BMW X5 3.0i

...I would second that. The BMW X5 for me is a perfect mix of new and old. In my opinion it successfully blends BMW's new futuristic look, with the clean muscular lines of the old X3. The X5 front-end face echoes the traditional BM "twin-kidney grill" , whilst its rear end retains that distinctive "boxyness" which made previous models so aggressive. Underneath the bonnet is BMW 3.0L straight 6 cylinder where the diesel does 235 hp ...
...the dash.

BMW has once again raised the bar with its features. For example I liked the fact the X5 comes standard with cornering lights. A very cool feature that moves the cars fog lamps, to guide round/through corners at night. Plus I liked the X5 features the new-most innovative automatic transmission on the market today...its basically a video game joystick, that lacks the traditional gates for different gear selections. If you ... more

Before I say another word, let's get one thing straight - BMW's X5 is essentially a road car. More or less without exception, everything I've heard or written about the X5 praises its superb road manners and its saloon car like quality, comfort and poise. Having just spent a hard-charging week behind the wheel of this 3.0-litre turbodiesel model, I would second that. The BMW X5 for me is a perfect mix of new and old. In my opinion it successfully blends BMW's new futuristic look, with the clean muscular lines of the old X3. The X5 front-end face echoes the traditional BM "twin-kidney grill" , whilst its rear end retains that distinctive "boxyness" which made previous models so aggressive. Underneath the bonnet is BMW 3.0L straight 6 cylinder where the diesel does 235 hp and has a top torque of no less than 520 Nm. It's nicely packaged. The X5's attractive interior is a faithful reflection of its well-dressed exterior. Once I settled inside and shut the sturdy door, I found space and grace enough to show up more than a few luxury cars. Shapely, leather-clad electric sports seats offered real long-distance comfort for two, and if I needed to seat five then three adults could easily be accommodated side-by-side in the rear with generous amounts of room for heads, legs and elbows. I thought the cabin oozed quality and the ultra-organised, multi-tiered dash layout placed all the switchgear exactly where I needed it. Four classic white-on-black dials set in a black binnacle kept me informed of fuel, speed, revs and coolant temperature. Additionally, the currently selected gear and mode was always clearly displayed. And, as usual with a BMW, there were lots of thoughtful touches that included the comfort-able thumb rest scallops on the sports steering wheel, puddle lights concealed below the door mirrors, non-slip alloy side steps, a recharge-able torch in the large glovebox, an electric tailgate release, a power wash/wipe cycle that really cleans the screen, a handy memo facility (a function of the on-board computer) and the useful two-level air vents at each end of the dash.

BMW has once again raised the bar with its features. For example I liked the fact the X5 comes standard with cornering lights. A very cool feature that moves the cars fog lamps, to guide round/through corners at night. Plus I liked the X5 features the new-most innovative automatic transmission on the market today...its basically a video game joystick, that lacks the traditional gates for different gear selections. If you bump it to the left and your in manual shift mode. Press the button on top of the shifter and your in park..I think BMW's unique approach will become the industry standard. Speaking of innovation the X5 push button's glove box is straight outta a Jame's Bond movie. The optional navigation system is a good as I have ever seen, with voice command and real time traffic infomation to make commuting as painless as possible. The new X5 features a rear view camera, which is exactly what the name suggests...this package option I think gives the X5 serious gadget appeal and uses the standard display screen to make parallel parking a reflexive action. All of the BMW's interior functions are controlled by an advanced but controversial i-drive system...the rear seat dvd system I think is a pricey option at around £1,000..but if you have kids I think it's well worth it...and when the kids are not in the car, the screen folds down and becomes another armrest. The X5 I believe offers the most of the driving experience of its world famous sport estates, but with much more utility.

Be aware that the options are fully loaded., after all this is a BMW, which new could cost upwards from £45,000. But as BMW include in their marketing spin, if you want the "ultimate driving machine" with added ground clearance then this is the only way to fly ! 

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