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BMW X5 is fast, comfortable, and prestigious. It delivers superb handling and excellent performance. X5's straight-line and freeway manners are great. It feels stable, the steering is precise, and the ride is smooth. The V8 engines provide plenty of power, making the X5 faster in the race away from traffic lights than most cars. For 2003, X5 is more luxurious and better-equipped.
Last year's new 4.6is model took SUV performance to new heights, with a powerful V8 that delivered 0 to 60 mph times in the 6.5-second range. That's quick, but 4.6is is also fast: On paper, it's capable of nearly 150 mph, though we don't recommend driving a vehicle this tall that fast. Massive tires contribute to impressive cornering grip and stopping power.
Logically, the X5 makes little sense. It is not highly capable off road, at least not when measured against other sport-utilities. X5 offers less cargo capacity than a BMW 5 Series wagon and its high floor makes loading cargo more challenging. Though it handles well for an SUV, its weight means it does not offer the quick transient response of a sport sedan or sport wagon in the same price range. As compared to other BMWs, X5 is not the ultimate driving machine.
Logic may not be a factor at here, however. X5 is sporty, stylish and upscale. That twin-kidney grille indicates a successful owner. It also indicates BMW's reputation for quality and driving excitement. It works well in foul weather, and easily negotiates muddy trails. Inside, it's luxurious and comfortable. It also offers the command seating position many people like. Perhaps those are among the reasons X5 sales are so strong. BMW sold 42,742 X5s in 2002, up from 2001.
For 2003, all X5 models feature brake lights that illuminate quickly and more intensely under hard braking. Adjustable ride height is now available on 3.0i and 4.4i models with the Sport Package. The tires that come with the 4.4i Sport Package have been upgraded from H-rated to V-rated, and the electronic speed limiter is now deleted with this package, lifting top speed from 128 to 143 mph (though, again, we don't recommend traveling at those velocities).
Interior leather is smoother for 2003. Onboard navigation is functionally improved and now features a DVD database. And the rear-seat Head Protection System (HPS) is now standard, a very important feature.
BMW X5 performs impressively well when equipped with one of the V8 engines. Power from the 4.4-liter V8 is seamless, with the redline arriving at 5800 rpm. The six-cylinder 3.0i isn't in quite the same league and works best when paired with the automatic transmission.
According to BMW, the 3.0i automatic accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in a quick 8.6 seconds, the 4.4i in a very quick 7.4 seconds, and the 4.6is in a startling 6.5 seconds.
The performance of the 4.6is would be quick for a sports sedan. For an SUV, it's amazing. Its performance allows the 4.6is to compete comfortably against the Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG. ML55 comes with an AMG-tuned V8 rated 342 horsepower and 376 pounds-feet of torque, giving the M-Class Mercedes nearly identical 0-60 performance. We doubt that many X5 owners will drag race their neighbors. But they will notice how the 4.6-liter V8 makes terrific sounds when they step hard on the gas. And how smooth, responsive, and quiet it is when driven around town.
Shifting is silky smooth in normal driving situations. The automatic transmission offers the Steptronic mode, allows a choice of automatic or semi-manual control. Notching the lever to the left puts the transmission into Sport mode and enables the manual override; then a simple quick nudge forward or backward ratchets the transmission up or down one gear. X5's Steptronic is executed perfectly. A quick downshift makes passing on two-lanes safer and smoother.
Handling is stable and comfortable, with less twitching and head toss than in the Mercedes M-Class. (Compared to the Mercedes-Benz ML430, the X5's track is one inch wider, and the BMW rides 2.2 inches lower.) That's not to say the X5 is soft. It feels firm in the twisties and at high speeds. It can be driven like a sports car. On the freeway, the X5 changes lanes with the lightest of touch and with total precision. X5 can feel choppy, particularly when trundling at low speeds over a bumpy road while holding on to a hot cup of coffee. The choppy ride is pronounced with the sports suspension that comes with the optional Sport Package.
Overall, X5 is among the best-handling SUVs, although whatever else you drive will likely prejudice your opinion. If you get out of a regular truck-based SUV and into an X5, you'll be amazed at its handling. If you get out of a BMW sedan, however, you'll find that the X5 does not inspire the same confidence. BMW claims that its test drivers have circled race courses in the X5 nearly as fast as they can in a 328i sedan. This is probably true for experienced drivers who know their own limits as well as those of the vehicle they are driving. But most of us find the X5 is a tall vehicle that leans more than a sedan when going through corners.
Huge four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated in front) incorporate every electronic trick known to man. They are easy to modulate, and, they enable the X5 to stop as quickly and securely as the BMW 7 Series luxury cars. The 4.6is model gets bigger brakes and the rear brakes are ventilated; add the steamroller tires and the 4.6is really stops.
3.0i comes standard with a manual transmission. That sounds sporty, but we didn't like it. Clutch engagement is quick, and the torque characteristics of the engine (a bit abrupt at throttle tip-in) make smooth, brisk takeoffs a challenge. Lose concentration for a moment, or hurry the process a bit, and it's easy to stall at intersections, which is particularly annoying because the power-adjustable steering column starts moving while you're trying to restart the engine. We also found the manual transmission awkward when braking and downshifting for a turn, and then accelerating away. Attaining a smooth driving technique is challenging. A good driver may find it challenging to drive the 3.0i smoothly. A poor driver, one who moves the steering wheel about unnecessarily, will make his passengers uncomfortable with head toss. Also, the performance
BMW X5 may be the best-handling SUV on the road. It may not haul much cargo, but the V8 models sure haul themselves. They are big, high-performance machines that can hold their own in any on-road situation.
X5 leaves us with mixed feelings, however. Its cargo capacity is no better than a BMW 5 Series wagon's, and the height of its cargo area makes loading difficult. Getting yourself in or out is more difficult as well. The 5 Series wagon is more practical. On the road, the X5 does not ride, handle, or accelerate as well as the 5 Series wagon, while off-road, it falls behind any serious 4x4 sport-utility.
X5 buyers don't seem to care about any of that, however. They like the X5 because it is prestigious, fast, and luxurious, roughly in that order. It shouts success, it goes like stink, and it coddles driver and occupants in sporty, upscale accommodations. Undeniably, the X5 offers BMW luxury, character and panache. And it is fun to drive.
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