I'm considering this SUV and the BMW X3 M40i to replace my X1 xDrive20d M Sport.

BHPian XDriver recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello all,

I got a chance to test drive the new BMW X5 XDRIVE 30d M Sport SAV today. I have owned the X1 X drive 20d M sport and have the 530d M sport saloon.

Immediately upon seeing the X5 it feels imposing and big. It’s quiet roomy and cavernous on the inside too. The new 21-inch alloy design is lovely with blue M sport callipers. The split tailgate and boot remain the same as before with 650 litres of space.

Once seated inside, it has a commanding view outside. The M Sport has HUD and heated and cooled seats. It does get noisy when the cooling function is on and at max setting as if someone had a hair dryer behind me.

The curved display and I drive 8 is nice but I still prefer the previous split design of my 530d. The I drive 7 is more intuitive and I did find the latest version a bit overwhelming to use. Too many menus and sub menus.

Drive impressions

Immediately the X5 X drive 30d felt more responsive than my 530d, maybe due to 20 more HP and 30 more Nm of torque. It also could be due to the mild hybrid system with 20hp and 200 Nm of torque.

All this makes it a hoot to drive with minimal to no lag and very quick off the mark. Surprisingly you don’t feel the bulk of the car and it’s quite agile and nimble to drive. The steering felt a bit better than 530d and was sharp with good feedback. It feels like a much smaller car than it is.

Ride is great due to the air suspension. But my 530d with its adaptive dampers is more than adequate and equally impressive.

Once placed in sport mode, the handling is superb. Feels composed and agile in corners. It’s a bit floaty in comfort in comparison. Body roll is minimal.

Size and practicality

It is a big SAV. But easy to manoeuvre. The 360-degree camera and parking and reverse assistant do help. I would prefer the X3 as a daily driver though. The X5 will be a tremendous highway tourer and for social events.

Overall I love it. I am considering this and the X3 M40i to replace my X1.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The BMW X5 is available in xLine and M Sport trims powered by 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

BMW has launched the updated X5 in India. The X5 LCI is available in xLine and M Sport trims priced from Rs 93.90 lakh (ex-showroom).

The BMW X5 receives several cosmetic updates as part of the LCI refresh. The SUV gets a restyled exterior featuring an illuminated kidney grille, matrix Adaptive LED headlights with blue accents as well as redesigned rear bumpers and taillights. The SUV rides on 21-inch alloy wheels, which come as standard.

The M Sport package adds an M-specific front apron, black roof rails, M high-gloss Shadowline trim, rear apron with Dark Shadow inlays and trapezoidal exhaust tips.

Inside, the updated X5 gets a curved display housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment running BMW’s latest iDrive 8.0 software. The SUV also gets features like a heads-up display with augmented reality, a panoramic sunroof, and more.

The BMW X5 is available with petrol and diesel engine options. The xDrive40i is powered by a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder petrol engine that makes 375 BHP @ 5,200-6,250 rpm and 520 Nm @ 1,850-5,000 rpm. The xDrive30d variant uses a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder diesel that puts out 282 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 650 Nm @ 1,500-2,500 rpm. Both engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system. The SUV rides on Adaptive air suspension with a self-levelling function.

The new X5 is loaded with a lot of safety tech as well, including Driver Assistance Systems. Features such as Cruise Control, Attentiveness Assistant, Parking Assistant Professional with Surround View Camera, Drive Recorder, remote parking via smartphone and Reversing Assistant are part of the standard package.

BMW X5 facelift ex-showroom prices:

Petrol

• xLine - Rs 93,90,000
• M Sport - Rs 1,04,90,000

Diesel

• xLine - Rs 95,90,000
• M Sport - Rs 1,06,90,000

The 2023 BMW X5 is expected to carry forward the same 3.0L petrol and diesel engines.

BMW unveiled the X5 LCI facelift globally in February this year. The updated SUV is now set to roll into the Indian market. BMW India has released a teaser confirming the July 14 launch date.

The BMW X5 receives several cosmetic updates as part of the LCI refresh. The SUV gets a restyled exterior featuring new front and rear bumpers and reworked headlamps and taillights. 

Inside, the updated X5 gets a curved display housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment running BMW’s latest iDrive 8.0 software. The SUV also gets features like a heads-up display with augmented reality, a panoramic sunroof, and more.

The 2023 BMW X5 is expected to carry forward the same set of engines. The SUV is currently available with a 3.0-litre petrol engine that makes 335 BHP and 450 Nm and a 3.0-litre diesel that puts out 291 BHP and 620 Nm. Both engines get an 8-speed automatic transmission paired with an all-wheel drive system.

Though he got a Toyota Fortuner 4X4 AT in '21, he is not satisfied, misses the ride, the interior quality, music system etc from the Endeavour.

BHPian Sheel recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had started this thread in 2014. Almost 10 years have passed and while there were few great options sold in that period, nothing much is available now if one wishes to upgrade from those choices, hear me..

But, that is past now [Endeavour, Pajero, Trailblazer, MU-X (might be risky to buy now)].

A friend wishes to upgrade from his Ford Endeavour 3.2 (though he got a Toyota Fortuner 4X4 AT in '21, but is not satisfied, misses the ride, the interior quality, music system etc from the Endeavour).

Main criteria = Ample GC and a 4X4. Reliable.

Budget = Preferably 1cr. and thereabouts.

Should be new.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Your friend is in a major predicament, Sheel. Simply because the 30 - 50 lakh segment is "peak car", where a lot of the models punch above their weight (e.g. Endeavour). Offer a lot more car than the expensive Germans above (e.g. Camry, Kodiaq). Pack the latest technology (Ioniq 5). And are still value-for-money.

Above 45-50 lakhs, the laws of diminishing returns kick in.

My suggestion = X3 M40i if he is an enthusiast. He'll enjoy the drive. Take TDs of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, BMW 6-GT etc. and see what he really likes. Extend the budget a bit and get a new GLE or X5. Check with Audi on the latest offers for the Q5 & Q7 (friend got home a Q5 for 62L OTR with extended warranty, service pack).

What I would do = get a pre-owned current-gen Mercedes GLS. The only way to get some iota of value in the luxury segment is going the pre-owned route. You can get a "like new" car still under warranty. Please read my article on the same ("Almost-New" used cars! The logic & beauty of buying 1 - 3 year old pre-worshipped cars), it's zero risk.

Brand-new luxury cars are grossly overpriced and that's the new reality.

Here's what BHPian revsperminute had to say on the matter:

Merc GLE/GLS if he's looking at comfort. x5/x7 if he's a spirited driver. We originally wanted an Endeavour when we were car-shopping in '18 but ended up going for the GLE. In my 5 years with the GLE, it has proven itself to be extremely reliable apart from a few electrical gremlins. Moreover, the thing feels built like a tank (new gen slightly misses out on this). I'm not sure about the off-road performance but it has no complaints whenever we take it to dirt trails, beaches etc even on it's Pilot Sport SUV tyres. The car crushes kilometres like few others on the highway and is mostly unfazed by Indian road conditions.

Also, a huge Merc SUV is the only thing that has the street cred rivalling the Endeavour. (or a Defender wink wink)

Here's what BHPian TJSI had to say on the matter:

Try taking a look at the Volvo XC90. Coming from the Endeavour and Fortuner, I don't think you can go wrong with XC90 in the safety, reliability and performance department.

Here's what BHPian cefiljoseph had to say on the matter:

The only proper upgrade I can think of is the Defender 110 with a diesel engine. However, this would be extending the budget by some 50 percent so it's a huge strech.

Unfortunately, any proper upgrade will knock the value proposition out of the window.

Some other options worth considering are

Newly introduced Cayenne S - comes with a V8 as opposed to the V6 in the current Cayenne. Arguably the best car in the segment.

Macan - If budget is a strict concern, then the base Macan would be a great choicest like the X3 M40i.

If interested in electric, from Jaguar I-Pace to Volvo XC40, there are cars that offer mad performance but I would be reluctant to spend significant money on an electric at the moment.

Fortuner might seem crude and over-priced. However, I should add that a Fortuner or most Toyotas for that matter is a lesson in delayed gratification. While the europeans shine during their warranty period, a Toyota will show its value post the warranty period. But yeah, I don't see how it can be used as an excuse for Toyota to give a mediocre music system and stuff like that.

Congratulation and all the best to your friend.

Here's what BHPian CEF_Beasts had to say on the matter:

I would suggest hold on to the current Fortuner for the time-being and go for the next-gen Fortuner which is going to be based on the TNGA-F BoF platform, which underpins the likes of the LC300, Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, new-gen Lexus GX and LX. The biggest fly-in-the-ointment of the Fortuner ie. the ride-quality will be solved with this platform.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

A Porsche is a Porsche, no questions asked and ever since I test drove one it felt like nothing else I have driven this side of a supercar.

BHPian AdiSinghV12 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi guys, so knock on the wood I have had the loveliest 35,000 km with my Jaguar XF tuned to 306 BHP by GT Tunerz Delhi and has a full downpipe and exhaust . The car has been immaculate and nothing else has been done other than routine service and bumper replacement thanks to a small hit. It’s still going strong and turning heads and feels pretty timeless but considering it’s age I feel it’s time to let go so the next owner can enjoy a good few years too. The car has been most special car I have owned and I say that despite having F02 7 Series and a fully tuned F30 320d so the replacement has to be something which feels like an actual upgrade and doesn’t make me miss the Jag much so basically good looking, have decent features that we can expect from a sub E Class segment, Good speakers, Have 4 seats and be Fun to Drive. Have shortlisted the following; wanted to discuss and take a call as I have time and this upgrade is planned over the next 6-8 months and not immediately.

Option 01: Porsche Taycan 4S Facelift (upcoming)

A Porsche is a Porsche, no questions asked and ever since I test drove one it felt like nothing else I have driven this side of a Supercar. Surprisingly felt very comfy too. Downside- charging infra considering I do often 500-1000 kms road trips from Patna to Delhi/Kolkata. Also going a bit on the expensive side.

Option 02: Porsche Cayenne Coupe. Nothing out of the world but the Porsche badge.

Option 03: E53 AMG Cabrio. V6, Convertible, Loaded with features be it cooled seats, Burmeister and added benefit of the convertible.

Option 04: BMW M2. Honestly have kept this one last as there have been multiple BMWs in the household throughout and it all just feels too familiar. But the Manual Gearbox and the tuning capibilities and “usable” 4 seats adds this to the list.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Amazing dilemma to be in! Since you have a ~2 crore budget:

Porsche Taycan S. You clearly love it, I do too. It's fast, it's electric and it's a true Porsche. Retains the brand DNA.

If open to electric, do also consider the EQS 580. It's a phenomenal EV.

• BMW M5? You could snag a lightly used one for ~1.5 crores. Reliable, scary fast, family-friendly, take it anywhere & everywhere.
• Porsche 911? Ditto for lightly used examples. This will really be the cream of the crop. You could literally drive it anywhere.
• BMW X5 M & Porsche Cayenne. Just saying since you have a lot of sedans. A fast SUV will bring some added practicality.

Here's what BHPian HighRevving had to say on the matter:

Those are very varied options. I am thinking you are working backwards with a budget to see what all can fit in, which is not a bad thing but not ideal either.

For example, the E is a big car in Cabriolet variant and the M2 is a small performance car with not even a sunroof on offer. A Cayenne S, though mighty powerful, wouldn't come in the same category when it comes to eating corners around a track.

I guess you have to ask yourself - how much luxury do I want versus how much outright performance/driving fun do I want? For someone like me, the driving fun just supersedes everything - if I were in your place, I would pick the M2 in this list and ensure I always sit in the car so I don't have to look at it.

Here's what BHPian SNA411 had to say on the matter:

Hold on to the jag for a year more, and then get the new panamera.

Heard a very thorough facelift is due soon.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The XC60 is practical for the city, did not feel like I was driving a huge car; has all the necessary bells and whistles

BHPian cos.sec recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear all,

We are in the midst of deciding on a luxury but go anywhere SUV, with the dreams of taking it to up north(Leh) and eastbound (Arunachal). Towards this end, have been evaluating cars (SUVs). We have been able to narrow down on a few and would love to hear your views on them:

• XC60 - Practical car for the city; did not feel like I was driving a huge car; has all the necessary bells and whistles; massage seats and the sound system are amazing here; lower badge value at 80 lakhs.
• Grand Cherokee - Slightly larger in dimensions is the main worry(almost 2m in width); super power delivery; priced higher by 5 lakhs.
• Evoque - Ride quite was not appreciated by the middle seat passengers + no sunroof(vetoed by daughter).

Please do let me know if you have any thoughts or if I should be evaluating/reevaluating any more cars.

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say on the matter:

You haven’t mentioned budget and any other requirements. Taking it to some far places is not a routine and I will not pick a vehicle just for this purpose. Usually most of SUVs will take you across any roads or broken patches without a concern including Volvo or Mercedes/ BMW.

I briefly checked Cherokee, came as pretty common. High price is another concern besides you can find a lot of Jeep owners disappointed due to quality issues.

I will look at some of the options from BMW like an X3 or X5 (based on your budget). Don’t know about current options on Mercedes’s as they hardly have any deliveries and on most models they have smaller engines.

Another option can be to buy a Jimny for your adventures and pickup an electric car like XC40 or something similar for your daily runs.

Here's what BHPian lamborghini had to say on the matter:

I am not too excited by the Jeep Grand Cherokee - Turbanator pretty much hit the nail and it just doesn't feel as nice a place to be as it's rivals.

The XC60 too is a little long in the tooth now as well in my opinion though a great cruiser.

But if a cruiser is what you want - have a look at the Lexus NX350H as well.

For a more spirited drive the X5 though a little bit of stretch could be an amazing vehicle to drive too!

Lastly, check out this thread for some options.

Here's what BHPian jfk1975 had to say on the matter:

You didn't specify a budget, but looking at the 3 options you listed, it would not be unsafe to presume a 1 Cr budget. SUV, luxury, and taking to Leh/Arunachal etc, especially the go-anywhere/Leh/Arunachal requirements, pretty much knocks out the 3 options that you listed. My reasoning is that none of them have a massive dealership network, not exactly true blood SUV (body-on-frame, full time 4WD, reliable etc). You'd be in a pretty tight spot when these sorts of vehicles breakdown) when you go off the beaten path.

A bit off-the-wall suggestion: Have you looked at pre-owned Land Cruisers (200 series)?

Here's what BHPian pratyaksh had to say on the matter:

I for one, love the Volvos of the new. This is definitely the go-to-car for anyone who is a family man (I see that you have a daughter). I have extensively driven the XC90, & the XC60 (2022), and I do believe these cars are perfect esp. for tall people, and for families. The space offered on the 90 and the seat set up is just fantastic.

These cars have great interiors, and offer driving pleasure to anyone who is not Schumacher, and icing on the cake is the safety (which is paramount for a family traveling the hills et. al. on the regular).
Hated the BMW X3s comfort levels, and if you are not a boy racer, don't bother about that 'driving pleasure' of the BMVs as you can enjoy a sedately driven XC any day more than the pleasure you will derive from one day of pedal to the metal in a BMW on our broken roads!

Happy hunting!

Here's what BHPian madhukarmohan had to say on the matter:

With great styling and capability, Land Rover Defender is a very good option if your budget is around 1 crore. It is muscular with go anywhere capability without compromising the luxury.

On the other hand, if your budget is around 50 lakh, then Skoda Kodiaq is a great car to have with excellent driving comfort and amazing build quality.

Here's what BHPian sirjokhi had to say on the matter:

As a XC60 owner, I would suggest not going for one. I have a Xc60 D5 which I bought in 2018. One of the first cars in India I'm guessing. I have driven it for more than 109XXX kms and the car has had some troubles. It hasn't been the most reliable. Have had issues with the suspension since it has air springs. Recently, we have discovered an oil leak from the gearbox. The interiors rattle a bit. We've spent a lot of money on repairs and mind you the car has always been serviced at volvo service centers. Also, the ASS isn't great and Volvo isn't much inclined to help either. Additionally, I feel my car was a CBU and it has all the gizmos like air suspension, massaging seats, ventilated seats and a lot more which doesn't come in the new car. I wouldn't want to pay the same amount or more after price hikes for a car with less features. Hope you can get the idea. I have nothing against the brand. I own 2 of their cars but i just feel the ASS could be better and the cars more reliable. In terms of safety, there is none to compete honestly. IMO the safest cars in the world are Volvos. Hope you find the right car soon. Why don't you check out new BMW X5. It will be launched soon if you can wait.

Checj out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We have a Honda CR-V, BMW X5, Jeep Compass and Mahindra Thar. The Honda Amaze is the smallest car in our family.

BHPian cg99 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello, everyone.

This is an introduction to my garage, a brief ownership report, and a super short review, all rolled into one.

For context, I am an engineer by qualification, have been working for two years now, and live in Jaipur. As of today, my family consists of my father (53), my mother (49), my brother (25), and me (23). Each car in our garage is assigned to a person and is mainly driven by them only. However, if I am with my parents, I am always the one driving regardless of the car. This is close to a 60/40 split when it is my brother and me (with me driving more often). We do not have a driver as we like driving ourselves.

Points to note - As this forum is filled with enthusiasts who already know all about most cars, some information might seem redundant but I have still added everything I deem relevant. Also, for an easy read, I will stay away from complex technical jargon and keep the content brief.

On to the garage now

2004 Honda CR-V AT 2.0 i-vtec

Oldest car and obviously the one we have the most memories with

We got this car in the first week of September 2004 and now has a little over 176000 Km on the odo. Even though I was just 5 years old when we got it, I just knew it was something special. It was a CBU import and fairly rare in Jaipur for years to come. This was my father's first SUV and he really loved it. He drove it for almost 12 years before buying a new car. However, we still have it, albeit in an okay-ish state, collecting dust, approaching 19 years of age this September. We used to go on a lot of road trips in this car and it never let us down.

It still runs (a testament to Honda quality and also aided by the fact that it was a CBU import) and is suffering only because of the lack of maintenance. I am the only one who occasionally drives (or cares to drive) it now. I get it cleaned and take it out occasionally to keep it running. It got a general oil, oil filter, air filter, caliper grease, etc. service last November and a new battery sometime before that. Has not run even 500 kilometers since then.

It is a fairly good-looking car for being almost 19 now. However, the facelift version with body-colored cladding does look better with age than this pre-facelift version I think. It is a well-proportioned SUV with the tailgate-mounted spare wheel giving it some heft.

The interior of the car is fairly basic and analog (as expected). 3 people can sit in the back in a surprising amount of comfort considering how the car isn't very big. I think it is difficult to find a similar amount of space in a modern car of the same size. The materials used are decent (don't feel particularly cheap) and have stood the test of time. The car still has its original interior. It has a dash-mounted gear lever so the storage is great owing partially to the floating center console that can be folded away. Boot space has proven to be more than sufficient every time we took a road trip in it. Air conditioning with automatic climate control works well even to this day. Various modern infotainment systems (screen size of up to 7 inches I think) can be added to the car as it has a large section available for it.

The car's performance was fantastic for its time (0-100 time was somewhere around 11 seconds I think). My father loved driving it and he swore by its high-speed stability. By the time I got a license, the car was too old to take on the highway so I never fully experienced it but I can assure you that the performance in the city has always been more than adequate (I am not referring to driving sedately). However, being a petrol automatic SUV from the early 2000s, it obviously drinks more fuel than you'd like. Fuel economy used to be around 6 kmpl in the city and 8 kmpl on the highway. Nonetheless, the 58-liter fuel tank gave it ample range for road trips.

Maintenance of this car was not higher than what one would expect after spending almost 18 Lacs on a car in 2004. Finding parts, however, was definitely an issue later on in its life as they took more than a month to come almost always and were also only getting more expensive with time. However, Pink City Honda in Jaipur has always tried to fix every issue (not so much anymore but that is understandable due to the car's age).

It is a great car all in all. Can still be made into a worthy daily driver with just 1L rupees, however, there is no need as we're four people and this is the fifth car. Will scrap it and try and get some discounts/rebates when we buy another car.

2016 BMW X5 Xdrive30D

The second oldest but definitely the crown jewel

We got this car in the last week of May 2016 and now has a little over 90000 on the odo. Buying this was definitely a shocker as the 17-year-old me didn't even know that we could afford something like this. This was special because of various obvious reasons: a luxury car, a flagship BMW SUV on top of that, a massive upgrade from the 12-year-old CRV, and that amazing turbo diesel engine. We have taken it on various road trips but none to the remote places in the North due to fear of no service in case of emergencies.

Convincing my mother for the big fat purchase of a BMW took a bit but it all ended superbly well. This was my father's car, making the CRV my mother's, and the 2007 Suzuki Swift VDi (which we sold before getting the Amaze) got the label of 'extra'. Yes, a hand-me-down system. It is going to turn 7 this May and is now my personal car. I am in the process of buying it from my father through EMIs since he got himself the Thar. Now, I drive it for a minimum of 30 km daily in the city and the experience is still as lovely as ever. I am the only one who drives it now as my mother and father hate the size, and my brother loves his own car too much.

I think it's a really good-looking car but of course, I might be biased. The only gripe I have is that the wheels would look much better with 19-inch alloys instead of the 18s I have on it currently. It's just an inch but I do feel that it would fill the wheel arch much better and suit the car's price and image. The headlights look fantastic and seem perfectly bright unless I use the car with my brother's compass back to back. Other than that, the car's size is definitely a plus. It has got a lovely road presence due to a footprint larger than even a Fortuner (it is longer and wider, but not as tall).

The interior of the car is extremely well-built and is devoid of any cheap plastics. It is soft or squidgy wherever you touch it which is appropriate for the price of the car. The i-drive system is fantastic to use with very intuitive controls. It contains great functionality for its age. The only thing I probably wish it had is Apple Carplay but only because of Google Maps (updating map in the navigation system would cost somewhere around 10000 rupees). It can comfortably seat 5 adults. The front seats are comfortable and supportive but the backseat could definitely be better (low thigh support, slightly knees-up position, and low cushioning). My car has analog dials instead of the 6WB digital cluster that came with the 2016 July update (I hope the month is right) but I personally do not mind much. I would have preferred a 6WA hybrid cluster instead that came in the M cars of those years.

Since it's a BMW 3-liter in-line 6, the performance is nothing short of fantastic. The briskness with which this heavy SUV moves is astonishing. Even though I have gotten used to its acceleration and now want something quicker, it still entertains me a little every time I drive it. It is never out of grunt and is almost always faster than other cars on the road with you. It makes 258 PS of power and 560 Nm of torque through its N57 turbo diesel engine that works perfectly well with an 8-speed ZF gearbox. Driving it is a treat even after 90000 kilometers and I can only imagine how much more fun driving a 530d with the same drivetrain but in RWD sedan guise is. I would have preferred if the ride wasn’t as bouncy at the rear in Comfort mode as it is at low speeds due to the air suspension. I get a fuel economy of 10 kmpl out of it in the city and around 12.5 kmpl on the highway. However, I am sure it can do 14 (or even 15) kmpl if driven sedately on the highway.

Maintenance is expensive for sure. It is truly just a pain if I am being honest, partly due to service staff of average competence. Parts are expensive and seem to go wrong more often than they should. It just had its second change of rear suspension bellows in December 2022. The electric steering column does not work for tilt anymore. Some lights on the center console have gone out. Ambient lighting is slightly dim in most spots now. The sunroof rail of the glass part seems to have a jam of sorts. According to the BMW service center, the entire sunroof needs to be replaced altogether which is 2.5+ Lac rupees. Now that they have hooked it up to the computer, I cannot even use the switch to move the sunshade (without the glass roof) and use it as one of those fixed glass roofs from JLR. Waiting for the major 1L km service now.

Regardless of all its supposed cons in maintenance/reliability or lack of Apple Carplay and keyless entry, I absolutely love the car. It is a delight to drive and considering the condition of roads in North India, it's basically the sensible/practical version of a 530d. Moreover, it is the last few years for a 3 Liter turbo diesel in-line 6 engine so I plan to use it for as long as I can.

2021 Honda Amaze VX Petrol CVT

A fairly recent purchase and the tiniest car we have

We got this car in January 2021 and it has almost 21000 km on the odo. Interestingly, this is the only car I wasn't present at the delivery of and is also the only one I disapprove of. My family got this when I was away for college. I suggested an i20 due to its superior powertrain, more space, more features, and also safety. However, we were getting this for my mother and trying to keep it under the 10 L mark. Even though this was supposed to be strictly for city commute, it has been as far as Kota and if I am being completely honest, it is not all that bad. I think I am biased against it because of its size and the CVT gearbox.

We got this for my mother but my brother and I used it quite often until he bought his own car, after which I used it a lot until I convinced my father to buy himself another car. You can guess that the 23-year-old me could not afford anything new that is as nice as a BMW X5 so I had to coerce my father. The Amaze ran almost 13000 kms in the first year, half of that in the second year, and will run a fraction of that in its third year now. It now mostly stays parked as my mother rarely needs to go out but it is in perfect condition as I have checked on my mandatory once-a-month drive.

It is a decent-looking car from the front and acceptably bad from the back. The car has very small wheels which automatically make the rear end look oddly fat when looking at the side profile. I do personally think that it looks the best among all the compact ‘sedans’ sold in India (Dzire, Ameo, Aura, Tigor, etc.). Super small dimensions make it nippy in traffic but the resultant light weight makes for low highspeed stability.

The Interior of the car is perfectly alright I think. Nice analog dials and a clear display in the middle. The steering wheel design is decent too. Hard plastics in most places but that’s not surprising so, in turn, don’t trouble. The space inside the cabin is fairly nice considering that the car’s concept started life as a tiny Brio. The infotainment system is absolutely fantastic due to Apple Carplay. The stock UI is bad and fairly useless. The fabric seats get stained easily and that is definitely a hassle to get cleaned. The car can fit four people comfortably but a fifth one should only be taken on for short rides.

The car has a 1.2-liter i-vtec engine that makes about 90 PS of power and 110 Nm of torque. It is properly sufficient in the city where the CVT gearbox also feels super smooth and amazingly comfortable. However, out on the highway (I understand that the car isn’t meant for it), the CVT gearbox does irritate a fair bit. The rubber band effect is as clear as day and the lack of power is even clearer so. It is a lovely city car nonetheless due to its extremely smooth CVT gearbox (when driven slowly) and surprisingly comfortable ride. The car delivers good fuel economy (at least when compared to the rest in the garage) at 13 kmpl in the city and 17 kmpl on the highway.

Maintenance has been cheap and I’m sure will continue to be so. It definitely is the best compact sedan you can buy, it’s just that I would’ve preferred one of the bigger hatchbacks. It has only had the regular oil, oil filter, air filter, etc serviced until now. However, I do need to send it for a CVT oil change as 2 years are up (I know I’m late). Only a headlamp bulb has gone out since we got the car and that was under 400 rupees if I remember correctly. Hence, expecting a fairly hassle-free ownership experience with this one.

As I said, it is genuinely a great city car because of its comfortable ride, decent performance at low speeds, small size, and Apple Carplay. However, I do not like it and will most likely replace this in the next two years with something nicer (not an EV).

2022 Jeep Compass Model S 4*4 AT

A little more than a year old and a lovely car for the most part

We got this in the first week of March 2022 and now it has a little more than 15000 km on the odo. This is a very special car for us because my brother bought it himself and we are all just incredibly happy about it being the first car in the second generation. My brother was hellbent on getting a Compass after the 2021 update and actually delayed his purchase by a year in order to afford it. A number of cars were test-driven and none seemed to win him over. Yes, Octavia and Tiguan were included. Last year, we used it a fair bit when driving out of the city as it definitely had a sense of occasion and the X5 was 6 years old.

It definitely has impressed us all with its build quality and usable features. Like all cars, it does have its downsides but they’re manageable. My brother absolutely loves it. A year has gone by but he still occasionally compliments something or the other about the car while driving it. It definitely is a great addition to the garage owing to its similar mile-munching abilities in a much smaller size compared to the X5. We were glad to have two highway-worthy cars when we bought the Compass. We now have three but more on that later.

It’s a fantastic-looking car from the front, and an okay looking one from the back. The color combination of the one we have really helps its looks I think. Context: no offense to anyone but I personally don’t like a white Compass. The smart 18-inch wheels, the black roof, and the small-ish glass area (not the best for visibility but looks good) make the car look rather nice and, dare I say, aggressive from certain angles. The size of the car is very manageable in the city and the proportions are just right.

The interior of the car is as good as it could be without ambient lighting. Really just well-built and ergonomic for the most part. Both screens, infotainment, and instrument cluster, are easy to read and have a decent amount of functionality. However, the new update for the infotainment system oddly has a dark background during the day and a painfully bright background during the night. It could be something to do with the settings, but I just took my brother’s word for it as the wireless Apple Carply fires up in less than 10 seconds and fixes the issue anyway. As I’m sure most Compass owners know, space is a bit of an issue in the car. It feels much smaller inside than what its size suggests from the outside. This also goes for the boot space. Tiguan is just slightly bigger but has almost 200 liters of more space in the boot. Trust me, it’s not proportionate to the size difference.

The car has a 2.0 Liter MultiJet diesel engine that makes 173 PS and 350 Nm of torque mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. The engine is far too loud I think, and the transmission is way too slow in the city. However, out on the highway, this car is perfectly fine. The transmission doesn’t need to work too often and the engine doesn’t need to rev too high, and these two make a world of a difference. The car is fairly quick even with the terrible gearbox and gains speed swiftly for overtakes. The high-speed stability of this car is astonishingly good. You can take long corners at 100+ kmph speeds with ease. Very little unsettles the car at high speed but the same trait results in a marginally stiff ride at low speeds. Fuel economy is okay at best and the gearbox is to be blamed for that. My brother manages 10-10.5 kmpl in the city and 14 kmpl on the highway. A 2-liter turbo diesel shouldn’t drink the same amount of fuel as a 3-liter turbo diesel.

Maintenance is not expensive but isn’t cheap enough to be noticeable either. It’s alright and just doesn’t catch one’s eye. A rear bumper was replaced and that cost something around 8000 rupees for reference. Adblue alert comes up much sooner than one would expect and pings every time you start the car. The Auto-Hold function seems to stop and start working randomly and the service center does not know why that is. Luckily, no infamous clanking sounds have shown up yet and we have our fingers crossed. Other than that, it seems to be a reliable machine.

This car is fantastic in more than one way. I would’ve probably bought a Tiguan or an Octavia instead but it’s my brother’s money and he absolutely loves the Jeep so now I like it too. It has fantastic high-speed stability, decent performance, super impressive interiors, and a host of features. The transmission probably wouldn’t seem as slow if I hadn’t used the 8-speed ZF in the X5, and the engine noise is probably not all that bad for a 2 Liter 4 Cylinder in a car that costs under 40 Lacs. It’s here to stay for long as even if my brother decides to buy a new car this one would be handed down to my mother.

2022 Mahindra Thar H/T Petrol AT

Newest car and probably the one with the most character

We got this car in mid-November 2022 and it now has almost 5000 km on the odo. This was an impromptu decision (as one might guess from two car purchases in one year) and proved to be a fantastic one, to say the least. My father couldn’t be happier as for the last year and a half before the purchase he had only cribbed about the large size and high costs of maintenance of the X5. Contrary to most news at the time about 3-4 months of waiting period for a Thar, we got ours in 3 days.

This is a great buy for our garage I think, as we now have a small city car, a compact SUV worthy of the highway, a large SUV that can go 1000+ kms with loads of luggage, and a lifestyle vehicle that doesn’t make much sense but it’s okay because all other cars in the garage do. My father now refuses to drive anything else which is great because I was worried that he’ll try to pawn off the Thar to me and get back to his BMW. He loves it for its size, refinement, road presence, and seating position. I have driven it a total of 15 times I think and it does seem like a nice fun vehicle so I am glad it’s a part of our garage. He has finally expressed the urge to get certain things done to the car so I need to get on that soon.

I think the car looks fantastic. The black color, even more so. I personally feel that the hard top variant looks decidedly better than the soft top one. It has a very rugged appeal with its tall stature and chunky wheels. I am glad they are 18 inches as that really suits the car. Mahindra has really nailed it with their design albeit through heavy inspiration from the Wrangler. A good job nonetheless. Planning to make certain cosmetic changes to it, including the Wrangler grill. Apologies to all Wrangler owners for the disrespect, but the stock grill on the Thar is poorly designed so I believe that is a necessary change. Headlights would need changing for sure as the halogens aren’t strong enough for night drives on the highway, however, I assure you that they will be leveled properly and no traffic will ever be blinded by a vehicle from my house. Might also add a functional snorkel because my father likes how it looks and it is against my principles to get one installed solely for cosmetic reasons.

The interior of the Thar Hard Top is decently spacious for seating four and comfortable enough for short rides. The seats are okayish I think with minimal thigh support and a low amount of comfort for long journeys. The lack of a dead pedal amplifies the discomfort even more. However, my father is shorter than me and seems to find it adequate so I guess there’s nothing much to complain about. The dashboard is equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay but needs a wire to make that work. Might add a Bluetooth adapter of sorts to make a wireless Apple Carplay setup, do share any product that you like or have used to do the same. Other than that it has the standard rudimentary (for 2022) features like automatic climate control, keyless start, and a reverse camera (an accessory from Mahindra, but is only useful to check for a bike hiding behind the large tail-mounted spare wheel). The materials used are neither soft to touch nor squidgy to press. The glove box is as tiny as it could be. Will probably add some ambient lighting to the car, but not sure yet.

The car is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 150 horsepower and 320 Nm of torque. This engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that offers surprisingly effortless acceleration (in the city) and smooth gear changes (unless around 50, because then it seems to hold a gear for too long). It is a lovely experience driving this car for sure. The seating position is so up high and the car seems to go over anything with ease. The ride gets a little busy at times but that’s okay for a body-on-frame SUV. My father tried the 4X4 system on some dunes in Jodhpur and he loves the car even more since then. The refinement is great for a car of this sort I think. The fuel economy is low but not terrible. 8 kmpl in the city and I think 14 kmpl on the highway.

Maintenance has been cheap but it has not even been 6 months since we’ve got this. However, I’m fairly certain that this car will not give much grief regarding maintenance cost and reliability. Have not seen any posts on this forum or news regarding issues with this powertrain or car anyway.

Like I said in the subheading, this car surely has the most amount of character among the 4 (and the CRV) we own. It has an amazing road presence. Interestingly, Thars are incredibly common in Jaipur now. However, that only goes to show how amazing (or amazingly fun) the vehicle is considering it sells in such numbers even after it being a less-than-ideal package overall. I used to put a Thar and a Royal Enfield in the same category earlier and considered them both to be fairly obnoxious. However, in the last year, I rode a bullet for quite a bit and have driven the Thar a number of times, and I now completely get the appeal of these. They’re just incredibly fun.

Conclusion

Well, that's about it. 5 cars with 4 in regular use. Hope you all liked the post. Even though most cars are very well documented on Team-BHP, do let me know if you want me to post a detailed review or ownership experience of any of the cars.

Thank you for reading and have a lovely day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The X5 is an amazing driver's car, it has all the right features for a driver; as a passenger it misses out on a few but no car is perfect.

BHPian Jay_P2324 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Introduction

The hunt for a new car began when our previous car the F10 520d turned 11 years old. We had been on the lookout for a new car since it was time for an upgrade. The F10 5 series is an amazing car with a timeless design and has received a lot of praise on the forum. My selection criteria and decision-making process is documented here (Upgrading from a BMW 5-Series | BMW X5 30d M-Sport vs Mercedes GLE 400d)

I was sure-footed that I wanted a BMW but the additional power on the GLE with the 400d engine made me contemplate my decision. After test-driving the X5 there was no looking back, for a driver the car ticked all the right boxes, as a rear-seat passenger, GLE is a much better car.

The car comes in pretty much as a standard spec with all the options ticked. One option I would have loved is the Bowers and Wilkins sound system.

The Buying Experience

I contacted both dealers in the city Navnit and Infinity. Navnit Motors had a very positive approach towards making a sale. Initially, both dealers did not have a diesel car for a test drive but in a couple of weeks, I got a call from Navnit that they had a diesel car available for a test drive and the SA came over with the car the same day. I was also offered a discount which Infinity did not offer and Navnit also stuck to the delivery commitment. I booked the car in the first week of November and PDI was done in the last week of November. I took delivery of the car in the first week of December.

A picture from the PDI

The car was dropped off for a PPF the day we took delivery. I had shortlisted a few detailers in the city namely Ceramic Pro Vasai, The Detailing Studio, and Optimum Detailerz. After speaking to Mr. Amol Chitre from Optimum Detailerz, I was quite impressed with his knowledge and passion for the work he does. He was the only one to invite me to his workshop and check out the installation process being done on a car. He addressed all of my questions and concerns and I was thoroughly satisfied with the quality of work and finish he offered for a PPF installation.

Delivery Day

I went with the STEK Dynoshield which comes with a 10-year warranty. The overall process including paint decontamination, detailing, installation, and curing took 10 days. I was kept updated throughout the process.

The Driving Experience

I got the car home on the 18th of December after the PPF installation and did not get much time to drive it. 70% of my driving is in the city and 30% on highways. The car does a good job at sedate driving in the city and does a good job at highway driving as well. The car had covered about 1000 km in one month. But this weekend I got a chance to drive it to Nashik and this is truly where I got to experience the car and play around with it as well. The car is quite comfortable, 18-way adjustable seats make sure you find that sweet seating position. In terms of fit and finish the car seems well put together.

On my way back from Nashik, the car had completed 1500 km on the odometer, and I decided to test out the sport mode. The engine gets more responsive and the shifts are quicker. It just doesn’t feel like a 2-ton SUV, the car gets to triple-digit speeds in no time. I read somewhere that with the MSport package, there is an exhaust note that comes in through the speakers in sport mode (correct me if I’m wrong here). I couldn’t find a better explanation for how a diesel engine can sound so good at higher revs.

The car is fairly easy to maneuver around the city but one needs to be careful at narrow toll booths. Overall a good performer, I've been getting a fuel economy of 10 in the city and 12 on the highway with sedate driving. My spirited drive on the way back from Nashik returned around 10 on the highway.

Pros

• The infotainment system is angled towards the driver, a cool layout by BMW.
• Plenty of space in the rear
• Space saver lid comes with a strut
• Boot space is quite good as well, can take in a lot of luggage
• Touch-sensitive door handles makes unlocking and locking the car easy, no need to look for a button
• Wireless CarPlay, no need to look for cables
• The 30d engine + the ZF 8 speed, a match made in heaven
• The body roll is well controlled, making it fun around corners
• NVH is surprisingly low for a Diesel
• Soft close doors

Things that could have been better

• Rear reclining seats
• Digital Key (offered overseas)
• Remote engine start and app connectivity
• Height-adjustable seat belts
• RFT: the ride could have been much better with regular tubeless tyres, RFT’s make the ride a little harsh and I need to be on the lookout for deep potholes which could damage the rims
• Ventilated seats
• Crafted Clarity panel is a fingerprint magnet
• 80/120 chimes are irritating, especially the 80 one on a highway when driving through a busy one

Exterior

I like that the car gets a good mix of chrome and black accents. The grille and name badges are chrome whereas the shadow line around the windows and the bumper get piano black accents. I waited a long time for BMW to launch a diesel MSport trim. The plastic trim around the wheel arches of the Xline variant was an eye sore to look at. The car looks quite good for an SUV and in my personal opinion a lot better than the X7. The 20-inch 740M wheels are beautiful to look at.

Went with the Jahre emblems to complement the MSport pack

Interior

At first, I was not a fan of the Cognac interiors but later they grew on me. The open-pore wood trim also looks great contrasting the cognac seat colours. The Msport steering size is smaller in diameter compared to the F10 5 series. In terms of equipment, I like that Apple CarPlay fills up the entire screen compared to the Mercedes where only a rectangular portion is filled and there are blank gaps on either side. The Harmon Kardon sound system is brilliant in terms of sound quality. I also love the heads-up display and the fact that you can scroll through and select songs through that; really helps when navigation is on and you need to change songs.

Issues/niggles

• I feel a minor vibration at low speeds while parking the vehicle in D or R until 5 kmph, need to get that checked at the preliminary service
• Around the silver plastic trims on the steering wheel I feel there is a minor play on the right side below the voice activation button. The left side feels normal

The pictures that the dealer sent had fog lights on the car. My car came without fog lights. The online configurator mentions it as an option but the spec sheet does not.

I can see a panel gap between the lower end of the split tailgate and the rear bumper. I feel that the white colour is making it more prominent.

I have experienced some color transfer from dark-coloured denim onto the seats.

Conclusion

The X5 is an amazing driver's car, it has all the right features for a driver, as a passenger it misses out on a few but no car is perfect. You get a laidback driving experience in Eco Pro, sedated yet peppy in Comfort and the car gets into maniac mode in Sport. I am unsure of the value quotient of the car in 2023 where BMW has increased the pricing of the car closer to 1cr ex-showroom.

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You can see how the price of the German SUV is increasing disproportionately over the best alternative available in the mass market segment.

BHPian 84.monsoon recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Having watched the exponential way in which the prices of the German luxury offerings are rising over the years, I thought it would be interesting to compare the price premium of the luxury 7 seater SUV from BMW - which is a good sample of the price trajectory of the German marquees - and compare it with the top spec Innova. We could have also compared it with the Fortuner, which would show a similarly shaped graph:

• In 2007, the first generation top end Innova cost 12 lakhs on road, the 7 seater X5 cost 55 lakhs.
• In 2010, Innova and BMW prices increased marginally with the Innova moving up to 14 lakhs and BMW X5 7 seater costing 65 lakhs on-road.
• By 2014, the BMW X5 had moved up to 80 lakhs, while the Innova top end had crept up to 18 lakhs.
• When the Crysta was launched in 2016, the top end of the Innova moved up to 25 lakhs, X5 stayed launched the M-Sport top end around 90 lakhs on-road.
• Fast forward to 2019, BMW launched the new X5 the top end retailing at 98 lakhs on-road and removed the 3rd row of seats. They brought in the 3 row X7, at 1.2 crore on-road. The Innova crept up to almost 30 lakhs for the top end on-road. The comparison moved to X7 from X5 as it is the only three-row full-size SUV offered by BMW.
• Cut to 2023, the new Innova is going to retail at 35 lakhs on-road, while the X7 goes up to 1.5 crore!

You can see how the price of the German SUV is increasing disproportionately over the best alternative available in the mass market segment.

I think we will find a similar trend if we compare the price movement in other segments - when we compare the German marquee offerings versus the popular market offerings from the Germans or even the local companies.

Moral of the story - the Germans are becoming more and more difficult to afford for the initial buyer segment they were targeted at, and showing the characteristics of a luxury good, where demand is increasingly inelastic to the price. So if you want to own one of these, it is better to get in earlier and own it over a longer period of time. Fortunately, reliability of BMWs etc. has been improving, which makes it easier to hold on to these cars much longer then before.

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The salesperson assured me that the 2024 facelift of the X5 wouldn't have any significant changes.

BHPian Dr.Car recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am looking to buy a new luxury SUV in the Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1 crore price range and had narrowed down to the BMW X5 and the Mercedes GLE. The car will be driven by my father, mother and myself. So, we don’t need a chauffeur-driven car at all.

We test-drove both these cars last week for a brief 20 Km ride and found both to be extremely nice and comfy. The driving experience was definitely better on the Bimmer but I liked the interior layout of GLE a tad bit better. The test drive cars were both diesels and we are ok with it but still open to going for petrol.

After a lot of discussion in our family, we finally narrowed down on the BMW due to its better driving experience. Since this is gonna be our first luxury car purchase, I wanted to make sure that the car we buy shouldn’t be outdated within just a few years and so, I searched the Internet regarding the facelift of both these cars and found that the X5 is due for a facelift in 2024. This was also confirmed by the SA but he assured me that there aren’t gonna be very significant changes.

I’d like to have advice from the members of this forum should I go ahead with the booking or wait? (Even though it’ll be difficult to wait for so long but we’ll manage).

Thanks

Here's what BHPian GreasyCarb55 had to say about the matter:

If you're okay with the higher running costs I would highly suggest you go for the petrol engine over the diesel. Yes, the B57 3.0L Turbo Diesel is a great motor and has been the heart of many amazing BMWs since 2017 (the most notable one being the 530D) but the B58 3.0L Turbo Petrol in the 40i model is too good to ignore. It's essentially a detuned version of the engine found in highly desirable cars like the BMW Z4 M40i, M340i and MK5 Toyota Supra so when it comes to mod potential the world is your oyster.

As for the facelift, this is going to be the "LCI" (or Life Cycle Impulse) which is BMW's standard midlife facelift it gives to its cars a few years after they enter the market. If this facelift was scheduled for 2023, then I would've told you to wait but if it's coming in 2024 then I would say that's too much to wait for one car and taking into account that the exact launch date for the LCI is unknown and delay between international and Indian launches, it would probably take a year and a half to get you the LCI car. As you've already experienced yourself, the X5 is one hell of an SUV so go for.

Here's what BHPian Jay_P2324 had to say about the matter:

I had the same dilemma as you 2 months ago. I test-drove both cars. Interiors are better in the GLE but the X5 is simply amazing as a driver's car.

I took delivery of my X5 30d yesterday. The engine and gearbox combination is one of the best that any car manufacturer can offer. The NVH is surprisingly low for a diesel.

You definitely can't go wrong with either of the engines. I prefer the low-end torque of the diesel motor hence picked that one.

I had considered waiting for the LCI, but looking at the X7 LCI, the X5 would be on similar lines, with some cosmetic changes on the front end, plus the new curved digital instrument cluster that eliminates physical buttons. Controlling the air conditioning through the touch screen is not really my preference. Looking at the updates I opted for the current model.

On another note, if you are planning to book the car make sure you go for the updated seats that come with Merino leather, when I purchased the car only Vernasca was an option.

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