Diesel has become a much-maligned fuel in recent years, but the X5 30d is an excellent reminder as to why Europeans love their oil burners. It will haul more than two tonnes of metal from rest to 100km/h in a hot-hatch like 6.5 seconds, while using the same amount of fuel as an average hatchback. It’s an incredibly smooth unit too. There’s little or no diesel rattle at the lights and when you floor the accelerator, the cabin remains impressively quiet. Progress is helped by a slick-shifting conventional eight-speed auto and the added traction of four-wheel-drive. Tasteful mood lighting, crystal clear twin digital 12.3-inch screens on the dash and lashings of leather combine to deliver a true luxury experience. Presentation-wise the X5 has caught up with its German rivals after a period where its interiors looked a little tired and dated. The seats are snug and supportive and the M-sport leather steering wheel (part of an option pack) feels sporty in the hands. The head-up display on the windscreen in front of the driver can display all the driving information you need — including prevailing speed limits — as well as audio and navigation information.
The X5 has always been a benchmark for vehicle dynamics and despite the added size and bulk, the new model feels reassuring — and even a little sporty — through the bends. A car of this size can’t completely disguise its bulk on tighter corners, but the X5 makes a valiant effort, sitting flat and changing direction without too much pitching or lurching. The crisp, accurate steering engenders additional confidence and at speed the suspension manages to soak up bumps comfortably without feeling too floaty or soft. On big wheels and adaptive M suspension, it’s not as cushioning on pockmarked city streets. BMW used to be a bit stingy with its equipment list, but the new model is pretty well loaded. Aside from the high-resolution screens, there’s a big sunroof, an electric tailgate, a birds-eye camera view of the car for parking and Apple CarPlay that will hook up to your phone without a cord.
Unfortunately those with an Android phone — which, last time we checked, was half the population — are out of luck. The other omission is the lack of third-row seats, standard on the rival Audi Q7. 18,000 worth of options. Safety equipment is comprehensive, though, and there are acres of space for luggage. The X5 has myriad options for changing the channel on the stereo. There are a touchscreen, a rotary dial and steering wheel controls. Or if you’re brave — and patient — you can try the gesture control, which theoretically adjusts the volume and changes stations with a wave of the hand. It’s hit and miss, as is the Bluetooth connection, which periodically failed to hook up with my phone. The self parking tech is genuinely clever, though. It remembers the last 50 metres of your journey and can retrace your steps — very handy in extricating the car from tight parking spots.
Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are cool, hip, and seem to be able to eat grass and jungle terrain for breakfast, or could they? Are we possibly the victim of a simple marketing bait and switch trick? An SUV is a jack of all trades vehicle but is a master of none. Sounds like people were asking for a car that does everything. Well whatever the customer wants, the manufacturers will make a brick fly just to make revenue, and paint it hot pink too just to get the teenage demographics. But seriously, here are several factors why SUVs are not recommended for the serious gas saver. Safety. SUVs have a greater tendency for rollovers compared to regular passenger cars. This is because the SUV is constructed with a higher center of balance. On cornering situations, SUVs will be 14%-20% likely to tip over gloriously. Risk to other passenger car owners. This may seem strange to you.
But it makes a macabre sense. SUVs are built high and tough so when they figure in an automobile accident, regular passenger car and motorcycle owners are more likely to die from the sheer inertia of being struck by a larger moving object at high velocity. Backover risk. SUVs are more likely to figure in running over someone when running the SUV in reverse. The risk is high for SUVs with no proximity alert. The height of the driver's seat and the limited visibility does not afford the SUV driver any advantage. Wide bodies. SUVs commonly have wider bodies than a passenger car so much that they leave less room for error when accidents occur. They also have some difficulty finding parking spaces and maneuvering in crowded areas. Active to passive safety mindset. This means that the size and bulk of the SUV lulls them into a false sense of security, making SUV drivers rely on the car to protect them over using their eyes, and ears to active avoid an accident. 4WD misconception. SUV drivers also assume that four-wheel drive function in their SUVs also help in braking, which does not.
