BMW X5 xDrive35d

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: I've always liked the facelift BMW gave the X5 a while back. I think it is one of the better-looking utes on the market.

Though it still drives like a big heavy truck, dynamically the BMW is head and shoulders above most any other ute on the market. The BMW's ride is smooth and more fluid. There's solidity to this truck that you just don't find with most SUVs.

The diesel, while just a little gruff, especially at idle, is mostly smooth, feels nice, offers plenty of torque and fits perfectly with this six-speed transmission. I don't remember once sniffing any diesel fumes.

However, iDrive is still annoying as hell, even in its new simpler form.


EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: When it comes to midsize SUVs, the best-handling ones you'll find are BMW's X5 and the Infiniti FX. Every time I step out from behind the wheel of an X5, I find myself surprised that I had been driving a two-and-a-half ton vehicle. Don't get me wrong, it's no sports car, but an impressive handler in SUV terms.

Flick the nicely weighted steering wheel in either direction to have the X5 respond quickly with little roll. Overall, the body is well controlled with hardly any dive under braking and feels really planted in all situations, be it an expressway-entrance ramp or stomping down city roadways.

Speaking of the city, the stiff suspension still offers enough give to deliver a comfortable ride. This suspension setup is just another example of how BMW is so good at balancing performance and comfort.

As Raynal points out, it's well built with soft and nice-looking materials throughout the cabin, which has a good number of cubbies to hold stuff. Our test car is loaded to the brim with $20,000 worth of options, which is nice. It's just that more than $70,000, the X5 is rather difficult to comprehend at first.

However, the big news here is BMW's clean diesel turbocharged I6 under the hood, and it's a good piece. When it comes to base price, it falls nicely in between the gas I6 and the V8 model. There's a premium of $3,700 for the diesel over the gas I6 and it undercuts the V8 by a cool $5,000. Oh, and if you buy the diesel, you are eligible for up to a $1,800 tax credit under the IRS's advanced lean-burn technology motor-vehicle tax credit. Not too shabby.

With monster torque, the engine scoots the X5 up to speed with ease. According to BMW, 0 to 60 mph comes in 6.9 seconds. It remains smooth as the revs build, and you would have a tough time realizing it's a diesel if you weren't paying attention. There is a little clanking initially at idle and launch, but that's it.

Topping things off is the great range diesels allow for. A little more than a half a tank of fuel got us a little more than 300 miles with mixed driving.

The downside? Most diesel-fuel pumps I've used have been nasty.


2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d

In Fleet: April 3-17

Base Price: $52,025

As-Tested Price: $72,120

Drivetrain: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel I6; AWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 265 hp @ 4,200 rpm, 425 lb-ft @ 1,750-2,250 rpm

Curb Weight: 5,225 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 22/21.5 mpg

Options: Sport package including 19-inch wheels with all-season tires, electronic damping control, sports leather steering wheel, comfort seats with lumbar support, shadowline trim, anthracite headliner ($3,700); premium package including automatic tailgate operation, universal garage-door opener, digital compass mirror, auto-dimming mirrors, lumbar support, BMW assist ($3,400); technology package including rear-view camera, park distance control, navigation system ($2,600); active ventilation seat package including active seat for driver, front ventilated seats ($2,100); premium sound package including premium hi-fi system, six-disc DVD changer ($1,850); rear-seat entertainment ($1,700); cold-weather package including heated steering, ski bag, heated front seats, heated rear seats, retractable headlight washers ($1,250); head-up display ($1,200); comfort access system ($1,000); satellite radio with one-year subscription ($595); iPod and USB adapter ($400); running boards ($300)

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