BMW X5

I am not saying that the famous quote of ‘Size doesn’t matter’ is incorrect but sometimes, size does matter. This isn’t coming from me because I am 6.2ft tall and over 100kg and roam around the city like a boss. I say this because there is a perception about big things being better and superior to the smaller ones and there is no better place than roads to witness this. A hatchback messes around with the fellow bikers and three-wheeled public transporters, but the same guy will be hassled by an SUV in the rear view mirror. Not that these SUVs can feel like king of the roads, have a look at them when an unloaded dump truck is on the tail. The good part is that we are lucky big fat elephants don’t rule the roads as there are bigger predators who with their tough looks and mean streak could scare the whole animal kingdom. In the world of cars, we have one such contender that can take on others with its sheer size. It is the new BMW X5. We, went on a 1200kms long journey to Goa with this new German, to find out if the X5 offers more than just striking looks to make you feel like a king.

While the new X5 retains the design language of its predecessor, it feels and looks more grown up. The revised traditional kidney grille has a very promising design. This change gives a bold look to the front fascia of the X5. The adaptive LED headlights which get flat bottomed corona rings now stretch all the way till the grille – a nice way of design continuation. With a mixture of sharp creases and flow, the bumper looks aggressive and goes with the overall front fascia design. Come to the side and the most noticeable design is the sharp line that starts from the front wheel arch and merges with the tail light. The 18-inch wheels of the X5 look as basic as a pencil. If you really want to have impressive wheels, then you have the option to upgrade to the 21-inch ones.

Walk to the rear of the X5 and you will notice that except the taillight, it is very hard to see the differences. Just like the rest of the BMWs, the X5 gets the typical L-shaped taillight which looks sober. The round dual exhaust pipes give the rear a sporty look, however, the silver underbody protection plate gives a major appeal to the rear section. These small but important changes have helped the German manufacturer make the car look luxurious. It has an incredible street presence as well and don’t be surprised if the fellow drivers give you that ‘I wish I owned this car’ look. It is not their fault because the new X5 attracts attention as if a Miss India competition is being held on the roads. I really like the masculine big body proportions. It gave me a sense of pride, to say the least.

Once you get behind the wheel, you will see the excellent fit and finish of the car. At this price point, the customers demand more than usual and in a way the company has managed to satisfy them. Well, almost. The X5 gets a dual-tone interior with beige accentuating the lower section and black at the top. The German manufacturer has smartly integrated wood that runs across the dash all the way till the doors. This doesn’t look like a big or an important addition but it takes the sense of elegance to a whole new level. The attention to detail is nice and with the help of mood lightning that is visible in dark, you get a sense of pride and emotion.

BMW has wrapped the X5 steering wheel with high quality leather, which feels really nice to operate. The buttons on it has been ergonomically placed and easy to use. The major attraction of this SUV is the 10.2-inch media interface that is powered by BMW’s patented iDrive System. This screen displays tonnes of information like the navigation, details about the car, music selection and things that will aid the driver during the long journey. My personal favourite was the Sports Displays that show real time power and torque figures. The six AC vents in the front are more than enough for you to stay cool inside using the dual- climate control. The second-row passengers also get the option of adjusting their AC flow. When it comes to storage space inside, there is plenty of place to stuff your things. The door pockets can easily accommodate two-litre bottles and the two-cup holders in the centre will let you take a coffee sip during the drive. You can store decent amount of things inside the glove box compartment, however, it misses out on the cooling function.

For connectivity, there is an on-board WiFi hotspot to create internet-enabled travel for the social media addicts, like me. The iDrive controller features a scratchpad that lets you draw an alphabet or a number in case you find the voice command not friendly. I must appreciate the accuracy level of this scratchpad. The 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround system makes the X5 a mobile discotheque due to its excellent sound quality.

Let’s talk about the component that will be used the most when you are inside the car – seats. The front electric seats are big and very comfortable. The back and the lumbar support are excellent and you can adjust them by using the buttons on the side of the seats. I was in the driver’s seat for almost 12 hours and the fatigue level was minimal. Coming to the second row, the seats have terrible thigh support. My colleagues complained about it for almost the entire trip. But there is ample amount of leg and knee room for someone who is not more than 5.9ft. For taller people, the second row might prove to be slightly uncomfortable. However, the headroom won’t be of any problem. These seats are configured in 40:20:20 format and are well cushioned. These passengers also get to enjoy the panorama sunroof.

For the first time, the X5 is also available as a seven-seater. However, our test car was a five-seater. So the third row was occupied by our large bags and suitcases. The boot has storage hooks for people who have large or fragile luggage. In my case, I transported a mountain bike from my house to the CarWale headquarters. I had to push down the second row completely in order accommodate the bicycle. The door gets a split tail gate, where the lower portion has to be operated manually. With the electric function, the boot door closes with the push of a button. However, it won’t work until the lower gate is folded manually.

The new X5 comes with all the bells and the whistles. But you are paying close to a crore and for that you need to feel special inside the car all the time. The X5 doesn’t really make you feel that way. The interior resembles the rest of the BMW line-up, which is basically the Germans playing it safe.

BMW is offering the new X5 with only one engine – 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel engine. This mill churns out 258bhp at 4,000rpm and a maximum torque of 560Nm. This engine is mated to a highly-responsive eight-speed sport automatic transmission and helps the car move around quickly. The gearshifts are accurate and precise. You also have the option to shift gears using steering mounted paddle shifters. The torque is available as low as 1,500rpm and mentioning the word ‘turbolag’ isn’t justifiable in this statement.

Shift the gear lever to the Sport+ mode and the X5 turns into a drivers delight. Just like the petrol engine, this diesel engine revs all the way till redline and holds it there too. This is where the grunt of engine sounds amazing but there will be few of us who won’t like this sound and will settle to cruise most of the time. Along with the Sport+ mode where the X5 goes berserk, it gets the Comfort, Eco Pro and Sport. Expect majority of the customers to stick to the Comfort and the Eco Pro mode for obvious reasons. The first few gears are shorter whereas the last gears are tall and this helps the three-tonne SUV cruise on the highway. This also helps in increased fuel efficiency, however, in our case it returned 8.2kmpl during a 1200km test drive with five passengers and their luggage and driving where efficiency was never the priority. The coasting function also helps the car deliver more fuel efficiency by not applying engine braking, which doesn’t result into loss of power.

Just like the rest of the BMW’s, the X5 gets a start-stop system in Eco Pro mode and Brake Energy Regeneration. While the former doesn’t make a difference to a customer who is buying an SUV at this price point, the latter helps using up the loss of energy by charging the battery during braking. The NVH level of the vehicle is highly impressive but for someone who likes to play most of the time with Sport-mode, I don’t think so he will be bothered with this. I come out impressed with the performance of the BMW X5, crediting it to its weight shedding of almost 90kg.

Sheer Driving Pleasure – that’s what BMW says about its cars. But somehow, I failed to get that feeling from the new BMW X5. I was not driving a sedan but an SUV, and that’s why there is a good amount of body roll. The major disappointment came from the passenger seat as they complained of bad body roll.

The vehicle offers good ride quality, especially in the Comfort Mode. Switch to the Sport and the Sport+ mode and the suspension becomes sportier and stiffer. The five-seater SUV had 255/55 tyres that rides on 18-inch wheels, providing ample grip on wet roads. The new electric steering wheel responds very quickly and is well weighed. It provides a decent feedback but at high speeds, it doesn’t get too heavy. The commanding driving position of the X5 provides you more than enough reasons to look over the traffic around you. For off-roading enthusiasts, the X5 has a very good ground clearance that will tempt you to take the car off the road, but this is not a proper off-roader.

Braking is excellent and I loved the initial bite. But don’t go overboard with the speed, because physics dictates that it is always difficult to stop a heavy mass. And then you also have the ABS with brake assist, dynamic traction control and dynamic stability control to make your drive safer.

With the new X5, BMW has focussed more on the inside rather than outside and it is visible. The older X5 was the least selling BMW in India and that’s what the German manufacturer is trying to change. The straight-six diesel engine is good and punchy, the interiors and the space inside are good enough for long drives which was proved during our 1,200km-drive and don’t forget the massive boot that could help you move a house. Also, the gadgets you get to play with are awesome and up to date. However, there are few things like uncomfortable rear seats and mediocre driving performance, which goes against the SUV with a price tag of Rs 91.5 lakh.

If you really like this BMW and have made up your mind, then we suggest you to look at the seven-seater version, which is just a lakh and a half more. It is a good price to pay for an additional two seats and this makes it compete with the Mercedes-Benz GL, which is the highest selling in the segment. But when it comes to overall looks and feel, the X5 beats it, at least till the new Audi Q7 makes its way to India.