Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW X5 SUV (2014-2018) - Engines, drive & performance

The BMW X5 has diesel engines in two sizes and four power outputs, plus a very smooth automatic gearbox

Carbuyer Rating

3.8 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Engines, drive & performance Rating

3.5 out of 5

This BMW X5 is slightly lighter than the previous model, but still weighs at least 2,070kg. That sounds like a recipe for plodding performance given the vehicle's high-sided profile, but remarkably the X5 is a lithe and crisp-handling car with good body control in corners.

Downsides are steering that has a slightly unnatural feel and is slow to self-centre when exiting bends, plus the fact that the X5 is no serious off-roader. There's also far too much wind and road noise on A-roads and motorways.

The 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine is smooth and powerful, but such is the efficiency and refinement of modern diesel engines like those powering the X5, it's rendered largely irrelevant. The diesels come in two sizes and four power outputs, while all engines, petrol and diesel, drive the wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox that's smooth enough to disguise the X5's strong performance extremely well.

BMW X5 petrol engine

It isn't the cleanest or most frugal model in the range and its resale prospects may not be the brightest, but the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8-powered X5 50i is at least capable of showing many performance cars a clean pair of wheels. For example, it can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds – not far shy of a BMW M4 Coupe. It's just beaten by the Mercedes ML 63 AMG.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The 40e plug-in hybrid uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine supported by an electric motor to get the car from 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds. This model is capable of running on electric power alone, but should it resort to running on petrol, you can expect its fuel economy to fall away sharply. It'll go for up to 19 miles on electric power alone before the engine cuts in, but when it does, it does so quietly and unintrusively. The rest of the car's driving experience is just the same as any other X5, so it's comfortable and relaxed as opposed to feeling sporty like you might expect from a BMW. It can feel a little fidgety on the motorway and the suspension is quite firm, though.

Diesel engines

If out-and-out performance is not your primary goal, you'll find the X5's diesel engines more than adequate. The basic X5 25d, in two and four-wheel-drive form, is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine producing 228bhp. It takes a respectable 7.7 seconds to get from 0-62mph.

However, if you want strong pulling power and a more refined driving experience, the 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesels are better. There are three: the 255bhp in the 30d that's good for 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds (our pick of the line-up), the 308bhp in the 40d for a sprint time of 5.9 seconds, and the 375bhp version in the 50d that brings the 0-62mph time down to a Porsche Cayenne S Diesel-beating 5.3 seconds.

All of the 3.0-litre diesels drive in broadly the same way – that is, smoothly, quickly and through an excellent automatic gearbox. The only real points of difference are their straight-line performance (although none is slow) and the price you pay for them in the first place.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Richard is a former editor of Carbuyer, as well as sister site DrivingElectric.com, and he's now Deputy Editor at Auto Express. Having spent a decade working in the automotive industry, he understands exactly what makes new car buyers tick.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Top 10 best large SUVs 2024
Best large SUVs
Best cars
17 Jan 2024

Top 10 best large SUVs 2024

Top 10 best hybrid family cars 2024
Top 10 best hybrid family cars
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best hybrid family cars 2024

BMW X5 SUV review
BMW X5 SUV
In-depth reviews
19 Oct 2023

BMW X5 SUV review

Most Popular

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?
Polestar 4 Prototype drive front quarter
News
22 Mar 2024

New Polestar 4 coupe SUV – how is the £60k EV shaping up?

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
28 Mar 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide
Public EV charge point
Tips and advice
11 Jan 2023

Electric car charging stations: a complete guide

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
best electric cars
Best cars
28 Mar 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024