Keen drivers who hop into the X5, however, will only be interested in one activity – driving. The range-topping xDrive50i variant we tested packs a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 with an output of 450bhp and 650Nm.
It’s precisely this powerplant that makes the X5 feel more like a hot hatch rather than an SUV. Floor the throttle and this SUV (all 2175kg of it sans driver) only needs a split second to overcome its mass before hitting 100km/h in five seconds. Mind you, that’s as quick as BMW’s M135i hatchback, which weighs 655kg less.
The overwhelming surge of power is just half of the excitement – the other half comes from the V8 motor’s soundtrack. At low speeds, it emits a low burble, but once you swing the tachometer needle past 4000rpm, it becomes wonderfully throaty. But with so much power on tap, there’s actually little need to push the engine. Apply gentle pressure to the throttle and you’ll be impressed at just how rapidly the X5 accelerates, even when there are five adults on board.
BMW X5’s 450bhp and 650Nm enable it to rocket from zero to 100km/h in 5 seconds flat.
Ride comfort, however, isn’t one of this vehicle’s strong points. Shod with enormous 275/40 R20 tyres up front and supercar-rivalling 315/35 R20 rubber at the rear, a fair bit of bumpiness can be expected. Setting the Driving Experience Control (a function that adjusts powertrain, steering and suspension settings) to Comfort mode doesn’t help either. This V8-powered X5 has a clear performance bias, period.
But the most surprising bit about this SUV isn’t its agility (considering its size and weight), but the fact that the combined consumption figure is very close to what I achieved. BMW claims 9.5km per litre and I expected to get only half of that, but I actually managed a surprising 6km per litre over four days.
Why is the new X5 like a hot hatch? Well, it is powerful and definitely practical enough to be driven daily. But most of all, it’s also honest, as evidenced by those efficiency figures. How could an enthusiast not respect a car like that?
2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i 4.4 (A)
ENGINE 4395cc, 32-valves, V8, turbocharged
MAX POWER 450bhp at 5500-6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 650Nm at 2000-4500rpm
GEARBOX 8-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 5 seconds
TOP SPEED 250km/h
CONSUMPTION 9.5km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 244g/km
Yes, the BMW X5 M50d can be driven from Singapore to KL and back – without refuelling!
Click here to read about the BMW X5M, the hottest X5 you can buy
