Car and Driver 35d review

[Aaron in Denver]

Just noticed this article from C&D:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...el-test-review

They were not all that kicked over by the diesel, and only recorded a 0-60 of 7.3 seconds, which seems slow since BMW estimates a 6.5-6.7 second time. Surprised me a little.

[42pilot]

I don't think they did a bad job of reviewing the car. It cracks me up that 0-60 mph is a benchmark even for a $70k luxury sport diesel SUV. Is that why you bought it - it's 0-60 time? I bought the package and I think the package is very well presented for my tastes. But its also like buying a high-end stereo and speakers - not everyone is going to agree due to different preferences.

Today, my wife and I went out to a store about 25 miles away. I had some tune playing from the internal HDD and she commented, "this sounds great". Yep, and listen to this, and I turned it off. Absolutely nothing, even at 60mph - no wind noise, no road noise, no nothing. Even better, my fuel economy "estimator" was showing better than 29mpg since I filled it about 100 miles ago. Couple that with its best in-class handling (in my opinion but notice the article compared the handling to a sedan - omg), the torquey motor around town, and a nicely put-together interior, it's a package I really enjoy. And that's what counts since I'm paying the bill. A glossy magazine's not going to change my mind, however I think they confirmed the diesel is the best combination for this vehicle.

Besides, a $600 fueling chip will wake this motor up nicely...

[stewy604]

^^^ Well said man. I too bought this package in M Sport trim, and I couldn't be happier. Very responsive vehicle, both with power delivery and handling. The interior is BIC in my opinion, a huge improvement over the outgoing model. I've had some minor issues to contend with in the first 7k, but all have been promptly taken care of by my local dealer. I agree with your comment above, I don't need a C&D review of a vehicle to make me buy it, or not buy it. When I bought my new X5, I drove every model that I was interested in (Audi Q7, Audi SQ5, RR Sport, and the MB ML). For me, it came down to the driveability, comfort, handling, overall appearance (in & out), and the dealer support. I spend so much time in my vehicle for work, it HAS to be comfortable. No regrets in this purchase. That said, my only complaint thus far is the lack / size of storage compartments.

[Socal2025]

At the end... "The diesel engine strikes us as the way to go in the X5 because it delivers plenty of usable performance while consuming little more fuel than a 3-series sedan. Its EPA estimated 26 mpg combined is easy to achieve in real-world driving (our leadfoot staff got close to that at 25 mpg). Moreover, the diesel is more attractively priced this year."

[xdriverx]

Is there a noticeable difference in acceleration between the diesel and the 35i? I kind of regret not getting the diesel.

[42pilot]

Without a chip it is does lag a bit. But that's why I mention to buy a $600 chip to add more fuel and you get the best of both motors - same hp as a gasser and lots more torque. Without the chip, the 35d still has more than 100 lb ft of torque. But make no mistake, the gas motor is a great motor too. Remember, hp is work over time and torque is the pressure applied to turn or twist. Squared numbers are best - 400 hp and 400 lb ft torque - nice. Even better is the 5.0 (actually 4.6L) with 445 hp and 480 lb ft - that's a monster because full torque is from 1700 rpm (basically off idle). For me, the diesel is still better because I don't need all that power in an SUV for the increased overall cost of a 5.0, and I still get 413 lb ft of torque AND 26 mpg. Put that 5.0 in a 3 series two-door and now we're talking...

[sand99]

Originally Posted by xdriverx

Is there a noticeable difference in acceleration between the diesel and the 35i? I kind of regret not getting the diesel.

C&D has reviewed all 3 engines now. Based on their performance testing:

X5 50i: 0-60 4.3 secs; 1/4 mile 12.8 secs @ 109 mph
X5 35d: 0-60 7.3 secs; 1/4 mile 15.6 secs @ 86 mph
X5 35i: 0-60 6.0 secs; 1/4 mile 14.6 secs @ 96 mph

50i review
35i review

[xdriverx]

So it's not a terrible difference. I think the slightly slower (~1sec) acceleration is a worthwhile trade off for better mpg. Ah well, I will have to seriously consider diesel for my next purchase if I don't go for a Tesla in the future.

[Overtaxed]

Originally Posted by xdriverx

So it's not a terrible difference. I think the slightly slower (~1sec) acceleration is a worthwhile trade off for better mpg. Ah well, I will have to seriously consider diesel for my next purchase if I don't go for a Tesla in the future.

And that's only if you floor the gas engine and let it wind all the way up to 4000RPMs (where the HP is on a gas engine). Almost nobody drives like that. In everyday driving, it's going to be the torque that does 90% of the car movement (note, this isn't actually right, but it's a good way to talk about it).

Put simply, if you aren't beating the car, the diesel will feel faster even. If you're jamming it, the gas IS faster. But almost nobody drives like that.

[Kzang]

Originally Posted by xdriverx

So it's not a terrible difference. I think the slightly slower (~1sec) acceleration is a worthwhile trade off for better mpg. Ah well, I will have to seriously consider diesel for my next purchase if I don't go for a Tesla in the future.

That one second difference may seem negligible on paper.. but it makes a huge difference when you sprinting on the streets.

[Overtaxed]

Originally Posted by Kzang

That one second difference may seem negligible on paper.. but it makes a huge difference when you sprinting on the streets.

Yup. 1 sec is a big gap. Even bigger by the fact that the 35d isn't slow (the lower those numbers go, the harder it becomes to shave 1 sec).

However, my point above, IMHO, still stands. Very few people drive their cars (especially not their trucks) to hit the HP peak in a gas engine. Yes, if you do a 1/4 mile with your foot to the floor, you're going to feel it and the gas engine will be faster. But if you accelerate like a "normal" person would off the line, the diesel engine is going to feel just as fast or faster, because, you're going to be in sweet spot for torque.

Ask yourself, on your previous trucks, how much time did you spend at 3500 RPMs+. Cause that's where the gas really takes off the diesel falls flat.

On my cars, I'd estimate I've spent <.1% of the time in the car at those RPMs. Other's drive differently, you'll have to examine your usage to see what would be more useful to you.

[Kzang]

Everyone drives differently and I agree.. most people who drive SUV's will probably not care about the 0-60 sprints.. however I am coming from a 535i sports and I drive my SUV almost exactly as I did with my 535i. I even take corners faster than I should and our X5 handles the corners with confidence. 80% of the time when I am alone in my X5 I do press the gas more than 1/4 way down and appreciate the quick get up and go.. other times when I have passengers then I would drive "normal".

Our X5's are not just average SUV's like ford explorers, lincoln navs, or buik enclave.. its geared to sporty driving ( hence the BMW's name for our X5 is SAV ). Don't forget about ///M X5 and X6's.. check out how they handle the Nürburgring tracks.. It is pretty impressive...