Road Test: 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i
Story and photo by John LeBlanc
If you only looked at the numbers, you’d think Canada was a nation of truck lovers, unparalleled on the planet save for our equally truck-hugging friends south of the border. But as in politics and Internet traffic stats, the numbers only tell half the story.
In Canada in 2013, Canadians bought more new vehicles than ever before: a record 1.743 million units, to be exact, of which 969,361 were passenger “trucks, a vehicle” and 775,827 were passenger “cars.” Just to be clear, though, the industry puts the “truck” label for sales purposes on not only the typical full-size pickup truck (like the best-selling Ford F-150) but also truck-based sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and car-based utility vehicles, like minivans and crossovers. A good example of this is our subject here: the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i, a vehicle that's labelled a truck but is trying terribly hard to be a sports sedan.
You’re probably already aware of the X5. It is essentially a taller, heavier BMW 5 Series wagon with more ground clearance and all-wheel-drive as standard kit. In BMW-speak, the X5 isn’t a crossover or an SUV. It’s officially a “Sports Activity Vehicle,” as is its smaller X3 and X1 SAV brethren. That “SAV” moniker not only ensures you know this BMW is different from other mere utility vehicles, but also that the X5 SAV is distinct from the less utilitarian X6 “Sports Activity Coupe”.
The third-generation 2014 BMW X5 went on sale last fall. In Canada, the five- or seven-passenger BMW midsize cross-, er, “SAV” comes standard with all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. All three engine choices are turbocharged: the $65,085 (all base prices include freight and pre-delivery inspection) X5 xDrive35i’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder gas engine, the $66,585 X5 xDrive35d’s six-cylinder diesel, and my tester, the $78,695 X5 xDrive50i and its twin-turbocharged, 4.4L eight-cylinder gas engine.
Outside of a BMW showroom, V8-powered Teutonic competitors include the $80,495 Mercedes Benz ML 550 4MATIC and $77,415 Porsche Cayenne S. Of course, anyone that’s been in a German-brand showroom recently knows that these “base” prices are about as realistic as a “free” lunch. In truth, expect to pay close to $100,000 for your fancy, German “truck.” (With $19,850 worth of optional Premium, M Sport Line and Technology Packages, plus BMW’s ConnectedDrive, a Bang and Olufsen audio system upgrade and a pair of rear seat DVD entertainment screens, my 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i SAV came to $98,445.)
Equipped as it was, my generously optioned 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i ended up a rolling showcase of the German automaker’s electronics department. And while the level of build quality inside the BMW was exemplary, it will take a while for X5 owners to get a handle on how capable this vehicle is.
There’s the X5’s updated iDrive controller, with not only seven surrounding buttons but also a touch-sensitive knob-top that can read handwriting, for such duties as calling up phone numbers or writing navigational addresses. Then there’s the master control button that allows you to select from the X5’s standard suite of safety features, including blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning, and collision warning with automatic braking. As well, there’s also a new “surround view” 360-degree parking aid (first seen on Infinitis) that makes parallel parking a peach.
This being a “truck” (ahem), the big BMW is also a decent hauler. Its 40/20/40 split second-row seating is roomy and can be folded flat to maximize cargo room, which at 1,870 litres, splits the difference between the more spacious ‘Benz (2,010 L) and tighter Porsche (1,780 L). My model did not have the optional third row. But I have sat back there on other 2014 X5 models long enough to say a larger vehicle like a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class or Cadillac Escalade is a better option.
With its 445 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque V8 (more than the ML 550 and Cayenne S), the X5 xDrive50i can also haul more than its five allocated passengers. The run from zero to 100 kilometres per hour takes only 5.6 seconds. And every time you push on the big Bimmer’s throttle, the immediate result is swift with virtually no turbo-lag. Even with an automatic stop/start system (that can be turned “off”), sheer physics precludes the X5 V8 from being a miserly fuel sipper. Rated at 14.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 9.2 on the highway, I saw an average of 12.8 during my time in the BMW truck.
If you don’t need the rush of eight, forced-air cylinders, the X5 xDrive35i’s diesel, and its 8.7 L/100 km city and 6.3 highway ratings, comes highly recommend.
One area where the BMW X5 xDrive50i can justify its $100,000+ price tag is in the way it delivers a luxury-car ride. BMW’s suspension engineers have done a fantastic job preventing any shocks from bad pavement entering the cabin, without succumbing to a floaty ride. For early-spring pothole season, the BMW’s Comfort mode relaxed the dynamic shock system to swallow craters the size of Mini Coopers. That said, the BMW truck’s new electric steering system still needs some more work. Whereas the last X5 offered decent feel and weighting, the new steering system is fairly numb and uncommunicative.
WHAT I LIKED: Unrelenting turbo-V8 oomph; high-quality cabin; relatively tidy dimensions
WHAT I DIDN'T: Numb electric steering; you’ll need an electronics degree to reap the benefits of all the high-tech goodies
Type of vehicle Midsize, four-door crossover
Engine 4.4L DOHC twin-turbocharged V8 gas engine
Power 445 hp @ 5,500 rpm; 480 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2,000 rpm
Transmission Eight-speed automatic transmission
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires P255/50R19 all-season
Price (base/as tested) $76,500/$96,350
Destination charge: $2,095
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 14.6 city; 9.2 highway; 12.8 as-tested
Optional features $4,400 Premium Package; $4,000 M Sport Line Package; $3,800 Technology Package; $850 ConnectedDrive; $4,900 Bang and Olufsen; $1,900 Rear seat entertainment