This truck’s handling and braking amazes. The steering’s power assist is perfectly balanced, helping a lot during parking manoeuvres but letting you manually tackle high-velocity curves. A regular X5 already has sharp reflexes, and the M version is obviously even more agile, but like I said before, unless you’re as crazy as the X5 M, you won’t discover its potential on the daily commute to work.
A roundup of electronic safety features are obviously part of the package: DSC-X, ADB-X, ASC+T, DBC, DTC, EBD, HDC, ABS and TPW. Pardon the alphabet soup.
The interior of the M is about the same as the regular versions of the X5, but with a few upgrades such as an anthracite roofliner, ‘M’ badging, a slightly different steering wheel and sport seats with more aggressive bolstering. It also gets 4-zone climate control and heated rear seats.
Our test truck also includes the $1,950 rear-seat DVD entertainment system, which places an LCD on a swivelling base on the far end of the front centre console. You can fold it down so it doesn’t get banged up, but when you do, you can no longer access the storage area under the front armrests.
This super-SUV also comes with a power tailgate whose lift height can be adjusted through the iDrive system so it doesn’t hit the roof of your garage when it opens. The day after we picked up the truck, the tailgate would no longer close on its own, and when we carefully tried to close it manually, like any owner would do in winter, the struts cracked; we had to bring the vehicle to the local dealer to get them replaced. Sorry, BMW.
The X5 M starts at $97,900, and our Monte Carlo Blue missile also included the aforementioned DVD system, the $4,500 Full Merino Leather treatment as well as the $5,500 Executive Package that adds soft-close doors, rear view camera, leather dash, head-up display, SIRIUS and sound system upgrade. Total is $104,350. If you prefer the X6 M mutant sports truck, it starts at $99,900.
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| This truck’s handling and braking amazes. |
A roundup of electronic safety features are obviously part of the package: DSC-X, ADB-X, ASC+T, DBC, DTC, EBD, HDC, ABS and TPW. Pardon the alphabet soup.
The interior of the M is about the same as the regular versions of the X5, but with a few upgrades such as an anthracite roofliner, ‘M’ badging, a slightly different steering wheel and sport seats with more aggressive bolstering. It also gets 4-zone climate control and heated rear seats.
Our test truck also includes the $1,950 rear-seat DVD entertainment system, which places an LCD on a swivelling base on the far end of the front centre console. You can fold it down so it doesn’t get banged up, but when you do, you can no longer access the storage area under the front armrests.
This super-SUV also comes with a power tailgate whose lift height can be adjusted through the iDrive system so it doesn’t hit the roof of your garage when it opens. The day after we picked up the truck, the tailgate would no longer close on its own, and when we carefully tried to close it manually, like any owner would do in winter, the struts cracked; we had to bring the vehicle to the local dealer to get them replaced. Sorry, BMW.
The X5 M starts at $97,900, and our Monte Carlo Blue missile also included the aforementioned DVD system, the $4,500 Full Merino Leather treatment as well as the $5,500 Executive Package that adds soft-close doors, rear view camera, leather dash, head-up display, SIRIUS and sound system upgrade. Total is $104,350. If you prefer the X6 M mutant sports truck, it starts at $99,900.
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| The X5 M starts at $97,900. |