THE BMW X5 has a problem. It’s the same issue that must have bothered naturalist Charles Darwin in the 19th century: evolution. Sure, it is a very successful method of improvement – this report, for example, is typed on a laptop and not written on a sheaf of papyrus paper – but the problem is that it’s not exactly the world’s most exciting or even noticeable process.
The differences between 21st century man and our cave-dwelling precursors may be enormous, but take snapshots at 100-year intervals anywhere along that line and, when comparing them, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the differences. The same thing applies to the X5; you’ll notice an immediate difference between generation one and three (the version tested here), but park one and two next to each other, or repeat the exercise with two and three, and you have to look a lot closer to see where the Munich-based manufacturer has rung the changes. Even when at the wheel of the X5, the newcomer feels similar to its predecessor.
It’s hardly surprising. The Bavarian company completely changed the game when it unveiled the first X5 back in 1999. As opposed to body-on-frame 4x4s, BMW offered buyers in this segment something altogether new. The X5 was an AWD vehicle with all the space and commanding driver position of a large off-roader, yet its unibody chassis offered the superior road manners and driving comfort of a sedan. Global sales of 1,3 million X5s bear testimony to the formula’s success.
The new X5’s profile does show subtle change, however. The long wheelbase and short overhangs remain, but the new car has a more squared-off appearance. The nose is blunter and the rear a tad more upright and broad shouldered.
Shine a light on the body and the styling changes are more evident. The signature kidney motif is wider, the headlamps bleed into the grille and the twin intakes below the raised foglamps are larger than those of the outgoing model. The flanks have crisper swage lines and another crease above the side skirts give the third-generation X5 some added muscularity.
Bigger, longer taillamps and a deeper rear window turn what was a fairly upright stance into a slightly wider one on the newcomer. The X5’s look was well liked by the road-test team, the most negative opinion it elicited was that of indifference.
The interior is standard BMW fare in terms of its layout, which means there’s a degree of familiarity to the quality materials and finish, as well as the intuitive controls and facia arrangement. The X5 features a central horizontal line that curves gently away from the cabin’s midpoint. Despite this more expansive architecture, thanks to the X5’s raised central binnacle, you still feel embedded in the driver’s seat.
The cabin will comfortably accommodate five adults and, although our own measurements indicate an identical luggage space to that of its predecessor and a slight drop in utility space, this incarnation does feel roomier than the last. And you can still specify a third row of seats (a R30 400 option).
The test unit came with a host of optional extras that added a little more luxury and a few more buttons to the dash. These included electrically adjustable seats, a panoramic sliding/tilting glass sunroof, automatic tail-gate operation, oak wood trim, surround-view cameras that give a 360-degree scope around the vehicle and a navigation module that displays its map in 3D on a 10,2-inch screen.
But it’s on the open road where the X5 really distinguishes itself and indeed where it needs to. Under the bonnet is BMW’s highly regarded 2 933 cm3 bi-turbo, inline, six-cylinder diesel engine (that now offers 10 kW and 20 N.m more than the previous version’s motor) mated with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. While the power difference is barely discernible, this punchy powertrain has a torque plateau between 1 500 and 3 000 r/min, giving it more than enough mid-range go.
As is the case with most contemporary BMWs, the X5 comes standard with the Driver Experience Control system that allows you to toggle between Eco Pro, comfort, sport and sport+ thanks to adjustments to throttle mapping, damper settings and DSC intervention in the sportier modes. And this tech enhances what has always been the X5’s great trick – its on-
road versatility.
In fact, the optional Professional Active Suspension Package, which includes Dynamic Damper Control and self-levelling air suspension on the rear axle, and Dynamic Performance Control (it utilises the xDrive torque-vectoring system for more precise cornering) almost seems a must for the extra R61 500. It’s a remarkable feat of automotive engineering that not only gives you a surprising level of comfort on SA’s rough roads (especially given our test car was on 20-inch wheels and low-profile rubber), but also eliminates body roll through corners.
Test Summary
Yes, it is difficult to get excited about the X5 – Darwinian improvements over the previous generation make pointing out the subtle improvements a soporific affair. And yes, tick some of those desirable options boxes and you very quickly add the modifier “very” to the adverb “expensive”. As it stands on its 20-inch black high-gloss wheels, our test unit would cost you exactly R1 044 809.
However, it’s the way that the X5 goes about its business that elevates it above what’s gone before. It might not specifically outshine its competitors in any department, but continued refinement over the last 15 years has resulted in a third-generation BMW X5 that adds up to something substantially more than the sum of its parts. This is a car that sits very near the top of its particular food chain.
