2014 BMW X5 comes with 2WD and 4-Cylinder engine options (video)

The new 2014 BMW X5 – quicker, bigger and more frugal

Critics may snipe at the BMW X5′s lack of off-road ability as its Achilles heel, but the truth is that the vast majority of X5 owners will never venture anywhere muddier than a boot sale car park. So the trade-off for a great on-road drive is a small price to pay.

So X5 owners – and potential owners – will be pleased to know that BMW hasn’t messed with their winning formula in the new 2014 X5, they’ve just added more of the same.

In terms of design, the new X5 is from the Porsche school of car design, with subtle, but comprehensive, updates that make the X5 look fresh and new but don’t leave you in any doubt that this is still an X5.

There’s cues from the new 3-Series in the headlights and the vents at the side and front look like the 4-Series. Inside is now the latest BMW, with a thumping great 10.2″ display dominating the top of the dash and lots of higher quality leathers and woods, making the new X5 and even nicer place to spend time than the old model.

Not only is the interior a nicer place to be, there’s more room and practicality too, with an extra 120 litres of room for stuff with the back seats down (and an extra 30 litres with them up) and the electric tailgate can now be opened and closed remotely.

Under the skin of the new X5 BMW has been playing too, and you’ll now be able to have an entry-level sDrive 25d with a four cylinder diesel offering 215bhp and 50mpg for £42,590 (cutting the entry price for the new X5 by £3k over the outgoing model) and you can also opt to have the new 25d with 4WD too.

New BMW X5 gets more toys in a more upmarket cabin

The 30d continues but with better fuel economy (45.6mpg) and more power (254bhp) which helps it to scoot top 62mph in 6.9 seconds, and the 40d (perhaps the most appealing X5) M50d and 50i all get improvements to emissions, economy and performance.

All four wheel drive X5s get torque vectoring for better handling and all X5s now come with a choice of four different suspension modes - Adaptive Comfort, Adaptive M, Adaptive Dynamic and Adaptive Professional – for those who want to play, although the vast majority of owners will probably leave it in Adaptive Comfort and float round.

There’s plenty of tech on offer – much of it optional – like 360-degree cameras, automatic parking, heads-up display, Night Vision and Internet access – so you will be able to spend far more than list price. But there’s plenty on offer in the standard spec for you not to feel you’re wearing a hair shirt if you’re feeling parsimonious when you buy and don’t tick many options.

The new BMW X5 will be on sale from November – after its debut at Frankfurt in September – with the xDrive 30d, M50d and 50i the only models available initially. But 2014 will see the arrival of the new 2.0 litre sDrive and xDrive 25d, undoubtedly the new X5M and almost certainly a hybrid version or three.

By Cars UK