Flaw by Flaw
BMW X5 40i
Too much of a good thing
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. YOUR GUT tells you there’s something not quite right about the new X5. Don’t get distracted by the fact it’s not as tall and heavy as the X7 — a car that could’ve been put on earth simply to make the X5 look sensible. Because, really, it’s not. More than any previous X5, the 2019 model is very big and very brash.
To some, the enlarged grille sums up the whole car’s crimes against good taste; others appreciate the imposing chromed nose, the colossal wheels, and the angular contours. Much more so than its predecessors, the 2019 X5 is a love-hate proposal. But then so are both the Mercedes GLE and Porsche Cayenne we’re testing it against.
Sublimely flexible and eager to rev, the 40i is a good replacement for the even torquier old 40d
The BMW’s size is no illusion. The Mk4 is 36 millimetres longer than before, with a wheelbase stretched 42 mm and it’s 66 mm wider and 19 mm higher too. The interior has evolved to incorporate more digital elements, but retains a useful number of physical controls. A third row of seats is optional. The tailgate is, as before, in two pieces, unlike the two rivals.
It’s available in two trims, xLine (contrasting under-body protection, black wheel-arches) and M Sport (body-colour trim), with a massive number of individual options and packs.
Mechanically, the revised xDrive system has more of a rear bias and can shift almost all the power to the rear wheels. The optional
