What cars did you consider before choosing an X5/X6

[Jimmie48]

Was really close to a new Tahoe at one point but wanted something more fun to drive. Liked the xc90 but it felt very chick car to me to drive. Slow mushy engine. Drove the 35d and was sold on the torque feel, interior space, and handling. Never looked at the Porsche, hate the looks of the Lexus suv's, and range rovers scare me because of the reliability issues I've seen neighbors go through.

[Dash Riprock]

Cayenne E-Hybrid (I was having a tree-hugger moment.) Much happier with the X6.

[viperdoc]

I came out of a 1.5 year old Lexus RX, and really grew to despise the thing....ride was horrible, engine was weak, and transmission was the worst of any car I have owned. It quite literally drove like it was broken. While I wanted a car with good driving dynamics, comfort and space were priorities too.

I looked at all the same cars mentioned above. I loved the look of the Macan, but when I sat it in, it was too small (and steep price). Loved the idea of a Cayenne, but was turned off by the steep price for what you get, and the very rough ride. We already have a 2014 MDX which is great, but I didn't want to get a second one. Styling of the new Lexus RX is faddish to me, and after my recent experience, I won't buy another lexus....ever. Q7...too boat like. Q5....too cramped and fit/finish not very good IMO.

After driving the X5, it was perfect for what I wanted. Fit/finish is impeccable, tech is outstanding (LOVE the HUD), driving comfort is great even with run flats, and very comfortable on long drives. But when I want power, there is plenty there (and I only have the 35i, not the 50). To think that my X5 is just as fast as my 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6MT! Couldn't be happier. My next X5 will be an M sport though

[Broadsword]

Prior to buying our E70 X5, took a look at a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland and Infiniti FX37, Went from a two and a half year old E70 to our F15.

[hamh]

I've consider Audi Q7, but it's too big and the design is outdated while the new one wasn't released yet.

I look at Rang Rover sports, but it looks like a ford explorer clone

Then I realized Mecedes released the GLE coupe (X6 competitor), and it's the perfect package with semi AMG hop up, the engine is stronger than X5 stock and it comes with standard 21 AMG rims, however, the interior and dash unit scream for an update design.

With such comparison, X5 beats them all except for the engine power and aggressive look compare to the mecedes GLE coupe. With the help of a friendly forum member, I got the chance to try his X5 with MPPK, and that pretty much sealed the deal for me as it finally complete the package

[deez330]

Was seriously thinking of getting something other than a Bmw.. Test drove the cayenne, the Macan, Lexus RX350 ( which my dad ended up getting), ml350, Audi Q5, and Acura MDX. None of them really came close to the driving experience that I got from my BMWs, except maybe the Porsche. Really liked the Macan, especially the interior, but seemed less practical than the X5. The ML350 (diesel) was a serious contender..but after a test drive I wrote it off. The loose feeling of the electric steering and unresponsive engine just killed it for me.
Did the UDE a few months ago in Los Angeles, was reminded of why I chose BMW. Ended up pulling trigger on an almost fully loaded X5 when I got back home!

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Audi SQ5 - Nice but getting outdated

it is an ample crossover but not in the same league as x5/ml/q7 etc. for the pricing there are better "used" options out there. the interior (which used to be audi's strong point) does not match the price point of the vehicle. adding a leather dash hood and some contrast stitching doesn't deviate too much from a base model q5 with the exact same interior.

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Audi Q7 (2016)

2016 Q7 does not exist. there is no 2016 MY. 2015 or 2017 only.

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Porsche Macan S all the way and even considered the GTS.

small but design lines work better than on the cayenne, the interior is ridiculous for a 2015+ vehicle. there is a smorgasbord of buttons and switches that is completely unnecessary. a current day vehicle without some sort of mmi/idrive/command set up is just peculiar. to have one button or switch to do every possibly feature in the vehicle is just a nuisance.

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Porsche Cayenne
- Too pricey - 500 dollar oil changes?

similar complaints as the macan, the interior layout and design is poor, the navigation system is out of date, the layout of the buttons makes me feel like i am piloting the uss enterprise not a vehicle from current day. the exterior design lines have never been very attractive and in most angles the wide mouth grills take away from the vehicle instead of enhance it's looks. as stated above the 911 inspired design language works better on the macan because the body is smaller and not as stretched out.

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Checked out Lexus. The trim quality, fit and finish of the interior was cheap.

if you're going to cross-shop a japanese brand the acura mdx offers the best bang for the buck. it does not excel at any one particular thing but for the price it does everything fairly well. it is like a hammer. you don't buy it because it looks good, you don't buy it because of it's technology, you purchase one because it does what you bought it for when you need it to do it... when's the last time you picked up a hammer and it didn't work? same with the mdx. it's a tool to get a job done without any real frills but just enough that makes you feel better than having to buy the pilot.

[MotorWerkz]

Mercedes Benz GL450 ...

[dubsesd]

i drove the range rover sport, ML(GLE) , Q7, X5 and macan turbo. the cayenne well equipped was too expensive for me.

i liked the drive and nimbleness of the macan turbo the best. finishes were great as well. i was set and ready to pull the trigger but my wife really liked the X5 msport better. after discussing it, we figured the x5 was the better choice being a larger SUV and fit 2 kids/stuff much better when travelling especially. to put the icing on the cake i fitted the msport with MPPK, MPE and all the carbon aero pieces and wheels. we are very happy with the x5 and i really enjoy driving it

worst driving car was the GLE. it felt like a minivan and drove way too soft for me

[lilthrift]

Road tested the Range Rover Sport. Ended up going BMW X5. The RR Sport was very nice but to me the fit and finish on the X5 was nicer IMO. I also felt the X5 drove better (sportier and easier).

[stewy604]

Took delivery of my F15 in May of 2014. Prior to inking a deal a few months prior, I had considered the following:

-Audi SQ5 - too small
-Audi Q7 - severely outdated
-Range Rover Sport - couldn't justify the significantly higher sell price (boat anchor type depreciation).
-Mercedes Benz GLE 350d - liked the driveability and appearance of the F15 X5 M Sport a lot better (in and out)
-Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT - loved the drive on this beast, very fun and agile for it's size with amazing power. Thirsty fuel consumption and poor local dealer support steered me away from the Jeep.

Adding a 2nd BMW to the stable has been a good addition. Had my share of issues, and its been in the shop more than I'd like, but overall I am rather happy with it. She has just under 60k on the odo.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by stewy604

-Range Rover Sport - couldn't justify the significantly higher sell price (boat anchor type depreciation)

if the Q7 was severely outdated then L494 must be ancient despite the slightly newer ford explorer inspired styling... the technology is from previous generation L320 RRS/RRSSC and the lag/delay on the navigation renders it practically useless. the TMC functionality is so delayed that you're stuck in traffic by the time it reroutes you. i would go with L320 2013 RRS-SC or L322 2012 FF-RRSC if considering any RR product at this time. Both are much better. all around.

[stewy604]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

if the Q7 was severely outdated then L494 must be ancient despite the slightly newer ford explorer inspired styling... the technology is from previous generation L320 RRS/RRSSC and the lag/delay on the navigation renders it practically useless. the TMC functionality is so delayed that you're stuck in traffic by the time it reroutes you. i would go with L320 2013 RRS-SC or L322 2012 FF-RRSC if considering any RR product at this time. Both are much better. all around.

Very true. It was one of my initial drives, based on an "always wanted one" basis. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but the sticker price should demand more in my opinion.

[iconoclast]

agreed... i owned one briefly ('14 when it came out) and it was very underwhelming and the novelty of "new" quickly wore off. the car felt cheap all around and it lost it's range rover appeal. (IMO) the older are more solid, better built and play the part. they recently added HUD but nothing else has changed except the release of the SVR which isn't all that great compared to the X5M or the Cayenne Turbo (and i am not a fan of the cayenne at all so that is saying a bit).

[bayareabimmer]

The four SUVs that I was opting for were:

Range Rover HSE
Cayenne GTS
GL450
Tesla Model X


I was about to pull the trigger on the Cayenne but I had a strong feeling that they would be a redesign in the next couple of years so I held off. The drive + exhaust was amazing. I had a good amount of wiggle room since it was end of the year and they were trying to push the old models out.

After that I was seriously considering the Range Rover, but my local dealership was trying to put a near 10k premium on the car, with little room to negotiate. I just didn't like the thought of putting a premium on a SUV; I'm fine with it on a high end sports car. Other than that I liked the ride - although it felt floaty - it was quite nice. I also had liked the responsive steering and the go anywhere feel/mindset that came w/ the truck.
. I hated the interface, I work in tech so I know that it would bug me a lot seeing something so outdated. The interior quality was also amazing.

The GL450 was not the biggest contender. It lacked any joy of driving, it was just a large "luxury" SUV w/ a MB logo on it. This car is by far one of the biggest luxury soccer mom cars in NorCal. The interior was lacking, the interface was becoming outdated. The car is humongous. Suspension did not wow me, it felt like my '11 Honda Pilot.

Did not test drive the Model X, but one of my coworkers recently took delivery (after waiting a couple of years). This car was not a contender before buying my X5. But now I have a thought in my mind on wether or not to buy one - might sell my S550 - I'm just a little impatient and cannot wait until end of Next year to get my hands on one. Other than that the car would have been a proper contender when I was looking for an X5.

In the end I am very happy with my X5.

[sdalpha]

Originally Posted by SF_VR6

Checked out Lexus. The trim quality, fit and finish of the interior was cheap.

I thought about the Cayenne GTS and the Range Rover Supercharged. When I built a Cayenne on Porsche's website, it came to a price that I just didn't feel like paying. I have a love/hate relationship with how Porsche builds their cars. I know that you could get some really deep discounts on some Porsche cars, especially if it is in current dealer inventory; but at the time, I couldn't find a local dealer with a car that had the options I wanted so I didn't bother inquiring.

I'm a bit surprised with your statement about Lexus. With certain options, quality of material may be higher with BMW. But quality of material in Lexus flagship cars is really nice.

But have you truly compared fit and finish of BMW with its competition?

Fit and finish of newer model BMWs is atrocious. It is seriously disappointing for how much money they charge. Take a closer look, not just your own vehicle, but also take a walk around a BMW dealership and look at other cars. You'll notice things like inconsistent panel gaps, part of the hood being higher than part of the fender, part of the fender being lower than the hood but higher than where it meets the door and the a-pillar, trim pieces in the interior being slightly off level, glove boxes not lining up properly, etc; just to name a few.

Different cars have different build quality issues, but it's a problem that you used to pay the BMW premium to avoid. I honestly thought it was a Made in USA BMW problem, thinking that their quality control here isn't as stringent; but I recently test drove a 2016 F80 M3 (considering replacing my current E92 M3 with one), and noticed that it suffered from the same issues. The dealership had just received this particular car. I took a walk around the dealership and noticed that a $130k MSRP M5 had build quality issues as well. The M3 and the M5 are still built in Germany.

I looked at a couple other M3s they had on the lot, both of which were Individual colors, and they had some serious panel gap issues. I'm not talking about issues that could be fixed with some slight adjustment either, I'm talking about where the gap would go from tight to wide to tight to wide, all on the same panel gap. It seriously looks like the metal was not shaped properly; it makes things like the door edge look wavy. It's sad, and its disheartening.

Comparatively, Lexus fit and finish is far better than BMW.

[iconoclast]

i have no idea how or why there are so many cayenne vehicles on the road. there is very little appealing about them outside of the badge that the vehicle carries.

[stewy604]

Originally Posted by iconoclast

There is very little appealing about them outside of the badge that the vehicle carries.

I think that's exactly it. Same as seeing a 20-year old kid driving around in a car worth over $200k, commonplace here in Vancouver.

[iconoclast]

the macan interior is whole 'nother story in itself... the interior is about ten years behind in terms of tech and layout. a single button for every feature? no idrive/mmi/command style GUI in a vehicle which only recently debuted is ridiculous.