BUY, LEASE OR FINANCE A BMW X5 FROM OSV: http://bit.ly/2SHetne

BMW's X5 was the original 'Sports Activity Vehicle'. And in fourth generation guise, it's more sophisticated than ever before.

In fourth generation form, BMW's X5 demonstrates the brand's latest advances in technology, design and safety, plus it offers with the highest level of autonomous capability yet seen on a BMW X model. You wouldn't expect anything less really. It's all change - but very much business as usual.

Background
The BMW X5. It was the car that, back at the turn of the century, completely changed the way we thought about large, plush 4x4s, the car that, more than any other, defined the modern luxury SUV and the one that since the turn of the century, almost every other prestige brand has sought to copy. Nevertheless, 2.2 million X5s have been sold since this model line first appeared back in 1999. BMW doesn't actually like the term 'SUV' with its clunky connotations and has always marketed this car as an 'SAV' or 'Sports Activity Vehicle', though the tag has never really caught on.

As you'd expect, this fourth generation version moves the game on a little further again, offering what, on paper at least, BMW claims to be the best combination of performance and efficiency in its class. But the competition's tougher than ever before, with rivals claiming better driving dynamics, extra practicality and greater luxury. With all that in mind, is this still the most complete car in its segment? Let's find out.

Driving Experience
This time round, X5 buyers get to choose from one petrol engine and two diesels. The mainstream xDrive40i petrol and xDrive30d diesel variants use a six-cylinder inline unit, while the X5 M50d is powered by a more potent six-cylinder in-line diesel engine with a quartet of turbochargers. All engines channel their power through an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, while BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive is now standard across the range, the system now able to split drive torque between the front and rear wheels with even greater precision and speed on demand. The xDrive40i puts out 340hp and 450Nm of torque via a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbocharger and completes the zero to 62mph sprint in just 5.5 seconds. The xDrive30d diesel uses another 3.0-litre unit, but it features a single turbocharger with a maximum output of 265hp while offering 620Nm of torque and a 62mph sprint time of 6.5 seconds. Go for the M50d and you get 400hp, 760Nm of torque and 62mph from rest in 5.2 seconds.

A two-axle air suspension system is standard, as is a 'Dynamic Damper Control' set-up to tailor ride quality, this accessible through the usual Driving Experience Control driving modes system. If you want to go further, the 'Adaptive M suspension Professional' package delivers two key enhancements. First, there's 'Active roll stabilisation - which compensates for cornering roll. And second there's 'Integral Active Steering' - which turns the rear wheels in either the same direction as the front wheels or the opposite direction, depending on the vehicle speed. This optimises cornering agility, ensures effortless lane changes and helps the vehicle to dart through city traffic. The few customers likely to venture 'off piste' can also specify an Off-Road package.

Design and Build
This fourth generation X5 may appear fairly similar to its predecessor but if you take a second look, much is different. It's 36mm longer, 66mm wider and 19mm higher, so it's a slightly more imposing thing this time round, with pared-back design language, clean surfacing and precise lines. The way that the roof rails, side window surrounds and other trim elements are finished in high-gloss black delivers an appropriately premium look.

And inside? Well as buyers of luxury models now expect, there's a fully-digital instrument cluster, which shares the same graphics and design as the centre-dash iDrive Control Display. The transmission selector lever and the ventilation controls for the new 4-zone climate control system have been re-designed. Plus buyers can specify a panoramic glass roof that's 30% larger than and can be embellished with a 'Panorama glass roof Sky Lounge' option which provides LED light spread evenly across the glass surface to illuminate more than 15,000 graphic patterns and generate a display reminiscent of a starlit sky.

There's a two-section tailgate that can be power-operated and as before, there's a large boot - now with 645-litres of space, extendable to 1,860-litres if you fold down the 40:20:40 split rear bench. A third row of seats is optional for larger families.

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