Reviews

Think of it as a BMW M5 station wagon on stilts. The motor magicians from Bavaria stalled for years on whether to do SUVs until 1999. Then, predictably—and to a performance driver's delight—the company introduced the "BMW of sport-utilities." No, that's not an oxymoron (although BMW prefers to call the X5 an SAV for sport-activity vehicle).


The X5 manages to capture unmistakable BMW styling in the requisite boxy SUV mold.

Sport-utilities traditionally come with prominent disclaimers not to drive the vehicle even moderately aggressively. Tear into a turn with most truck-like (and truck-based) SUVs and your stomach will rise up to meet your neck. There's a feeling of lightness followed by your inner ear frantically signaling that the vehicle is in imminent danger of lifting a wheel or two and turning turtle. The very qualities that make an SUV useful in the boonies—long suspension travel, a high center of gravity, much-too-firm shocks and meaty tires—render it nerve-racking on pavement.


So what's a sports car owner to do?


BMW has the answer. The X5 is BMW's third-best seller. Built at the prodigious rate of 520 units a day during two shifts at BMW's South Carolina plant alongside the popular Z3 roadsters, the X5 comes in three flavors: a 225-bhp six-cylinder 3.0i ($40,195 MSRP with a manual transmission), a 290-bhp 4.4i V-8 at $50,645, and the 340-hp high-performance 4.6is for $67,495.


Besides its powerful V-8, the 4.6is model has a sport-programmed, adaptable automatic transmission, sport suspension, high-performance 20-inch wheels and tires, a specially designed interior, and stacks of standard equipment such as BMW's Park Distance Control (so you don't nail neighbors when you parallel park), a premium 12-speaker stereo, leather upholstery, a power glass moonroof and xenon headlights.


Copyright autoMedia.com 2000-2009



 



Related Articles
2003 Hyundai Santa Fe
2003 Kia Sorento
2003 Jeep Liberty V6 4x4
2003 Nissan Pathfinder
2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon


autoMedia Car Blog
Nissan Back on Track with 2010 Lineup
In the late ‘90s, Nissan brought a handful of automotive journalists into its California headquarters. The company was struggling, and it seemed as ... more...

autoMedia CARnival 11-06-09: This week in Auto Blogs
It's the week ending November 6, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather the highlights from each.SEMA is not quite ov ... more...

Pricing: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi sedan
Suzuki is coming out swinging with its all-new Kizashi sedan, striking at the vital midsized sedan segment. Each Kizashi features all-wheel drive and ... more...


Forum Highlights
Re: Aluminum wheels and a flat tire
I am sure you have your tire changed by now, but this is a common problem when using aluminum wheels.  Once you realize you have a problem, hitti ... more...

Re: Chevy 3.8L Engine cutout
 I would call it in intermediate job.  You will need some special tools to do it, but if you have some experience doing repairs, and not jus ... more...

Re: The correct Voltage/Amps for Horn??
I'm not sure I have ever seen an actual horn go bad.  When they do stop working, it is usually an electrical issue.  You want to make sure i ... more...


Car Buying Guide

QUICK SEARCH:


Specs, prices, photos & more
SEARCH BY BODY STYLE:
FREE New Car Price Quote
Get the best price - it's easy!
Zip Code

Used Car Buying Guide


2000-2009 autoMedia.com Inc. All Rights Reserved.