BMW'S X5 four-wheel-drive wagon, equipped with the 3.0 litre six-cylinder petrol engine, was the 2002 Australia's Best Cars titleholder in the Luxury Four-Wheel-Drive class.
Value for money
Pricing
The X5 3.0 turbo diesel costs $78,200 with a five-speed-manual gearbox, or $80,800 with the five-speed-Steptronic auto. At $2,700 under the 3.0 litre petrol-powered model, it's the least expensive X5.
Warranty
Two years/unlimited kilometres. The average is three years.
Standard features
Apart from the fuel they use and the badges on the side, the 3.0 litre petrol and diesel variants are identical, right down to the standard equipment list.
This includes leather upholstery, automatic airconditioning, an in-dash CD player plus a six-stacker, wiring and a cradle for a mobile phone in the centre console, a first aid kit and remote central locking.
Retained value
The X5 retains 75-78 per cent of its new price after three years (equivalent to its Mercedes-Benz M Class rival) which is the best on the market.
Design and function
Ergonomics
Cushion height and angle adjustment (manual) for the driver's seat plus a height/reach-adjustable wheel makes it easy to tailor the driving position.
Tall drivers will use all the seat travel.
So will their adjacent passenger, whose seat has less travel again; long legged occupants can only just squeeze their shins under the dash.
The dash is stylish and efficiently organised, with a user friendly trip computer, clear instruments and audio/cruise buttons on the wheel. The headlights are deep, wide and bright on both beams. Rain sensing wipers adjust quickly and accurately to the amount of water on the screen.
Innovation
The X5 was the first four-wheel drive which could genuinely be said to have raised the standards of the breed to those approaching A grade passenger cars. It did this particularly in the areas of safety, dynamics (handling, steering and braking) and overall technological sophistication.
The 3.0 litre turbo diesel features class leading technology, including high pressure common rail direct injection, progressive injection phasing and a variable vane turbocharger.
BMW delayed the diesel's launch until the implementation of long overdue sulphur content restrictions - 500 parts per million in local diesel, which came into effect this year.
Previously, Australian diesel had an average of 1440 ppm sulphur content, which BMW claimed was corrosive, shortened engine life and produced excessive emissions.
Safety
Ten airbags are the last resort in a safety package which earned the X5 maximum stars in independent American crash tests.
The full complement of BMW stability systems, packaged as Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), is standard on the X5, supplemented with Automatic Differential Brake (ADB-X), a substitute for locking differentials designed to maximise off-road traction.
Security
The X5 is well protected against theft, with an immobiliser and remote central locking as the basic security features.
Comfort
This particular X5's driver's seat was better than previous examples. It's firmly padded, comfortable on a long drive, and the cushion is supportive, but more bolstering is still required on the backrest.
The rear bench has plenty of leg room and is wide enough for three adults, but is also quite flat and unsupportive when cornering. Three child restraint anchors are immediately behind the seat.
The load area, accessed via a lightweight horizontally split tailgate with a separately opening window, has a wide but short floor by 4WD wagon standards when the back seats are in use. It is easily extended with the 60/40 split-fold rear seat to a generous 1.75 metres in length.
A flimsy load cover, mesh cargo barrier which can be fitted in either normal or extended floor configurations and two power sockets are provided. A full-size spare on an alloy wheel is under the floor.
Build and finish quality
Excellent.
On the road
Fuel efficiency
Usually the Achilles heel of 4WDs, fuel efficiency is a highlight of the new European diesels, typified by the X5.
On the highway, at 100 km/h with the cruise control on, you can get less than 8 litres/100 km. High eights are average.
Around town, the X5 turbo diesel uses 12-14 litres/100 km.
These are remarkable figures for a vehicle which weighs just over two tonnes.
Performance
The 3.0 litre produces 135 kW of power at 4000 rpm, and a hefty 390 Nm of torque from 2000-3000 rpm.
On the road, this translates to deceptively quick performance and terrific responsiveness.
The zero-100 km/h sprint takes 10.4 seconds, comparable with Audi's Allroad Quattro, which runs a 132 kW 2.5 litre turbo diesel. The 3.0 litre petrol X5 is about one second quicker.
No other 4WD diesel comes close; neither do most petrol powered wagons.
The auto spins the engine up instantly to 1700 rpm, where it starts pulling like a train. Diesels are usually spent at about 4000 rpm; the 3.0 litre keeps on going as power takes over and drives it in smooth, muscular style to 4600 rpm.
The five-speed auto features cruise, sport and select the gear yourself modes. Shifts, as usual with Steptronic, are smooth and timely in most situations, but the adaptive programming on the test car's transmission was bit haywire.
The slightest touch of the brake sometimes caused it to kick down a couple of gears, then hold the low ratio for several seconds, neither of which seemed to serve any purpose.
Ride
The ride is firm and exceptionally compliant across the full range of road conditions.
Handling and steering
Permanent high range only 4WD is apportioned 62 per cent rear/38 per cent front under normal conditions. On bitumen, the X5's handling, steering and braking leaves other 4WDs in its wake. No two-tonne wagon can handle with the balance, responsiveness or precision of a decent sedan, but the X5 gets closer than the rest.
On open country roads, its taut unitary construction, wide tracks, relatively low centre of gravity, beautifully tuned independent suspension and crisp, communicative rack-and-pinion steering make it a secure and enjoyable open road tourer.
The 3.0 litre X5s run taller, skinnier, slightly more open treaded tyres on smaller wheels than the V8 variants. The 235/65 17 Michelins sacrifice little grip or feel on bitumen, but bite through loose dirt more effectively than the wide rubber. On corrugations the X5's ability to keep its wheels on the ground is without peer.
Confronted with a steep off-road climb, or a marginal surface such as sand or mud, you switch the Dynamic Stability Control skid correction programme (DSC) off so that engine power is not cut if a wheel begins to spin or slide.
ADB-X instead shuffles power automatically from the wheels which are slipping to those which aren't. As long as one wheel has grip, in theory you will keep going.
On the 4WD test course, the engine's flexibility combined with ADB-X and reasonable wheel articulation to drag the X5 with surprising ease up and across some quite rough, slippery country.
Select first gear, keep the power on and, traction wise at least, the X5 will hang in there with the best of them.
On steep downhill slopes, Hill Descent Control automatically applies the brakes to maintain a crawling pace.
It makes some worrying clunks and whirrs as the ABS goes berserk grabbing and releasing the brakes with little finesse, but unless the track is really greasy it is also an effective substitute for low range gearing.
Ground clearance, which in the end separates the genuine go anywhere 4WDs from the rest, is the X5's main limitation (and the M Class's) when the terrain gets seriously rough and rock strewn. The X5's relatively low 182 mm of clearance is considerably less than the 200 mm-plus of all terrain 4WDs.
Braking
The ABS equipped brakes are progressive, powerful and pull the X5 up in the minimum class distance.
Smoothness and quietness
The X5's relatively efficient aerodynamics keeps wind noise to a minimum.
Only when idling does faint diesel clatter infiltrate the cabin. The turbo's whistle is also effectively suppressed.
Summary
If you have not yet tried the new breed of European diesel 4WDs, a test drive of the BMW X5 3.0D is recommended. While the petrol 3.0 litre six model certainly deserves its Australia's Best Cars 2002 accolade, the judges this year may well find cause to hand the trophy to the diesel powered member of the family.
The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.
The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.
