Page 29 - Motor Trend (January 2020)

SUVOTY I Finalists

PRO Agile handling • Supple chassis • Responsive rear steering CON Design trapped in time • Poor phone connectivity • Underwhelming second row
There are gobs of power at nearly Dynamic gets the job done. Even
BMW X5 any rpm, and it pairs well with an in Comfort it figured out the

eight-speed automatic trans-
terrain and what was needed to
mission that fires off quick, smart keep momentum going, quickly
he Boss is now in its fourth shifts. But this model also costs locking its spinning tires. The
generation. The X5, which $92,595, almost $20,000 more adaptive drive setting knows
Tin 1999 was BMW’s first SUV, than the smooth and powerful I-6 what surface you’re on and what
sought the right mix of on-road with its sweet downshifts. to do. And it has adjustable
dynamics and off-road capa- Many judges praised the hill descent control down to 2
bility. With this edition, BMW has stiff but responsive suspen- mph—a rarity in this field.
delivered a five-passenger SUV sion. Rechtin called its reaction Efficiency-wise the base
designed to thrill on any surface. “precise and crisp,” and Evans xDrive40i engine gets 20/26/22
The X5 was fun to toss around said the superb chassis was mpg city/highway/combined, The 50i we tested had tasty
a handling course, which trans- sublime on rough and cracked which is near the top of the class. chocolate-brown leather seats
lates to the real world—aided by pavement. Add responsive rear- From the outside, “the new with caramel stitching, glossy
the move to the new CLAR archi- steering, a gem of an engine, and architecture also gives the wood trim around the center
tecture to help carve corners in a the right transmission, and “it’s design great balance and console, and Swarovski crystal on
way once unheard of in an SUV. comfortable when you need it to proportion,” Tom Gale said. But the shifter and iDrive controller
“Dynamically, the new X5 is a be and sporty when you want it the overall look hasn’t moved dial. Tom Gale praised the
huge advance over the outgoing to be,” Cortina said. the needle. Consistency? Or quality materials and finish. The
model,” de Nysschen said. It’s a rare animal of an SUV repetition? De Nysschen wasn’t Harman Kardon stereo thumps
“Handling is agile and respon- that leans into curves with ease impressed: “BMW design and soars.
sive, with body roll much better and agility. Loh liked the clear, suffers from ‘designer’s block,’ However, the rear seats are
contained. Full-throttle acceler- natural steering feel and light- producing one same old design not heated, and legroom isn’t
ation through the gears is acous- ness in the way it drives, calling it after another.” as grand as expected, making it
tically very satisfying, and the “the nicest-handling BMW SUV.” All agree the iDrive infotain- hard to envision the dimensions
smooth transmission is leagues Lane keep assist has among ment interface continues to of an optional third row.
ahead of the clunky calibration in the most humanlike feeling of improve and is now fairly intuitive, Overall, the X5 offers a terrific
the Mercedes-Benz GLE.” any, and cruise control doesn’t offering both touch and knob all-around package and strong
The turbocharged V-8 sounds waver down a steep hill. controls. But many judges had value for a luxury SUV. De
as good as it goes, even if it is but It has no off-road mode, but trouble with CarPlay connec- Nysschen concluded: “Of all the
a half-second faster to 60 mph jacking up the suspension and tivity, which often crashed and is cars here, this is highest on my
than the base turbo I-6 model. turning the traction control to complicated to reconnect. shopping list.” Alisa Priddle

SPECS 2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i 2019 BMW X5 xDrive50i
Base Price/As Tested $61,695/$73,980 $76,745/$92,595
Power (SAE net) 335 hp @ 5,500 rpm 456 hp @ 5,250 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 330 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm 479 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 5.0 sec 4.5 sec
Quarter Mile 13.6 sec @ 98.5 mph 12.9 sec @ 108.9 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 127 ft 119 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.81 g (avg) 0.84 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.3 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) 25.8 sec @ 0.75 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 20/26/22 mpg 17/22/19 mpg 40i

Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV Engine/Transmission 40i 3.0L turbo DOHC 24-valve I-6/8-speed automatic
50i 4.4L turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8/8-speed automatic Curb Weight (F/R Dist) 40i 4,882 lb (50/50%) 50i 5,263 lb (51/49%) Wheelbase 117.1 in
Length x Width x Height 194.3 x 78.9 x 69.0 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 40i 169/130 kW-hr/100 miles 50i 198/153 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb 40i 0.87 lb/mile 50i 1.02 lb/mile
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 29