Yes, you can have your SUV and sport sedan, too! Drive the 2009 BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and experience sport sedan performance with SUV utility and traction. While you’re at it, fully consider the X5 package, and you’ll appreciate why critics call the 2009 X5 the “most family oriented vehicle BMW ever.” This premium midsize SUV seats up to seven and is offered in three models, each with standard all-wheel drive.
The 2009 BMW X5 is a midsize utility vehicle with the body of an SUV and the soul of a sport sedan. Like all BMW vehicles, it’s a driver’s machine with all the power one would want and the technologies to make the most of it. For 2009, BMW has added diesel power using the latest “clean” emissions technology. The 2009 BMW X5 is an adventure vehicle that looks the part. Observers consider the X5 “aggressively styled” with bumpers and side moldings that conjure wild rally racing and upper bodylines that channel the iconic BMW 3 Series. “Many of the styling cues of the X3 and 3 Series can be found on the new X5," says Car and Driver. Inside, the emphasis is on luxury and technology with a décor that prompted the Los Angeles Times reviewer to describe it as "the most beautiful vehicle interior I've ever seen."
The 2009 BMW X5 lineup includes the xDrive30i with its 260-hp 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. The xDrive48i is powered by a 350-hp 4.8-liter V8. New for 2009 is the xDrive35d with its 265-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, now meeting emissions regulations in all 50 states. The X5s standard transmission is six-speed automatic. Starting MSRP is $47,100 for the xDrive30i.
BMW offers the 2009 X5 with two gasoline engine choices. The 260-hp inline six standard in the xDrive30i is plenty strong for a family vehicle, and the 350-hp 4.8-liter V8 in the X5 xDrive48i has the punch sought after by true driving enthusiasts. The 3.0si makes 225 lb/ft of torque at 2,750 rpm. The 4.8i engine makes 350 lb/ft of torque at 3,400-3,800 rpm. The six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission found in both models is "road oriented" since it directs 60 percent of the engine's torque to the rear wheels. As Autobytel says, "Regardless of which X5 referenced, you're talking about a quick machine." The X5 has an admirable tow system and, when properly equipped, the 4.8i can handle pulling up to 6,000 pounds. Families with trailers take note!
The xDrive30i gets an EPA-estimated 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. The xDrive48i gets an estimated 14 mpg in the city and 19 on the highway.
Automotive writers single out the X5's performance as BMW’s differentiator. "Compared with the Mercedes-Benz M-Class," says Automobile Magazine, "the new X5 is still a little firmer, edgier and more aggressive in the way it translates driver inputs." With power to spare and handling like a sport sedan, MSN found the BMW X5 “a kick to drive," while the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the X5 "corners aggressively, shifts firmly and accelerates powerfully."
The X5’s safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, hill descent control, front side airbags and curtain side airbags. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 2009 BMW X5 the top rating of "Good" in each of its series of crash tests, earning both vehicles the Institute's coveted Top Safety Pick Award.
The BMW X5 interior sets the standard for luxury SUVs. Fit and finish are superb. The seats are ultra-comfortable, supportive and useful when tapping into the X5’s performance reserves. All X5s have BMW's iDrive that uses a single knob to control entertainment, communication, navigation and climate functions. BMW's navigation system, an innovative heads-up display, a rearview camera, heated seats and a DVD entertainment system are also available.
“All in all, we found this big vehicle to be a pleasure to drive with excellent road manners – one of the best sport utilities that we have driven,” according to a review in Market Watch. Recognizing the outstanding economic and emotional rewards that the BMW X5 provides to its owners, AutoPacific and IntelliChoice named the X5 the winner of their 2009 Motorist Choice Award for the Premium Luxury Crossover SUV category.
