2014 BMW X5 35i Review

14 years ago BMW introduced the x5. an SUV that shunned off-road shenanigans for luxury performance and prestige with the x5. now entering its third generation BMW is sticking with that gameplan but is that enough to compete with the new crop of luxury vehicles.

as a 2014 model it's hard to tell the new x5 apart from the old one. but there are a few new signature traits as part of the 2014 BMW design language which helped give it away. starting with that bigger front grille with those integrated headlights. you'll also spot these gills in the front bumper and behind the wheel arches which reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. and fuel economy is an important part of the equation here the x5 has cut out about 200 pounds of weight. thanks to weight saving measures like the use of aluminum on the front hood.

you'll also spot these vertical spoilers at the back of the car. BMW calls them arrow blades which help channel and improve aerodynamics. overall the card styling reflect what it is modern and muscular but not rugged like its competition. you can get the x5 with one of three engine options. our model here uses a six cylinder turbocharged engine. which you can find in the vast majority of the BMW lineup but what works for a 335i might not work so well for a 4,000 pound x5. still it makes 300 horsepower and 300 pounds feet of torque.

 you can also get the x5 with a diesel engine which gets excellent fuel economy and has a ton of torque. but this is the BMW after all and if performance is what you're after you can also get a 4.4 liter twin-turbo v8. all engines are mated to an 8-speed transmission which allows this 6-cylinder model to achieve 18 miles per gallon the city 27 miles per gallon on the highway and a combined rating of 21 miles per gallon. this x5 is equipped with BMWs X Drive all-wheel-drive system.

you can also get the six-cylinder model with just rear-wheel drive to save some money up front. the diesel nv8 both come standard with all-wheel drive rear wheel drive models start at fifty three thousand seven hundred twenty-five dollars with destination. now once you add all-wheel drive the price jumps up to fifty six thousand and twenty five dollars. diesel is just an extra fifteen hundred dollars and if you want to get that twin-turbo v8 you're looking at a price tag closer to seventy thousand dollars.

 now this particular model comes with quite a few options like four zone climate control, heads-up display, LED headlights automatic high-beam surround view camera and aluminum running boards as well as an extended napa leather. that's not even all the options by the way. once you get into the x5 it's easy to like its elegant interior design for starters everything in here is made of high-quality fabric and materials and nothing feels out of place for a sixty or seventy thousand dollar SUV. check out this really nice brown napa leather and the little details like this cream stitching. really stand out to you the seats feature a ton of adjustability and are well bolstered they're supportive and they're comfortable. it really helps the big beamer feel a lot like a car.

it's all cozy comfortable and just right now all x5 comes standard with the iDrive system with navigation. but new for 2014 is this touchpad on the top of the knob which is designed to help you write out destinations on nav screen. it takes a bit of practice to get right but the touchpad really works well in the map screen. there is one issue with the x5 and it comes with interior space. for a second let's consider the x3 which is a smaller SUV in the BMW lineup. that car features just as much or more rear seat head and legroom.

so if you're buying your vehicle for family hauling capability. the x5 won't do everything as well as the x3. which is surprising because it's more expensive. but if you're buying a vehicle to please the person behind the wheel well the x5 really stands out. when it comes to vehicles in this segment space and utility is a big concern. BMW still offers this vehicle with a split lift gate but open up that lift gate and check out the below average cargo space.

while it's an improvement over last models it certainly doesn't stack up to the competition. we dropped that second row the x5 offers a total of 66 cubic feet. and that sounds good but I mean compare that to the mercedes-benz ML when you drop its second row you've got 80 cubic feet of space. buyers can also get an optional third row of seating. but if you're going to find the second row uncomfortable imagine what the third row will feel like. now our car also features the cool Bang & Olufsen sound system which sounds great but it's a little pricey. I fail to see how this can be a huge upgrade over something like the Harman Kardon system. which is also offered on this vehicle for a little less money.

once you get on the road you quickly realize why this BMWs best-selling SUV. it doesn't ride like a big lumbering truck. it's really solid feeling it's clear that BMW puts a little bit of it's sports sedan DNA into the x5. it's really smooth and predictable and with this all-wheel drive system it really feels planted. even in all this snow and mud that. we're driving through today now occasionally at low speeds you might find that the steering is a little artificial a little over boosted. but at higher speeds it really feels heavy and solid. now the car is a little firm for a luxury cruiser. so if that's what you're looking for in a car.

the x5 really won't cut it. I mean this is supposed to be a lot more like the sports sedan of the luxury SUV market and it really does deliver on that promise. there's also several driving modes from sport to comfort an eco pro if you want to save some gas while driving your car. and each one changes the driving dynamics of the vehicle. either to give you much more heightened sense of sportiness or to smooth the car out and feel a little bit more comfortable. now I mentioned that the x5 is available with three engine options and this six cylinder gas motor isn't the one I take personally I take the six-cylinder DS it provides excellent fuel economy and delivers a lot of torque. but again if you're looking for the ultimate driving machine. that twin turbo v8 that's also available in this car it's hard to be.

overall BMW makes an excellent luxury SUV. but it comes at a cost the second row seating and the cargo space isn't what this vehicle is all about but if you're looking for a car with excellent driving dynamics and a beautiful interior then you can do no better than the BMW x5.

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