The BMW X5 Offers Optional AWD
You might be thinking about why having AWD as an option could be such a big deal, but to us, it is. Nowadays, automakers have made a standard practice of loading up new vehicles with “features” you don’t need, which, conveniently for them, also drives up the price. No fluff disguised as a feature is more flagrant than ubiquitous AWD systems, which automakers have now coined as a desirable luxury feature worthy of every vehicle in the line-up.
Do you need AWD to make it to the grocery store and back? For the occasional little sprinkle on your commute? We don’t think so. Remember, more complicated always means more expensive as far as German luxury is concerned, and AWD systems always run up the check when maintenance time comes around. Thus, the fact there is a RWD-only sDrive model makes us happy because at least BMW gives you a choice.
6The BMW X5 Is More Reliable
The B58 turbocharged inline-six found in the BMW X5 sDrive40i, xDrive40i, and xDrive50e models (along with many other current-gen BMWs) is already the standard-setting platform in its segment, meaning it is the benchmark to which all others are measured. Part of the reason the B58 engine continues to be held in such reverence since its debut in 2016 is that the platform has unlocked new levels of reliability that no previous turbocharged BMW engine had ever achieved.
A recent Consumer Reports used vehicle reliability study described this current G05 generation X5 as “one of the best vehicles we’ve ever tested”. The 2023 model year BMW X5 also managed the feat of a double perfect score in their study, which achieved both a 5/5 score in the Reliability Verdict and Owner Satisfaction categories.
5The BMW X5 Offers Better Upholstery Options
If you are shelling out extra for a premium product like either of these German SUVs , it had better be premium. Perhaps the most important part of any luxury interior is the seats and the upholstery. As far as colors and materials are concerned, the BMW X5 beats the Porsche Cayenne in terms of value. The BMW X5 comes standard in BMW’s Sensafin, which is available in four color options. In comparison, the Porsche only offers a single standard Artificial Leather interior in black, where any other available option will cost you extra.
If you do want Extended Merino Leather (available in four colors) in your G05 BMW X5 as pictured above in the Tartufo color, that will run you an extra $1,950. If you want real leather in a Cayenne, prices start at $3,760 and up to $6,010 for Club Leather. As nice as the Club Leather looks, is there any way that it is worth three times the price of the X5’s Extended Merino Leather? Not a chance, especially considering even visually, BMW’s premium upholstery looks more pleasant.
4The BMW X5’s Tech
Remote Engine Start is one of the hottest features in modern vehicles and is a staple of the BMW X5’s $1,900 Premium Package, which also includes a HUD, upgraded 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound, and Gesture Control. Which expensive package do you need to select to get Remote Engine Start in a Cayenne? Well, none of them, because Porsche doesn’t offer this feature on the Cayenne or any of their vehicles. If you were to build a similar package for the Cayenne to match the BMW’s Premium Package, it would cost you $2,690 extra for the HUD and Bose Surround Sound system. Checkmate again, Porsche.
3The BMW X5 High Definition Display
BMW’s Curved Display which debuted with the 2022 BMW iX has been making its way into becoming the standard display for all future BMW models. This design effectively combines two separate displays into one flowing screen which floats in a curved fashion, with all the focus on the driver.
The crisp 4k resolution of this intelligently designed display works completely in sync with the HUD display, keeping only the info you need in focus when on the road. The Porsche Cayenne’s instrument cluster and central screen are by no means inadequate, but feel dated next to BMW’s comparatively futuristic interface.
2The BMW X5 Is More Fuel Efficient
