You don't really notice how big a X5 is until you see one up close. Seeing one on the road doesn't do it justice. It wasn't until we sized it up against its smaller brother, the X3, did we realize how large its presence actually is. The one we purchased, particularly the 4.8i trim just looks mean (in a good way). It stands out with the larger exhausts in the back (compared to the 3.0si), and the metallic brushed kidney grilles on the front. Because it was modified for 2007, the back taillights are more refined and not as bulky as they looked for the first generation vehicle. The exterior is fresh, the lines are good and it immediately comes off as a solid SUV, or as BMW calls it, SAV. Inside, the materials are everything you'd expect from BMW with the wood grain trim, leather seating, steering wheel, etc. The buttons are arranged simplistically and are not overwhelming as you sometimes find in other vehicles. If you've driven any other one of BMW's lineup before, you know where to find buttons - particularly the lock/unlock button, which is found underneath the main air vents in front (there is no lock/unlock button on the driver's or passenger doors). The seats are very comfortable and ours had multi-way adjustable seats. You sit up high and have a great view of the road which makes you forget you're driving a big SUV on the road. Of course when it comes to turning and parking in tight spaces (when you've previously owned a sedan or hatchback), there is a little bit more attention required. The side mirrors are huge to eliminate any blind spots and we always like to add the blind spot mirrors you can get to help increase visibility. It is very roomy in the back and tall adults would have no problem stretching out. We have a convertible car seat installed forward facing and you didn't need to move up the passenger's seat at all. Our version does not have third-row seating so we do have quite a bit of cargo space and the rear seats can fold down flat for extra room. The trunk is unique in that it splits into two parts. The gate will lift up but then you still have the bottom third you need to pull down by grasping a lever and pulling it towards you. I think it helps if you needed to slide a big item off or need extra leverage. It isn't that big of a negative though. It drives well. The 4.8i has around 350hp so there is plenty of get-up-and-go. Braking is sturdy and responsive. You do develop that sense of being able to tackle anything and you definitely notice how much higher you are off the road than most vehicles. Going back to the engine size and power, it does compromise on fuel efficiency. I believe it is only rated at 15/22 compared to 17/23 for the 3.0si version. It's a monster at the pump with a 22.5 gallon tank (around 2.6 for reserves according to the manual). It of course recommends premium fuel but will accept as low as unleaded. As someone who has owned 2 other BMWs, the X5 is no different. It feels smooth, accelerates nicely, and the fact that AWD comes standard is a big plus so you can be prepared for any climate. Relating to repairs, obviously BMW repairs aren't cheap. If you can't do it yourself or your car is not under a warranty, just take it to an independent dealer for repair. We did have to replace all the spark plugs and some other items as it didn't appear the previous owner did it at 100,000 miles, and because the X5 requires iridium spark plugs ($28 a piece), it was about $750. Thankfully these are supposed to last 100,000 miles so it should not have to be done again. Great vehicle, just be aware that you are getting what you pay for and be mindful of keeping it well maintained!
brandon
5.0
Excellent
I absolutely love driving this car. It provides a very smooth ride to go along with comfort and a good looking car on top of it all. This is actually the second time I have had an X5. The first time I only leased the car, but liked it so much when the lease came up I bought the newer model of the car so I could continue to enjoy the benefits of the car. In addition to the smooth ride I love the reflected mph on the windshield. I allows me to be more aware of my speed than I would be in a car that did not have this feature. The seat heaters work great and this is the first car I have had that has the automatic ignition. That is a neat feature. I wouldn't care about it otherwise, but since it is there I do enjoy not having to dig my keys out of my pocket. The only negative I have with the car is the seat coolers. It isn't a problem since i can just not turn it on, but it is a weird feeling to have the seat cooling.
Chandler, Arizona
2.0
This vehicle is a money pit! Buyer beware!
I bought this vehicle used a year ago. Initially it performed wonderfully and the seats were extremely comfortable, the navigation worked perfectly, and the interior and exterior condition were still clean and modern, but after about a week, the air suspension went out, and after a month the clutch began slipping, the coolant container was replaced but already was cracked and leaking again, the TCM and ECM modules developed hardware problems, and the transmission is failing. The vehicle does not even have 120,000 miles on it yet. Apparently these are all extremely common, and costly problems that occur on almost all BMW X5s at some point, before they even reach 200,000 miles. I haven't not even been able to drive this vehicle for more than 5k miles in the year I have owned it. This car is not reliable in the least! However, since I go hiking and camping with my dogs a lot, the fact that the backseats fold down to become flush with the trunk, it gave my dogs a lot of room to move around while we drove fairly long distances, and the roof racks were easily able to accommodate the Thule that was filled with all of our camping and hiking gear.
Automotive Images, Copyright [2000 – 2024] izmo, Inc. USA. All Rights Reserved. The automotive images contained herein are owned by izmo, Inc. and are protected under United States and international copyright law. Access to and use of these images is restricted by terms and conditions of a separate license agreement. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, recording or modification of these images is strictly prohibited.