BMW's X5 has proven to be a huge success in Australia, primarily because it's more of a sporty people mover than an SUV. Indeed, BMW prefers to call it an SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle) rather than an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). Though you can use an X5 as an off-road explorer if the conditions aren’t overly rough, most owners never take them off sealed surfaces.

The BMW X5 first reached Australia in November 2000 and gained a good reputation right from the start. It really appealed to those looking for a prestigious station wagon to cart kids. And many buyers had dreams of one day carting those kids into some interesting out-of-the-way areas in the Australian bush or desert. Or perhaps even to the beach.

           

The on-road handling is exceptional for a two-tonne 4WD, with plenty of road grip and the ability to change direction much more readily than you would anticipate. Indeed, many drivers won’t push their passenger cars as hard as the X5 is capable of cornering. Keep in mind, though, that these are big vehicles with a relatively high centre of gravity so they aren’t as good in the handling department as a low-slung BMW sedan.

Comfort is good, almost to car-type station wagon standards, but if the driver does become enthusiastic in attacking corners the passengers may not like the relatively large amount of body roll. Though less than average for an SUV, the body roll is exaggerated by the height of the large vehicle.

Petrol engines come either in the traditional BMW straight-six layout, or as high-performance V8s. The latter are quite common, which doesn’t really come as a surprise to anyone who understands the needs of a typical BMW driver, but the sixes are pretty good as well and provide enough grunt for many owners.

           

BMW was one of the early adopters of turbo-diesel engines and these oil burners have been on the market in Australia since 2003. They come with a capacity of 3.0 litres and also have six-cylinder using an in-line arrangement.

The new X5 model of 2007 was significantly bigger than the first-generation X5 and offered the option of a third-row seat for the first time. That rear seat is best suited to kids, but adults can use it without too much squeezing. Luggage space grew with the longer X5 of 2007 but a lot of it disappears if you have the extra row of seats in place.

Insurance costs are higher than average for a 4WD, but not if you take into account that this is a prestigious German machine put together with topline materials inside and out.

Servicing really should be left to the experts, though you can tackle some of the minor jobs yourself if you feel that way inclined. The BMW dealer network is large and efficient, but dealers are much more prevalent in the metropolitan areas than in the bush.

We have heard of no real complaints about spare parts availability and only the occasional query about pricing, but if you're moving up from a Japan SUV you should be aware that parts will be more expensive for an upmarket German marque.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Few BMW X5s suffer the trauma of real off-road conditions. Clues as to off-road use include scratches on the body sides caused by squeezing past bushes and trees.

           

Check the condition of the bumper corners in case they have rubbed against rocks and the like. Look for scrapes on the underbody protection plates.

Be sure that the engine starts easily; even the turbo-diesels are modern fast-start units.

Be sure the engine idles smoothly from the moment it fires up.

It's important that a petrol engine pulls strongly without any initial hesitation and doesn’t blow smoke from the exhaust when the throttle is floored.

Diesels will have some turbo lag when accelerating, but if you feel it's too bad have a professional check it out.

The automatic transmission should work almost imperceptibly. Run through the sequential functions for speed and accuracy.

Have a good look over the interior, particularly at the seat bases and in the vicinity of the door controls for signs of rough treatment.

Try engaging all the 4WD modes to make sure they operate.