We are with BMW X5.
Not run of the mill standard X5 you see on the roads everyday because this car is called xDrive 40e and has both petrol engine and electric motor under its bonnet.
Let’s see if this car has advantages as regards to its diesel siblings.
Come on let’s analyze hybrid X5 together extendedly.
X5 is a model that has been on the roads for some time now but I like its design even though it does not look as new as current Audi Q7 and XC90.
From front it emphasizes classic BMW lines but the difference of this X5 is hidden in some small details.
For example on the side you see a fuel lid on mudguard, this is where you charge the electric motor.
From normal mains it takes 4 hours to charge this car but if you purchase what BMW calls Wall Box for 1400 Euro, it can be done in 2 hours.
Under the door you can see 40e inscription.
This e indicates electrical car.
Just like that, eDrive inscription is on left side of the boot.
Since this is an electric car and batteries have to be put somewhere, it is in the boot and 650 liters boot capacity is now 500 liters.
As you can see there is a place for cables and underneath it the batteries of the electric motor.
From the fuel lid I have shown, you directly connect this and charge your car easily from mains.
Naturally smaller boot capacity for a big SUV may look like a disadvantage but I can still say that it satisfies the expectations very well.
Boot lid opens in two parts.
Lower part can be closed manually but upper part being electric increases ease of use.
I can distinctly say that this place offers a very good living space.
As you can see there is a hand span in knee room and seat is adjusted to my ideal driving position and I am 1.78 cm tall.
Headroom is not bad at all either.
Even though due to the glass ceiling the roof is a bit lowered, adults would not have any trouble here.
Windows are wide and rear is very specious.
It is good news for the third passenger as there is no transmission hump here and you can put your feet here easily.
There are air ducts here for rear seats but you are not able to adjust A/C for yourself.
In the interior of the X5 there is not much difference then the other X5s.
Most attention grabbing here is the part where you follow the energy power flow in the eDrive screen.
There is also eDrive inscription here on the sliding lid.
Ambient illumination is blue.
I don’t know if it is the same in the other X5s but I think blue is used as this a hybrid car but I am not certain.
Ultimately, interior is well-groomed and high quality.
There are soft plastics where you look and touch.
Your sitting position is good.
You are quite a bit high from surface and your visions due to wide widows are excellent.
Let us consider engine and driving features of X5.
In hybrid X5, as you would have guessed, there is one petrol engine and one electric motor.
Petrol engine is 2 liters turbo charge unit we know from other BMW models.
It develops 245 HP and 350 Nm of torque.
Electric motor’s output is 110 HP.
In normal conditions X5 offers you 245 HP from petrol engine.
If you choose electric motor only then you advance with 110 HP.
When both are used then you move with 313 HP and it really offers you satisfying and pleasurable performance.
Power is transferred to the wheels by 8-speed automatic gearbox with torque converter and as this car is X Drive it has a 4-wheel drive system.
When I talked about boot capacity I told you that boot became smaller because of the batteries.
Main reason for this is, as this car has 4-wheel drive system, batteries cannot be placed under the platform and therefore BMW is forced to put it into the boot.
This is one of the weak points against its current rival Volvo XC90 with T8 engine.
As XC90 was designed knowing it will have a hybrid version eventually it has an advantage.
But as this car has been on the roads for sometime and this adaptation was made later it has a small loss.
In hybrid version, adaptive suspension is used as standard
but during my test I found suspensions a bit firm especially over rough surfaces in the city,
just as over a pothole we are passing now, you feel the impacts rather more than normal.
I have driven X5s that were not hybrid and did not feel the suspension this hard.
I think, this car being 200-250 kilos heavier must have share in this.
Insulation is very good as this 4 cylinder engine has a quite working characteristic
and when advancing on electric motor there is no sound at all.
As in xDrive 25d, you can select driving modes as Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport and use it.
Furthermore there are Auto eDrive, Max eDrive and Save modes that are not in xDrive 25d.
I will tell you how these modes work but priorly I would like to refer briefly different points that separate hybrids.
There are normal hybrids that works with petrol engine and with kinetic energy gained charges the batteries and electric motors help along.
These are called Hybrid Cars.
Plug-in hybrids like this X5 can be charged externally.
Now, let me tell you about the modes.
For example, when you press ignition it works in Auto eDrive mode and offers you optimum driving features.
In other words, when needed it utilize petrol engine, when needed it utilize electric motor and when needed it utilize both to offer you maximum performance.
Second mode Max eDrive uses only electric motor to cover maximum distance with electric only.
Factory data claims 30 km with full batteries.
In this mode you are able to reach 120 km/h.
Of course, if you need excessive performance and step on the throttle, petrol engine come into play
but if you drive calmly you can very well advance with electric mode only.
For example, look I am moving with only electric and it indicates to me that I can carry on for 7 km more.
This may come as low value but at the moment less then half of the batteries are full and I can still cover 7 km with % 32 charges.
I have driven this car like this when I was near home or some place where I can charge
because you don’t use fuel at all and can charge it from empty to full in 4 hours.
To be able to drive in the city with 2.3 tons SUV without wasting any fuel is a great advantage
and you can really lower your fuel consumption averages considerably.
I have been driving this car for 5 days just as I have told you,
full batteries from home and if going near using only electric and if going far and be on highway then Auto eDrive mode.
At the moment I have covered 350 km and trip computer indicates 8.5 liters fuel consumption averages.
For this size SUV this value is enormous.
Third mode is called Save and preserves the batteries to utilize in later time.
i.e. if batteries are full it does not use them but if batteries are draining away like now
and you select Save, internal combustion engine starts to charge the batteries and do not use them unless badly needed.
To tell the truth, I like variegated cars.
In VW group’s ACT engine my eyes were checking constantly whether two cylinders were shut or not and how can I lower the fuel consumption and it passes time.
Same things occur in these hybrid and electric cars and I am relentlessly in competition with the car.
Can I lower the fuel consumption, can I increase the distance and I enjoy doing these.
But in the end, this is a very expensive toy and you have to be prepared to sacrifice 540 thousand TL.
For xDrive 25d it is 480 thousand TL.
It is claimed that it reaches 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. Let’s see if it is true?
100
And it is still going like a monster.
190...
Breaks are not bad.
BMW X5 is a accomplished model.
Which version to choose is completely depends on your driving characteristics.
Let me tell you what I think.
If you have a special car park in your home and your work place is around 15-20 km away then to buy hybrid version will be absolutely rational.
But if you cover long distances and do not have the above means I mentioned
then diesel version would be more economic and definitely more suitable for you.
See you...