Within hours of BMW’s brand new offering, the X5, being debuted in South Africa, I was given the opportunity to test drive this magnificent beast.
The car was launched at Auto Alpine at a cocktail party on recently where guests were welcomed by Auto Alpina owner Severo Fernandes who unveiled the brand new BMW X5 and offered guests the opportunity to inspect the vehicle’s array of offerings.
The day after the launch I was in the showroom in 11th Street to hop behind the wheel.
My first impression was of a huge vehicle which I feared would be difficult to navigate around town.
How wrong I was as the (diesel) vehicle moved off smoothly and carried me through the CBD and onto the highway. With the automatic transmission I was able to sit back, relax and enjoy the effortless ride the X5 provided – with minimal effort on my part.
Hopping in to take the car for a spin, the first thing I noticed was the elegance and overall sense of spaciousness of the interior.
Looking around, the myriad features were almost too many to take in all at once but, with a quick sweep of the dash I noticed everything I could wish for, including a sunroof and large console between the front seats to safely stash my bluetooth phone – which can be answered using the controls on the steering wheel.
Having acquainted myself with the necessary controls – indicators, windscreen wipers, lights and air conditioning – I was taken by the large screen in the centre of the dash board.
This large screen is the gateway to myriad necessary and fun information.
It’s a clear GPS navigation system, the screen for the rear park assist, allows you to read the car’s manual, check service intervals and the general “health” of your car.
Want to know if you have a puncture or need an oil change? Check all the car’s pertinent information including tyre pressure and oil level, on your screen without having to get your hands dirty.
The visual on the park assist display impressed me with its clarity and ease of use. While reversing, the field behind the car is crystal clear with none of the distortion often seen when using this feature in other
brands. A perfect picture and accurate lines on the display help guide the car perfectly into any space.
The X5 has ample room for five passengers but if your family runs to the larger side, you can opt for the additional third row of seating, expanding the vehicle’s capacity to seven passengers.
While the vehicle has a “no key start system”, the driver must have the key with them in order for the vehicle’s computer to read the embedded codes which allows the engine to start.
The transmission also offers two driving modes – the automatic mode which keeps the car idling at traffic lights – as you would expect of any car you drive, or the more pocket-friendly stop/start option which automatically switches the car off when you stop at a traffic light.
With a simple tap of your foot or turn of the steering wheel, the car springs back into action and you are able to pull away without even realising the engine had been off.
This option, where the car is turned off, can offer a fuel saving of approximately five to six percent.
“The new X5 is at the forefront of leading technology in the interests of fuel saving,” says sales executive Peter Labuschagne.
He explains that the car can also be driven in different modes – one of which is the Eco Pro mode.
This puts the car into fuel saving mode and monitors the driver’s driving patterns to offer information about the potential fuel savings the driver will enjoy. Take a long trip and drive well and you will find you have saved enough fuel to take you further on a single tank of fuel.
Driver comfort is paramount in the X5 with a host of features targeted at making this a sublime driving experience.
Peter demonstrated some of the car’s finer features to me including the cruise control, the controls for which are mounted on the steering wheel.
“The cruise control in this model is one of its finest features,” he said demonstrating the ease with which this option can be used.
With a simple flick of the finger tip you can set your optimal speed in increments of either 1km or 10km and, with the easy override button it’s simple to speed up if the need arises. The cruise control buttons can also be used to slow the car down if traffic ahead dictates a reduction in speed.
Getting into the car I immediately noticed two levers on the steering wheel which, to me looked like super space ship toggles. Peter explained that these are in fact used to override the automatic transmission and put the vehicle into manual drive. Driving in manual, the driver can shift between eight gears, however, Peter warns that the vehicle will not shift too low or too high if this is not in the best interests of the car.
Driver comfort is perfectly catered to with a programmable seat which remembers your seat position setting. If another driver moves the seat, the touch of one button returns the seat to the preferred position.
With a body large enough to carry a large family, and the boot space to accommodate their luggage, the X5 offers a powerful driving machine with all the bells and whistles, including great comfort, to convert any driver into a BMW driver.
