Published:
17 April 2012The vast majority of BMW X5s sold in the UK are powered by a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbodiesel. They're all automatic, too; there’s no longer a manual X5 transmission option.
In 2010, new engines were launched for the xDrive30d, xDrive40d and xDrive50i, with the latter two models replacing the xDrive35d and xDrive48i respectively.
The entry-level xDrive30d was upgraded to produce 241bhp, up 10bhp on the previous xDrive30d, while 0-62mph acceleration was trimmed to a claimed 7.6sec. The unit was also made more frugal, putting combined cycle economy at 38.2mpg, equivalent to 195g/km of CO2.
At 241bhp, the entry-level engine in the X5 xDrive30d is one of the more powerful in its class, and it gives this SUV a healthy turn of speed. We recorded a 0-60mph time of 7.9sec, and there’s a broad spread of power throughout the rev range. Peak torque of 398lb ft is developed at 1750-3000rpm, so response from low revs is excellent, too.
The replacement of the xDrive35d with the xDrive40d also brought performance gains, with the 0-62mph time dropping from 7.0sec to 6.6sec, thanks to a power output boosted by almost 20bhp.
The twin-turbo diesel engine is a gutsy device, with a flexible delivery and excellent refinement – all of which makes it perfectly suited for duty in a big luxury 4x4. A prodigious 442lb ft of torque arrives early in the rev range to make light work of the xDrive40d's weight, endowing it with excellent step-off, solid in-gear shove and a good turn of speed.
