Edmunds First Drive: 2007 BMW X5

[GTaudiophile]

Linky

First Impressions: With substantially better ride quality, improved handling and a nicer interior, the X5 remains the sport-utility vehicle to beat, assuming you don't need much in the way of utility.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Eh. Doesn't look too bad I suppose but there's still this...

The only sour notes in the interior are on the center console, where both an iDrive knob and a heavily designed electronic shifter have found a home. Despite half a decade on the market, iDrive is no more intuitive than it was at introduction. In our test vehicle, which had neither a navigation system nor a rearview camera (both are part of an option package that adds $2,600 to the V8's $55,195 base price), the iDrive was simply an unnecessarily complicated way to change the radio station.

 

[vi edit]

I'll take the the FX45 for a good $5,000 less and sans the i-drivel.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Hee hee:

Into this slightly larger rear, the company will install what it calls a "third row of seats." They ? two mini-seats separated by cupholders ? could be straight outta Gitmo

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hehehe, my Father-In-Law was looking at the X5 but ended up buying a Lexus RX330 primarily because the X5 cost $10k more. This is a guy who has owned many BMW's, a couple Porsches, a Mercedes and a Jag.

BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: President of the Anti-SUV Brigade
BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

Error! Error!
Does not compute.

 

[Goosemaster]

hideous

 

[GTaudiophile]

Agreed, Infiniti FX FTW!

 

[dandruff]

looking to buy one in 2007 ... dont buy anything in its 1st year ... got a card in mail inviting us to testdrive it in nov ... looks well composed ...

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I'll take the the FX45 for a good $5,000 less and sans the i-drivel.

QFmf'nT

 

[Baked]

That's one ugly SUV.

 

[secretanchitman]

ill take an M5 thank you.

actually ill stick with an ML63 AMG or a porsche cayenne turbo S (520HP).

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Baked
That's one ugly SUV.

It's not an SUV, it's a SAV

 

[LordMorpheus]

Luxury SUV's are all ugly to me. I mean, for a car to look good it can't look wrong - a utility vehilce styled like a luxo car is wrong. An SUV that looks like it'd take a hit from a howitzer without slowing down as it goes up the side of a cliff, like an H1 or a Range Rover looks right.

Same thing goes the other way, a compact that looks like a truck is wrong (Nitro).

Enough with the abominations.

 

[Aimster]

I love my current generation X5.
I have to agree that the ride is kind of harsh, but I have the sports package on mine.

This X5 looks amazing. I wish I could afford it. Maybe in a couple years I can get myself one.

Driving an X5 is like driving a sedan. It doesn't feel like you are driving an SUV at all. That is why I love it so much.

The interior quality is amazing, but not the best I have seen. I would have to give the best interior quality to Lexus. I sat in an ES330 at the mall and it felt nicee and this is the ES!

Mercedes, Audi, Porsche have equal interior quality materials as a BMW IMO, but Porsche might have a slight edge. Acura IMO has great interior quality when you move up to the RL class.

My favorites are still:

Best exterior: Range Rover, G-class (grew on me).
Best interior: New MDX (haven't seen it in person).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: President of the Anti-SUV Brigade
BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

Error! Error!
Does not compute.

What is it EXACTLY that does not compute?

Edit-My bad...Didn't read the "originally posted by" part. :laugh: It's a loaner...what am I gonna do? Demand a sedan?

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: President of the Anti-SUV Brigade
BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

Error! Error!
Does not compute.

What is it EXACTLY that does not compute?

RX350?

Did they bump the 330 to 350? I was not aware of this.
Sweet.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: President of the Anti-SUV Brigade
BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

Error! Error!
Does not compute.

What is it EXACTLY that does not compute?

he's saying ur a hater, specifically of suvs

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: President of the Anti-SUV Brigade
BTW-We have an RX350 in our driveway tonight as a loaner while our IS is getting serviced. It's a pretty sweet ride. :thumbsup:

Error! Error!
Does not compute.

What is it EXACTLY that does not compute?

he's saying ur a hater, specifically of suvs

I'm not particularly fond of SUVs, it's true. My sig was more a poke at dug777 to begin with but since I don't own an SUV and I actually do care about the environment I thought I'd leave it in there as a bit of a political statement...kind of goes hand in hand with my cycling to work once or twice a week. :thumbsup:

Edit-I wouldn't buy one though. Well, maybe the hybrid if I were made of money...maybe.

 

[dethman]

HOT.