2015 BMW X5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

From the gate, BMW built the X5 to handle like a 5 Series, and three generations and dozens of extra on-board computers haven’t dulled this BMW’s terrific sensations behind the wheel. Mostly. That wheel, like the one in all BMWs with electric power steering, suffers from artificial feedback as the gear motor lightens and tenses under load. It’s the only unnatural and inexcusable trait in an otherwise superb chassis. The way the X5 glides along city streets without crashing the suspension over bumps would be praise enough, yet on 20-inch summer tires it grips for days with less body roll than a Miata. Credit the adaptive dampers for their commendable job shrinking the X5’s two-and-a-half tons, although unless you want to spill coffee all over the beautifully stitched mocha leather, skip the powertrain’s overly stiff Sport+ mode. (And if you want winter traction, skip the summer tires, too.) We tried Eco Pro, an oxygen-starved hell that lets BMW claim high fuel economy, and let our X5s breathe in Comfort mode.

Here’s what happens when you put your foot down in the xDrive50i: You blast past four Manhattan blocks in the time it takes to hail a nearby cab. This 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 is stealth-bomber quick, with 445 hp and silky smoothness as it works its way up the 8-speed automatic. The door sills show the BMW Motorsport logo, and for once on BMW’s many M Sport trims, the 8-cylinder X5 deserves the commendation. It pulls almost as hard as an M3. In Greenwich, our cousin stole the keys and hit unpublishable speeds in his sleepy neighborhood. Guard them like your insurance rates depend on it.

Down a few pegs is the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder in the xDrive35i, which serves 300 hp with a velvety exhaust note and broad torque. It’s our preferred engine (we recorded 24 mpg versus the V8’s 17 mpg), unless you’d like to save even more with the diesel xDrive35d or burn a Texas oilfield with the 567-hp X5 M. Braking is nothing short of phenomenal, with firm pedal feel and minimal body dive in both 6- and 8-cylinder versions. Only the Porsche Cayenne feels more nimble and stable.

“It looks expensive, because it is.” That was how Land Rover designer Gerry McGovern described a new Range Rover, and the same sentiment applies to this big Bimmer. With its silver-painted nostrils flaring out between four circular LED “eyes,” the X5 stares down other drivers with just enough scorn to force them out of the passing lane. As with all BMWs, the X5 has a deceptively simple-looking dash, with physical volume knobs, radio presets, and climate controls. This is a huge deal, as car designers trying to save money and look trendy put many of these controls in the digital realm, where they’re more difficult to operate.

But when BMW does go digital, it does it right. Take the multi-color heads-up display, which projects navigation, audio, phone, and speed information on the windshield. It’s not a new concept, but it’s so graphical and precise that you’ll know exactly which lane to choose or how long it’ll be before the next turn.

Want to find your favorite song on your phone? Toggle the central display, thumb the steering-wheel buttons to engage the heads-up display, or look down at the wide LCD that virtually completes the physical tachometer and speedometer with even more computer graphics. If you’ve stepped out of a 15-year-old car, the X5 requires an intense learning curve. Even if you’re a pro, you’ll need to put in hours to master the iDrive controller, which sits in the center console and rotates, scrolls, pushes in four directions, and accepts touch inputs.

Mentioning what our loaded xDrive50i didn’t have would take up the length of a tweet. Before we go further, know that nearly everything here requires a multi-thousand-dollar package that bundles options that come standard on many a Toyota Highlander, such as side window shades and satellite radio. Then there are others you may not want, like soft-closing electric doors. But you must take it or leave it, since that’s what BMW and all the German automakers do.

Cameras positioned all around the vehicle merge into an overhead view to make parking an incredible cinch (if, that is, you don’t let the X5 park itself). The 10.2-inch LCD screen has a digital owner’s manual that’s searchable and even plays videos and diagrams explaining the car’s various features. Within the iDrive menus, BMW lets you tweak the backrest-to-cushion ratio of the seat heaters, look at live traffic, browse the Internet, check the oil level, or spot pedestrians with night vision. It’s totally unnecessary. Fun? Absolutely.

The Active Driving Assistant, when coupled with adaptive cruise control, can stop the car in traffic and get back on the gas when the car in front creeps forward. The LED headlamps pump out enough lumens to singlehandedly light up a construction zone. The booming stereo and customizable LED accent lighting on the dash and doors are a Miami nightclub without the $2,000 bottle service. Tip the doorman enough, and this BMW will bring it to you.