BMW x5 3.0l diesel turbo
Having a child and subsequent children is often a
catalyst to upgrading to a family car. As your family gets bigger,
often so does your vehicle, as you have to fit more in when going
away on holiday or even just getting out and about. Jumping from
car yard to car yard can be time-consuming and stressful with a
handful of children in tow, so we've aimed to help make this
process easier by reviewing a range of family vehicles, testing
them for child and parent friendliness. Husband-and-wife team and
self-confessed car enthusiasts Royce and Angela Pedersen checked
out the BMW X5 3.0L Diesel Turbo.
What she says:
When the gentlemen from Team MacMillan BMW dropped off the latest
BMW X5 for review, I was impressed they'd managed to locate my
reasonably hard-to-find residence. But when the time came for them
to pick up the X5 a few days later, I was wishing they would forget
the directions to my house.
The fact it was judged Best New Design at
the Frankfurt International Motor Show last year is no surprise. I
was impressed just watching it pull into the driveway. But would
this good-looking vehicle stand up to the rigours of a family of
four with two children two years and under?
The short answer is yes. Every car
we review is judged on several child and parent-focused factors; in
particular, the safety and security of family is paramount,
including child safety features, child considerations, and space,
both in the car and in the boot.
The X5 provides ample space for two
car seats in the back. Three would be a close fit, but it is
likely that the middle seat will only require a booster seat in
most instances when you have three children in the back. It is
well-equipped with a safety standard LATCH system.
I had no problem fitting a
double-decker baby stroller, chilly bin, and a good week's worth of
groceries in the boot, so that gets double brownie points from my
point of view.
I was impressed to hear BMW had a group of
kids spend a day in the X5 during its development to hear their
feedback. Three key alterations came out of this: The addition of
arm rests, hand grips to make climbing in and out more easy, and
better side visibility.
My impression while driving was one
of superior quality. I felt like we were in a very secure, solid
vehicle, and I experienced peace of mind knowing this sport
activity vehicle (SAV) earned the top rating from the Insurance
Institute for Highway safety (IIHS). It felt very solid to drive,
without feeling overly heavy or "large" on the road. In keeping
with BMW excellence, the quality of material used and their years
of experience and testing has produced a car that meets any
family's demands.
The interior is very well laid out
and aesthetically pleasing. The gadgets are sufficient to keep our
men happy without causing undue concern for us ladies. There is
push-button engine start, a push-button hand brake, and almost
everything is customisable to presets. I particularly like the
subtle "head-up display" (HUD), which presents information, such as
speed, on the windscreen, directly in the driver's field of vision,
so that the driver can concentrate on the traffic at all times. I
did feel that my view out of the rear windows while reversing was a
bit limited, mainly by the height of the car and the size of the
rear pillars, and while I had the sensors to warn me of distance to
objects behind the car, I was still cautious. The "reversing-assist
camera" is just one of the numerous upgrades that can be purchased
to eliminate the danger of backing over anything.
With today's emphasis on global
warming and reducing our carbon footprints, it is significant that
BMW have produced an efficient low-emission engine which is as
friendly on the environment as it is on your pocket. As those who
have travelled Europe will know, modern diesel-powered cars are now
incredibly commonplace on the roads, far from the old smoky, slow
diesels we've all been stuck behind from time to time!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the X5
and would be very happy to own one. The BMW X5 is sure to give you
everything you could need and put a grin on your face.
What he says:
The BMW X5 diesel turbo turns heads. It certainly turned mine. I'm
not one for diesels and definitely not one for large, clumsy,
SUV-style vehicles and the stigma associated with them, but with
the addition of another baby in a year or so, we're going to have
to make a move in this direction.
I'm a performance-car enthusiast
and I know talent when I see and drive it! I'm not sure whether
it's the exhilarating 235 diesel horsepower, or the refined, sexy
lines, but this work of art has certainly challenged all of my
preconceptions about family wagons.
One of the best places around
Auckland to put a vehicle through its paces is Scenic Drive, which
takes you through the Waitakere Ranges out to Piha and the West
Coast beaches.The X5 handled amazingly through the tight bends,
without a hint of understeer while breaking hard into even the
tightest corners, thanks to the traction control system. For a
vehicle weighing over 2000kg, it really is amazing how BMW have got
the handling sorted. Large touring vehicles used to deliver a soft
ride with loads of body roll, but not here. I was impressed with
how surprisingly responsive the suspension was - it felt like I was
driving a performance car at half the weight.
Braking was equally impressive,
partly due to the 22" tyres being over 12" wide, and the brake
rotors being larger than the average Japanese car's entire wheel!
BMW have obviously put a lot of time, experience and knowledge into
making these stop as well as they start.
The 3-litre turbo-charged diesel
engine really had me surprised. It packs a real punch, with amazing
torque down low, and really smooth acceleration through the rev
range, thanks to what must be quite a large turbo. For this reason,
there is a bit of lag when you put your foot down, but this is more
than made up for when the turbo spools up. With over 230 horsepower
and diesel usage just over 7 litres per 100km, I'd like to know
what they've been doing wrong with diesels all these years.
In summary, the things that really
stand out to me are how the X5 diesel feels and performs like a
performance car, not a large, clumsy SUV of old, and has all the
quality and safety credentials you could want when it comes to
driving the people you love the most.
by Royce and Angela Pedersen
Royce and Angela Pedersen are parents of two
daughters, Ella and Eva. Angela is OHbaby!'s Managing Director and
Publisher of OHbaby! Magazine.
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 1: 2008
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