BMW has recently launched the new X5 SUV, one of the most popular premium SUVs on the market. It is back to take on the likes of the Range Rover Sport, Mercedes GLE Class and Audi Q5, only this time the BMW is sporting massive kidney grilles.
The new X5 is a huge redesign from the previous model and it’s basically new from the ground up. It goes on sale from £57,520, which lands you an xLine model - one of only two trim levels available. It’s a pretty well spec’d car from standard though, with perforated leather upholstery, 19” alloys, matt exterior trim and ambient interior lighting all included as standard.
The second and more superior trim level is the M Sport version, which starts from £61,020. While it is almost £4,000 more expensive, you do get an awful lot for your money. The car itself looks considerably better in the M Sport spec thanks to the aggressive M-specific aerodynamic body styling and gloss ‘Shadowline’ accents. The car also gets M-Sport uprated braking system as well as an improved steering wheel, Sports seats, LED foglights, illuminated door sills and some lovely 20” alloy wheels.
There is a huge list of optional extras for buyers to pick from, but the package which boasts the most value will be the Comfort Plus Package. It costs an extra £4,750 but this is a luxurious premium SUV, you want it to be as comfortable and refined as possible, don’t you? With the Comfort Plus Package, buyers get improved ergonomic comfort seats, ‘ambient air’ technology, front seats ventilation and massage functions, soft-closing doors, front and rear seat heating, four-zone air conditioning, electric rear-side window sunblinds and (most importantly) extra cup holders. That’s an awful lot of extra kit included in one package.
Just like there are only two trim levels to choose from, there are currently only two engine options to choose from. If you do most of your miles on the motorway you’ll be better off looking at the diesel xDrive30d, which is the standard engine provided at no extra cost. It’s a big 6-cylinder unit which puts out a modest 265 horsepower, which is reasonable in a car of this size and is good enough to get the car from 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, to give you perspective on how that power output reflects the performance.
Alternatively, if you do most of your driving around town with occasionally motorway journeys, the petrol alternative might suit you better. It costs an extra £1,405 however the xDrive40i offers significantly more performance thanks to the 340 horsepower on tap. This is good enough to take the car from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, which is properly quick for a car that weighs over 2 tons. Naturally, this is reflected in the economy. The xDrive40i will only return up to 27.2 mpg when driven sensibly, whereas the diesel model will return a more forgiving 37.7mpg.
The new X5 is on sale now and BMW has launched the new configuration tool, allowing buyers to explore the specs available and design their own model to buy online. Click here (https://configure.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/configure/ ) to have a play around and if you’re in the market, why not take one for a test drive?