The 2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d - or X5 diesel for those not in the know - and I ended our two weeks together with mixed feelings toward each other. Put another way, I developed what can only be described as a love/hate relationship with this car.
I loved its power, its looks and its gas mileage. The X5 diesel gets an EPA-estimated 19/26 mpg city/highway. The X5 diesel debunks any theories about diesel-powered cars being smelly and loud; it's neither. While the engine did have a little extra purr to it, the cabin is so well-insulated I almost couldn't hear it. This all-wheel-drive car drives like the luxury SUV it's supposed to be.
Because it's a diesel, the X5 xDrive35d qualifies for a federal-income tax credit of $1,800. Who doesn't like to save a little money when buying a car? I'm comfortable enough with myself to tell you that I also liked that the X5 diesel is a BMW; I felt like a fancier version of myself driving a luxury brand. To that point, I liked the luxurious touches it offered me: heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel (loved this), power liftgate, plenty of backseat legroom, a kickin' stereo with an MP3 adapter and easy-to-access Latch connectors, plus unnecessary, but totally cool, extras like a bag for my skis.
However, there were things about this car that ruffled my feathers. I spent 20 minutes searching for the glove box, only to discover a black button hidden underneath the front air vents that opened the smallest glove box I've ever seen. Don't even get me started on how long it took me to figure out the iDrive system, with its inconveniently located knob and misleading cues. I would have needed at least a couple more weeks in this car to be able to master it.
The X5 xDrive35d left me seriously conflicted. I defended it to my husband when he complained about its user unfriendliness, but I cursed it when he wasn't around to listen.
Exterior
My test car had "Efficient Dynamics" and "BMW Advanced Diesel" painted across its side. At first I was a little sheepish about driving around in such blatant self-promotion, but I quickly adapted when I noticed everyone checking out me and my hot ride. Rest assured, prospective BMW customers: Should you decide to purchase an X5 diesel, it won't include the oh-so-overt paint job.
The conspicuous words on the side of my test car aside, I loved the look of the X5 diesel. In fact, it's fair to say that I think BMW makes attractive cars across the board. They have a rich yet sporty look about them, and the X5 diesel is no exception.
A few other exterior features of note include the superb standard xenon headlights that rotate during turns, making night driving a breeze. My test car also had standard 18-inch all-season run-flat tires. Even though you can opt for 19-inch rims, I'd say stick with the 18-inchers; they look and perform quite well.
I really appreciated the X5 diesel's running boards, as my 2-year-old son was able to climb in and out of the car on his own, which is always helpful given I'm juggling my infant and whatever else I can carry. The doors on the X5 diesel opened wide enough for me to get my daughter's infant-safety seat in and out of the car without getting frustrated.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On
Interior
The interior of the X5 diesel is stylish; its dark walnut wood trim gave my test car a clubby feel. A panoramic moonroof comes standard, which I dig because it opens up the interior. Check it out if you haven't already; your kids will love it, too.
The seat leather was soft and supple, and there was ample legroom in the backseat, even with two child-safety seats and an adult back there. I was comfortable sitting between the two car seats, and my husband gave it a successful whirl as well. In other words, there's plenty of hiproom in the backseat. My daughter's rear-facing infant-safety seat fit nicely without smooshing the front passenger up against the nonexistent glove box. My test car had two rows of seats, but the X5 diesel is available with a third row, which is a nice option if you have more than two kids or need extra room for carpooling.
There's plenty of space in the cargo area, and it was easy to get to with the power liftgate. There's a sleek-looking cargo-area cover to hide your latest purchases from prying eyes, as well as a hidden compartment under the cargo floor.
My test car included plenty of other luxuries, but you'll have to pay extra for them. The Cold Weather Package ($1,250) includes heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel and the fancy ski bag. The Premium Package ($3,400) includes a power liftgate - something I don't want to live without (even though I normally do) - as well as a universal garage door opener and auto-dimming mirrors. My test car also had the Technology Package ($2,600) that includes a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, and a navigation system.
The fancy-schmancy ski bag held one pair of skis nicely, but two was a stretch; I won't take off any points for that simply because I was impressed that BMW had even thought of my skis! There's an easy-to-access pass-through in the second row that easily held my skis in the bag.
Being showered with luxurious additions can only satisfy a girl for so long. While stylish, the X5 diesel's interior is where the hate part of my love/hate relationship began.
The glove box needs to be easier to find, easier to open and bigger. Speaking of bigger, my bigger issue with the car was BMW's iDrive system. The system's sizable screen sits front and center in the dash, and you're supposed to be able to control your audio system, navigation system and more with it. Allegedly, you can control the iDrive system by simply turning and pushing a knob that sits in between the front seats (this took me more than a few minutes to find, too). The controller knob is too far from the screen for my taste, and I had a hard time using it. It's one user-unfriendly system. BMW has an improved, second-generation iDrive system, but it won't be available in the X5 diesel until the 2010 model year. I'd love to test it when it hits the market, because I was sorely disappointed in the current setup.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair/Ample
Safety
The X5 diesel has earned a Top Safety Pick nod from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Cars with this title have earned top scores - Good - in front, side and rear crash tests, and are also equipped with electronic stability control, which is standard on the X5 diesel.
The X5 diesel also has antilock brakes, traction control and brake assist, which boosts braking power during panic braking. It also has adaptive brake lights that illuminate across a wider area if you're in a situation in which you need to lay on the brakes.
There are plenty of airbags, including front, side-impact and side curtain airbags for the first and second rows. However, there aren't any side curtain airbags for the available third row. That's one area I'd like to see BMW improve upon.
FAMILY LIFESTAGE
In Diapers: There's plenty of room in the backseat for car seats.
In School: The running boards make it easy to get in and out of the car.
Teens: This car looks cool, which is all any teen can ask for.
No comments:
Post a Comment