BMW X5 Range   Women's view

How does BMWs big 4x4 fair as everyday family transport? June Neary Reports

There are less environmentally-friendly things that you can do than driving a V8 luxury 4x4 around a town centre but if the green lobby are to be believed, not many of them. Dropping the kids off at school in a flat-bed truck loaded with burning tyres would do it or you could take a chainsaw to a few hectares of Ecuadorian rainforest. Alternatively, why not try constructing a giant magnifying glass to focus the suns rays on the arctic ice flow? Yes, posh SUVs have been saddled with a bit of a reputation and much of it is more than a little unfair. Ever one to champion the cause of the underdog, I couldnt wait to sample BMWs X5.

The luxury 4x4s status as environmental enemy number one had me a tad concerned about taking delivery of an X5 but I soon found that if you put the scaremongering and victimisation to one side, BMWs big SUV isnt the planet pulping monster some would have you believe it is and it actually makes a lot of sense as everyday transportation. The latest models come with a seven seat option giving them something approaching MPV-style versatility. BMWs world-beating engine technology boosts efficiency while delivering strong performance and the general quality you expect from a BMW is thrown in. This isnt a vehicle youd buy if you plan on regularly travelling offroad but on the tarmac, where most 4x4 spend most of their time anyway, its hard to beat.

This X5 is only 19cm longer than the old model but manages to incorporate up to three rows of seats. Even with all three rows occupied, theres still 200 litres of boot space. In a more conventional five-seat configuration, the X5s boot measures 620-litres, up 155 litres on its predecessor. Theres also an additional 90-litre storage compartment under the floor if youre not interested in having seven-seat capacity.

This X5 is also 6cm wider than its forebear but, in another case of the engineers pulling a rabbit out of their hat, weighs no more in base specification. One of the tricks behind this X5s excellent luggage space is the fact that it carries no spare, instead being fitted with run-flat tyres. These tyres allow a driver to continue a journey in the event of a puncture for up to 90 miles at speeds of 50mph and also offer additional reassurance in the event of a blowout. The X5 comes with the key features that have made 4x4s so popular as family transportation.

You get that commanding driving position up above other cars that makes entrees and exits more of a step than a clamber. You can also lean inside to help the kids with their seatbelts or fit that baby seat far more easily because of the vehicles extra height. If you decide to specify that rearmost row of seats, be warned that its really only big enough for children and that the X5 cant offer the kind of flexibility you get with a proper MPV.

As a BMW youd expect the X5 to display that trademark fine balance and handling finesse. Such expectations are tempered somewhat when you clap eyes on the thing and appreciate how big it actually is but get behind the wheel and the X5 appears to shrink around you feeling nimble and composed even when hurried along. Big SUVs just dont get any better than this to drive. The 3.

0-litre diesel engine is a masterpiece on BMWs part. Its smooth and powerful, feeling strong even when asked to power the X5 up severe inclines theres also a twin turbo version of this unit thats more muscular still. The V8 engine option has substantially more gusto but, given the associated price premium and running costs, the diesels or the entry-level 3.0-litre petrol are the choices most people will make.

Alright, a big SUV like the X5 is less economical than a supermini and as a result, produces more CO2 and other harmful emissions. Theres also extra weight from the 4x4 mechanicals that doesnt help matters but none of this means that cars like the X5 should be singled out as the cause of our global warming woes. The BMWs 4.4-litre petrol V8 has similar economy and emissions to other cars with similar engines, many saloons and sportscars are included in this.

Pick the standard 3.0-litre diesel engine I tried and the emissions of 229g/km are lower than a Citroen C8 MPV with an automatic gearbox or the 2.5-litre V6 version of the Lexus IS compact executive saloon. Whats more, the X5 can carry seven people.

Youd need four versions of Nissans popular 350z coupe to do the same and each of those emits 280g/km of CO2. Well meaning greens shouldnt be picking on luxury 4x4s in isolation, the problem is high CO2 emissions in cars generally, not to mention emissions from other forms of transport and industry. The luxury 4x4s problem is that its a convenient handle for the green lobby to grab hold of, their gripes sometimes underpinned by a jealousy or general dislike for the kind of people who can afford a luxury 4x4.

This much car doesnt come cheap and youre looking at £40,200 for the X5 3.0i or around £500 more for the 3.0d model I tried. Next-up you have the 3.

0sd with its twin turbochargers and 285bhp while the range-topping 4.8-litre V8 cosies up to the £50,000 price point. Run the V8 and youll be lucky to see 15mpg under normal driving conditions but the diesels total of over 30mpg is much more manageable.

The X5 feels a highly polished product thats perfectly suited to the on-road 4x4 role. The only serious criticism is its lack of offroad ability but it will handle a muddy track with the best of them and then outperform the best of them when it gets back on home turf i.e. tarmac.

The interior is simple in design and constructed to the highest standards while the seven-seat option brings an added dimension in versatility. Running the X5 over an extended period its easy to see why large 4x4s are so popular with families. The advanced 4x4 system might be a white elephant most of the time but it does bring extra security in damp or snowy conditions and otherwise the X5 manages to do a lot of what an MPV does without looking like an MPV. Its supremely comfortable on the motorway and offers levels of composure on poorly surfaced B-roads that belie its size.

Once again, its hard not to be impressed with BMWs engineering know-how and even if some environmentalists arent, you can drive your X5 3.0d safe in the knowledge that theyre barking up the wrong tree.