Used 2013 BMW X5 Premium 35i for sale 

The BMW offers five trims of this luxurious SUV that can seat 5 people and 7 in some variants. The trims are named as xDrive35i, xDrive35i Premium, xDrive35i Sport Activity, xDrive35d, and xDrive50i. The X5 xDrive35d trim is a diesel variant of the SUV and gets reviewed separately. The 'xDrive' indicates the standard all-wheel-drive out of the box, while the last 3 characters represent the engine. Some standard features include fog lights, daytime running headlights, automatic wipers, and cruise control.

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The BMW X5 is a car that’s designed for peripatetic nature. We recommend you to go for xDrive50i that packs great power coupled with exceptional handling, thanks to BMW's in-house xDrive technology. This variant offers a decent gas mileage, far better than its counterpart, the X5 M. All in all, the xDrive50i brings the best performance and comfort for the driver and passengers inside.

The BMW X5 now comes in three different engines, the xDrive35i models equip a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-6 engine that produces 300 horsepower and 300 lb-feet of torque. The xDrive50i features a 4.4 Litre twin-turbo V8 engine, while the xDrive35d packs a diesel power 3.0 Litre turbocharged Inline 6 engine that churns out 265 horsepower and 425lb-ft of torque. The diesel variant is reviewed separately. All xDrive35i and xDrive50i variants include an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode.

In terms of performance, the X5 with a turbocharged Inline-6 engine can reach 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, whereas the twin-turbocharged V8 engine achieves the same feat in 5.6 seconds. The X5 mated with the M Sports package can add 15 horsepower to the xDrive35i. In the top speed test, the X5 records 155 MPH across all the gasoline-powered trims.

In comparison, both the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 are equipped with a 3.0 Litre V6 engine. All cars in the segment come as all-wheel-drive variants only. The Cayenne takes 6.9 seconds to hit 60 mph and 15.3 seconds for the quarter-mile, while the Audi Q7 clocks 7.7 seconds and 14.6 seconds respectively in the acceleration test and quarter-mile run.

The xDrive35i I6 engine variant turns out to be the most fuel-efficient SUVs of all the variants but not the best in this segment. The xDrive35i sport activity variant gives a mileage of 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, averaging 19 mpg. It features a fuel tank of 22.5 gallons, which clearly puts its competitors ahead. With full tank capacity, the X5 can run for 427.5 miles in the city and 585.6 miles on the highway.

When compared, the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 are considerably more efficient, managing 23 and 22 MPG, respectively. The Cayenne and Q7, both don a massive fuel tank of 26.4 gallons, which is pretty large in this segment. In terms of range, both cars managed to perform better than the BMW X5.

The 2013 BMW X5 interior hasn’t changed much from its previous iteration except for a few. The X5 can seat 5 people, and in a few variants, it can accommodate 7 (though the third row is cramped). Its cabin is elegant with premium quality materials as we would expect in a BMW, but not as good as some of its competition. The legroom in the first two rows is large enough for all kinds of people while the third row has been shrunk. It’s equipped with the iDrive controller, which is pretty good and intuitive but gets complicated when we dig deeper. 

The seats offer leather upholstery that is soothing especially when driving for longer times. It also features driver and front passenger heated-cushion, heated-seatback, and heated front seats. The ride quality is great. It’s tight, sporty and peppy, and offers very direct road feedback to the driver. It offers a cargo space of 12.2 cu.-ft, which is about average in this class.

In comparison, the Audi Q7 offers a room for 7 people, and it's the most voluminous car in this segment with 13.3 cu.-ft of cargo space. The Cayenne sits next to the Q7 with some good amount of boot space, while its cargo space is unknown. While BMW and Porsche come with seating for five in the base configuration, the Q7 brings the capacity for seven. Some salient interior features include:

• ABS and Drive traction control
• Leatherette Seat trim
• Rain sensing wipers
• Heated mirrors
• Driver and passenger lumbar support

2013 BMW X5’s infotainment system

The infotainment system in the X5 is simple and clean and is equipped with a 10 speaker surround system. The center console holds BMW’s in-house technology called iDrive controller that opens up to all types of infotainment options, right from Bluetooth connectivity to streaming an FM/AM channel.

But the iDrive control is pretty complex, and it takes a lot of time to get used to it. Some other infotainment features include:

• Satellite Radio
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• CD Player
• HD Radio
• AM/FM Stereo
• iPod Connectivity

The BMW X5 inherits the same design from its predecessor that looks masculine. From the front, the X5 is instantly recognizable as a BMW, with its iconic dual-kidney-shaped grille. While the back portion gives us a typical SUV (quite similar to the Porsche Cayenne) kind of impression, but in some angles, it looks like a sporty-sedan. In the end, we can characterize its design as compelling.

The BMW X5 has a total curb weight of 4,960lbs. It is 191.1 inches long and sports the shortest wheelbase of 115.5 inches. It is 73 inches wide, which is pretty compact in this segment. While its ground clearance is 8.3 inches, the X5 stands at a total height of 63.9 inches, making it the tallboy amongst its rivals.

In the competition, the Audi Q7 is the heaviest car in the segment, while the Porsche Cayenne is the lightest, weighing 5,567 and 4,500 lbs, respectively. The Audi Q7 is also the longest car in the competition at 200.3 inches, and it also holds the best wheelbase in the competition at 118.2 inches. Both competitors of the X5 are shorter in height. Some standout exterior features of the BMW X5 include:

• 19-inch silver aluminum wheels
• Panoramic sunroof
• Adaptable rain wipers
• Power tailgate
• Alloy wheels

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hasn't crash-tested the latest BMW X5 but does give it a four-star rollover rating. All the variants of BMW X5 come equipped with some standard features like traction control, anti-lock brakes, automatic brake drying, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, adaptive brake lights, and BMW Assist emergency communications system. Some other safety specifications include:

• Pretensioners
• Trailer stabilization
• Hill descent control
• Anti-theft Alarm System
• Six Airbags

The 2013 BMW X5 is one of the best SUVs in the market that ticks most of the boxes on road but turns out to be a compromised off-roader. It delivers a great drive quality, confidence, and stable handling. Despite its larger size and bulk, the acceleration is brisk, even with the base model. If you are someone looking for a performance machine on back roads and city streets, the X5 is a champ that does all that with ease. But if you are in quest of more utility and off-roading capabilities, there are some better options out there.