Car Statistics: BMW - X5 Series 07 (4 stars)

Styling (4 stars)

BMWs are perceived as a bit hit-and-miss on the design front. The X5 is a hit, picking up from where the old one left off, only a bit bigger, a bit more muscular, but still nicely proportioned and not too fussily detailed.

Handling (4 stars)

Porsche Cayenne aside, this is the best SUV to drive on the road. Its agility belies its size, it grips strongly and its body is firmly controlled over bumps and undulations. It also rides well - much better than the first-generation X5. There's genuine sophistication to the way it goes down the road. BMW has fitted expensive double-wishbone suspension to the X5, going against its traditional principles of cheaper McPherson struts. Not great off-road, though.

Comfort (4 stars)

Again, this is much improved over the last X5, mostly because of that improved ride, which is as good, if not better, than most cars in this class - though Audi's Q7 is a touch more compliant. But noise levels are also low, the driving position is very good and the seats are large and comfortable.

Quality (4 stars)

No qualms with the X5's outright quality: traditionally the X5 has performed reasonably well in customer satisfaction surveys and BMW is rightly proud of the high proportion of current owners who say they'll buy nothing but another one when they change car. Interior quality is also good. Cabin materials are generally sound, save for some of the plastics, while their finish and assembly are excellent too.

Performance (4 stars)

More than 90 percent of X5 customers will choose diesels. And they'll not be disappointed. The 235bhp 3.0d is good for 0-62mph in 8.5sec; the 286bhp 3.0sd unit, as used in the 335d, is good for the same in 7.0 sec. There's little point buying the 272bhp 3.0-litre petrol engine, despite its smoothness: its economy is almost 10mpg worse than the 3.0sd. Quickest X5 is the 4.8i, whose 355bhp makes it very feisty: 0-62mph takes a mere 6.5sec and it'll hit 150mph.

Roominess (4 stars)

Four adults will have no bother finding enough space for themselves in an X5; there's ample head and legroom in the front and the back seats. The boot's respectable, but don't go looking to seat adults in the occasional pair of seats that fold into the boot floor. The X5 isn't a seven-seater like a Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7 or even a Peugeot 4007.

Costs (3 stars)

The X5 has very strong residual values, which is probably its strongest point here. Even the most economical engines return no better than mid-30s mpg, insurance groups are high and servicing rates at main dealers are on the premium side.

Value (3 stars)

The X5 demands a premium price - from around £40,000 upwards, but unlike BMWs of old, it does come well equipped and it's competitive against its premium rivals. That doesn't stop it having a long options list, though.

Stereo (3 stars)

A mixed bag here. The X5's audio and telematics systems are of very good quality, but the iDrive control system is still, despite several generations of improvement, not quite as intuitive as we'd like. Satellite navigation and DVD players are expensive options, even on range-topping models.