The diesel X5 is powerful and sure-footed. Heavy,which shows up in both a feeling of safety while driving, and a sticker shock at the fuel pump. The transmission is ok, except when cold, when it's a little unwilling to up-shift. Similarly, if it's even a little cool, it can slightly clunk from a full stop, as the torque converter spools up, and the transmission engaglook
The BMW electronics are a wonder of integration, but the menu system is deep and less well thought out than you might expect from a late model European car, particularly a German vehicle. But then hmm again, European washing machines are the height of inscrutability, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. The GPS and Bluetooth of my 2007 Prius is better organised, has more features, is implemented more simply, cheaper to update, and is *much* easier to use. The back seat climate controls are not controllable from the front seat, and if you have children, they often get set too hot or too cold, which makes the vehicles climate a little wonky. Took me several weeks to figure this out, as you cannot see it adjust there back seat climate controls from the front seat.
Nice seats offer lots of flexibility. Get cooling seats if you can - a vehicle can get warm inside even in the moderate coastal climate.
Nav system has a beautiful screen, but takes FAR too many clicks to be called "good". The map doesn't show addresses you've set up in the system, and BMW's instructions for selecting which of your phone's contracts you might want in the car is either wrong or too limited.
