That’s probably not over the odds, except that the X5 is already expensive. These seats are tucked into the boot floor, leaving no room for a spare wheel. That latter omission is what concerns me more.
The safety kit for all passengers is good, but the X5 has not had a recent Euro NCAP crash test result. There are Iso Fix couplings for child seats and impressive levels of air bags.
BMW X5 3.0 M Sport
Engine 3.0-litre dieselEngine power 258bhp 0 - 100km/hr 6.7 secondsEconomy 12.2km/litreFuel tank capacity 85 litresCO2 emissions 162g/kmRoad tax band E (€750)Main service 20,000km Euro NCAP rating Five Star (2003)Towing rating 2,700kgsWarranty Three yearsEntry price €86,460 NI price £52,595
The new BMW X5 with its styling and improved economy is sure to impress most drivers. This is a big, bulky and stylish 4x4 where the feeling of size is boosted by the grunt of the six-cylinder diesel engine.
If you are moved by the sound of an engine, then the X5 will do it for you.
If size matters and the solid feel of a big 4x4 impresses you, then it’s worth taking one of these for a test drive, even if you might never own one.
I believe that there isn’t a man in Ireland that wouldn’t be moved by the X5. That’s why it was so difficult to hand it back after my test drive. So why was I so impressed? Was it the BMW badge that got me?
The combination of the engine’s six-cylinder sound and impressive economy for a machine of its size was what wooed me. It’s expensive, let’s not hide that fact, but if you are in the market for a more luxury-end 4x4 with lower-than-average running costs, then the BMW might tick all the boxes.
This engine is superb. BMW’s Efficient Dynamics system has proved its worth again and again.
The rated economy figure is well ahead of the competition at 12.2km/litre (6.2l/100km or 45.6 mpg). You’ll notice that from behind the wheel where the eight-speed automatic gearbox allows the X5 to cruise at the legal limit of 120km/hr on motorways with the engine revs running nicely below 2,000 rpm. Many of the commercial 4x4s that farmers drive, day in and out, never come near to half that economy level.
And I didn’t reach that economy level either, but I came close enough to it. I achieved a full 85-litre tank figure of over 850km. That’s also impressive, as it allows you to drive on without too many pump stops.
The engine performance is just huge. Imagine a 0 to 100km acceleration rate in just 6.7 seconds for a machine that weighs in at over two tonnes. That performance shaves seconds off the competition, which includes the Range Rover with its similar-sized V6 diesel.
As it is the most economical in its class, it has lower CO2 emissions and lower running costs. With a CO2 rating of 162g/km, the BMW X5 is a Class E rated car, with a road tax rate of €750.
I know that figure is high, but it seems reasonable when you compare it to the €1,200 road tax bill on a Range Rover or Toyota Land Cruiser. That’s a running cost that’s €450/year lower, and that’s before you add in the significant fuel economy savings.
It’s great to be able to argue the logic of owning an impressive SUV like the BMW X5 on issues like fuel economy and ownership costs. But buying-in remains expensive at an entry price of €86,460 or £52,595 in Northern Ireland. And, like many of the other similarly expensive SUVs, the X5 will depreciate at a rate of about €10,000 per year over an initial three-year ownership cycle.
The other practical feature where the BMW X5 is let down a little is in the vital towing statistics. The standard version has a 2.7-tonne towing rating, which is significantly lower than the Range Rover’s figure of 3.5 tonnes.
The test version was impressively fitted with leather seating and satnav, to name just a few features. The surround-view system, which is also on the extras listing, was very impressive and made reversing and parking of what is a big SUV, so much easier.
The leather seating is included in the price, but everything else costs. It’s easy to be encouraged to add up extras that will bring the X5 price close to that of the more expensive Range Rover. So this clearly shows why pricing and comparisons at the higher end of the market are always difficult.
The X5 is a seven-seat SUV if you pay an additional €1,600. That’s probably not over the odds, except that the X5 is already expensive. These seats are tucked into the boot floor, leaving no room for a spare wheel. That latter omission is what concerns me more.
The safety kit for all passengers is good, but the X5 has not had a recent Euro NCAP crash test result. There are Iso Fix couplings for child seats and impressive levels of air bags.
BMW X5 3.0 M Sport
Engine 3.0-litre dieselEngine power 258bhp 0 - 100km/hr 6.7 secondsEconomy 12.2km/litreFuel tank capacity 85 litresCO2 emissions 162g/kmRoad tax band E (€750)Main service 20,000km Euro NCAP rating Five Star (2003)Towing rating 2,700kgsWarranty Three yearsEntry price €86,460 NI price £52,595 
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