Every year for some time now, Consumer Reports has put together together a list of their picks for the best cars of the year. The models which make this list must best their competitors on a number of metrics, which include track tests, lengthy road evaluations, safety analysis, and various other assessments like reliability and owner satisfaction based on survey data. Now in its fourth generation and a full twenty years removed from when the model was first introduced, the all-new G05 X5 has been chosen as the best luxury SUV of 2019—that’s SAV, according to the company that makes it—by Consumer Reports.
According to the list, the redesigned X5 is, “one of the best SUVs that Consumer Reports has ever tested,” thanks to BMW managing to strike the perfect balance between luxury-level comfort and an engaging driving experience. The version tested was a B58 inline six-powered X5 xDrive40i, but Consumer Reports praised the engine as being responsive and capable of providing swift acceleration, which is good news for the mid-size platform, while the ZF eight-speed automatic was also extolled as enhancing things thanks to its quick shifts.
The interior was specifically highlighted, owing to qualities such as “impeccable fit and finish, and lots of rich materials,” along with iDrive infotainment that is packed with cutting edge features that remain easy to use and rely on.
The new X5 being featured on another ten-best list doesn’t come as particularly surprising news to us here at BimmerLife, but winning over the minds at Consumer Reports is impressive given the organization’s non-biased approach which seeks to empower consumers through data gathered from exhaustive testing, evaluation and comparison. Moreover, as BMW adapts to a changing customer landscape which undoubtedly prefers SAVs and SACs, the investment and risks undertaken in the highly important X5 and it’s fourth-generation design seem to be paying off already.—Alex Tock
[Photos courtesy BMW AG.]