maninblack

Why oh why does this car exist? A real heavy shocker and an embarrassment to the marque. Had my first drive today and could not think of a single redeeming feature.

Drives like any sloppy SUV.
Huge as a tank.
Totally inappropriate car for urban context.
I-drive is worse than ever.
Boring fiddly interior.
3rd row seats are tiny and hard to access.

I cannot tell you how much I disliked this car and anyone who even vaguely compares it to a 5 series for ride comfort or handling is living on another planet. This car does everything as badly as the old X5, only worse.

Why oh why does this car exist? Because suburban mums will love it and BMW will sell millions of them.

BetterMakeWay

Really? I've heard many complaining after test-driving the new X5, and i'm particulary concerned about the fact that all of them said that it handles worse than the old X5, and it has lost it's biggest advantage to the competition (the sporty character for an SUV (SAV))

maninblack

Yes really. I am not just saying it because I dislike SUV's, they have their place in the right context. I really found it to be an ordinary car and for sure it handles worse than the old X5. And as for i-drive, the more thats on it, the worse it gets, nothing much more needs to be said. I really can't believe how people claim that it's an SUV with car like dynamics...what car? A really big bad car maybe, but certainly not comparable to any decent car. I drove the Lexus RX400h which was certainly better to drive, though it is a bit smaller. Fact is that BMW was going to lose market share to Q7, XC90 etc if they didn't bring out a "seven seater". I am sure that a totally tricked up model with a big V8, suspension mods, tyre and wheel upgrades etc is better, but then why bother with an SUV. Just get a car that goes well in the first place. I know of one, its called a 5 series touring

LowOrbit

I agree 100%.

The 535iX seems better in all respects (price, fuel, handling, ease in city parking etc.) and I wonder why anyone buys an X5. I think the key reason (in the U.S.) is because station wagons are seen as "severely uncool" by soccer moms, and guys see SUVs as more "manly", and these perceptions take a while to change, even with $3+ gas and heightened focus on the environment.

gleach

My wife drives an X5 and loves it. I hate it. I tried to talk her into going to look at the Cayenne when her lease is up, but she won't even look. She wants her new X5 and that is all there is to it. Who am I to argue? I don't drive it.

lymin6

The new X5 is certainly a nail biter for BMW, I have been able to place an order this week for the July 07.

Many where available, other dealers have the same problem, and the intial launch appeared muted, possilbiliy the ECO squad have finally got there way. ( GOOD REASON TO BUY ONE)

This will replace my wifes X3, she will test drive tomorrow.

I have seen it and agree the rear seats are a joke, if the i drive is as s**t as my last three e60s I will not be a happy bunny.

Will make a decision over the weekend

I will keep you posted.

fuzzer

Im interested on everybodys oppinion of the new X5. Have been looking around to see whats going to replace my current x5 which i love to drive with the 20" wheels and mtech suspension. Drive amazingly well for 2.5t car. I really liked driving the q7 too. Drove one last week.

LowOrbit

I just saw MotorWeek (TV show) this morning with a X5 4.8 test and they seemed to think it was a noticeable improvement over the old X5, and they even got 18mpg in testing. That being said, I would much rather have a 550iT if only it were available.

rodybmw

I pretty much disagree with every point of the original poster other than the 3rd row seats being small. I drove the new X5 as we may be replacing my wife's 2001 X5 in the next year or so and I liked it very much. It was not the sport package but it still had decent handling. My wife's X5 is the sports package and if/when we get the new X5 it would definitely have the Sports Package, so it should be even better than the one I test drove. Even the small 3rd row seats don't bother us because they serve the purpose for us, they are big enough for kids and even some adults on short commutes, and they don't force the car to be too long as a 3rd row with more leg room would have.

There is a BMW Ultimate Driving Experience event in Los Angeles in the next couple of weeks where the X5 and it's competition will be available to drive back to back in a concourse setting. We decided to buy our 2001 X5 after driving an X5 aggressively in an Ultimate Driving Experience back in 2000, that's where you can truly evaluate the car's dynamics and handling abilities. We were impressed enough to buy one after that experience. Unfortunately this year the UDE is only for one weekend in Los Angeles and even though I called the very next morning after receiving the invitation from BMW it was already booked up. I am on the waiting list but don't have much hope of getting in. Perhaps someone else who participates in that event will let us know how the X5 handles in a coarse like that and how it compares when driven back to back with it's competition on the same coarse.

For those of you who wonder why BMW makes SUV's and why people buy it, here's my reason. The reason that I have driven BMW's for more than 20 years is because I feel no other car has the same perfect balance of sportiness, handling, comfort, and style. I feel that the X5 offers the same things in the form and size of an SUV. If I need a car with the ride height, size, and shape of an SUV why would I consider anything else when BMW also offers it in the X5? It may not handle as well as a BMW sedan, but it certainly handles better than other SUV's, and even better than some sedans from other manufacturers. An aggressive drive on a closed coarse (like the UDE) demonstrated this to me with the old X5, and I'm sure the new one would do the same (if equipped with the correct options). One thing that BMW was criticized for with the first generation X5's was that the ride was too harsh (especially with the Sports Package), so they have improved the ride on the new E70 X5, but if equipped with the appropriate handling enhancing options it should handle just as good or better than the old one.

maninblack

Your comments are largely fair enough. I think that when compared to many other SUV's the X5 is probably okay, though to me they all (and I mean the better ones) all feel a little different but all feel like such a severe compromise to say a 5 series Touring or even an A6 Avant that they are all totally unacceptable as a good (and fun) driving experience. For example the Audi Q7 is a beast like the X5 and I preferred it (my sister-in-law has one) to the new X5, just, but still find it a horrid thing to drive. Certainly the X5 is better than "some sedans" like big sloppy American ones and a few real duds but cannot compare to any quality sedan product...nor should it though. It is also better than many other SUV's (though not all and not by much) but so it should be, it's double the price of most. I actually think in retrospect that part of my grievance lies in that so many people, including BMW and some motor reviewers allude to the X5 as having quality sports saloon like attributes and in my experience this is just bollocks.

I guess it's always "horses for courses". If I wanted a luxury SUV, I would get one that really goes off road like a Rangie or a Disco 3 HSE, or something truly offensive like a Cadillac Escalade