My test car had excessive squeaks and rattles — originating in areas from the A-pillars to the cargo area — but temperatures were in the 20s for much of my time with it. The back seats can sit three people. That is, if buyers can get over those old 1980s notions that diesels are slow and stinky. The front seats — 20-way power chairs in my test car — offer equal parts comfort and support. The X5 looks broad and vast on the inside, partly because it is, and there's ample space for up to five passengers.
It is not, however, inexpensive. The 35d's high-tech, twin sequential-turbo diesel gets 265 horsepower out of it's 3. The standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes feel strong, though the pedal is a bit too touchy for smooth stops. Horsepower takes over after that, peaking at 265 at 4200 rpm. Front seat-mounted side air bags and a head-protection system for all outboard occupants are also standard. The recall is expected to begin March 2018.
A two-place third row is available, although not fitted to my test car. Many thanks to Mark of Malone Tuning! While the truth isn't quite so dramatic, as often the case, it's not far from reality. For reference, this tune is equivalent power-wise to the stage 2 offering he has. It has track-tuned suspension, sports seats and a beefed up steering wheel. The drive is all the more enjoyable because of the ridiculously competent suspension.
So I program the Stage 1. The X5 xDrive35d has a huge reserve early on that prope. The X5 is built with a very stiff body structure and has a 4-wheel independent suspension, including a double-wishbone setup in front and a multi-link arrangement in back; the setup is oriented toward a good ride and crisp handling on the road, yet it has the ruggedness for occasional light off-roading. The X5M is at the top of its game with a 567 hsp V8 engine. We have 3 stages to choose from for this vehicles.
The soundtrack too is oddly out of place, but in a good way. The really impressive figure though is the monstrous 580Nm of torque available at 1750rpm, bettering even the 475Nm on offer in the V8 xDrive48i. Without putting you through the windscreen, the X5 will haul itself up in a hurry and is certainly up to multiple hard stops without losing composure or showing signs of fade. It's very responsive and has pretty smooth power to begin with. As the other testimonials stated, he responded to all my many questions within minutes, with patience and always with a thorough answer.
The resulting mileage is equally impressive, even after you account for the higher cost of diesel. On the road this translates into strong performance everywhere in the rev range. On the interior, this generation of the X5 improves upon the interior space offered by the prior version, which seemed just a tad cramped. The old iDrive interface is still present in the X5. We have 2 methods of having this tune installed Flash Type Selection. These are the usual realignment of option package contents, like a power-operated tailgate added to the Premium Package, heated rear seats to the Cold Weather Package, and similar small tweaks. Here's a few dyno graphs of our stage 2 customer cars.
The recall began on January 15, 2013. Not nearly the same, however, is the diesel's fuel economy. With the base gas engines, rear wheel drives it the standard setting. As an upscale people-hauler, it works well enough. I will post my results then. On The Road Diesel engines are funny things.
Both share the same powerplant. In the first and second rows, the X5 offers a good, quiet ride as well. The Technology package includes a rearview mirror, park distance control and voice-activated navigation. But there is a new addition to the family, and it's called the 35d. However, if you can locate one, it will be a good buy considering that it also has good resale value. The X5 has an optional third-row, but that wasn't included in the tester. The recall began during March 2013.