2014 BMW X5
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/" rel="tag">Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bmw/" rel="tag">BMW</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/driving/" rel="tag">First Drives</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/diesel/" rel="tag">Diesel</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/" rel="tag">Luxury</a></p><em><big>Is Better Than Ever Still Good Enough?</big></em><br />
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-bmw-x5-first-drive/"><img alt="2014 BMW X5" data-mep="8475" src="http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/adam/c38a3260c1055fe5aa7ab952c fd85111/2014-bmw-x5-fd.jpg" /></a><br />
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By now, all but the staunchest of traditionalists have moved past the shock and horror of seeing their favorite automotive brands branching into categories and segments that break with their previously accepted norms. In other words, you and I don't really care all that much if the <a href="http://autoblog.com/bmw/m3/">BMW M3</a> is powered by an inline six or a V8, or whether it boasts a turbocharger, just so long as the end result is an awesome car. Similarly, we don't get all hot under the collar seeing that same M3 share space on the showroom floor with a brace of SUVs and crossovers... or, as BMW continues to insist, Sports Activity Vehicles.<br />
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Time, as they say, heals all wounds, and the <a href="http://autoblog.com/bmw/x5/">BMW X5</a> has been around long enough, having first seen the light of day in 1999, that anyone offended by its existence has since gotten over it. Plus, the X5 is a legitimately nice vehicle to drive, offering such desirable qualities to family men and women as seating for up to seven, all-wheel drive and a commandingly tall view of the road. For the enthusiast set, the X5 serves up a taut chassis and powerful engine options.<br />
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Up until now, <a href="http://autoblog.com/bmw/x5/">BMW</a> has done a very good job combining these two seemingly disjointed paradigms - SUV-like utility and pleasing driving dynamics - better than any of its rivals, which include similarly sized utility vehicles from each of the big German brands, plus <a href="http://autoblog.com/acura/">Acura</a>, <a href="http://autoblog.com/lexus/">Lexus</a> and <a href="http://autoblog.com/infiniti/">Infiniti</a> from Japan. The Americans, too, play in this space, though with perhaps a bit less overall prestige from nameplates like <a href="http://autoblog.com/cadillac/">Cadillac</a> and <a href="http://autoblog.com/jeep/">Jeep</a>. Suffice it to say that a premium sport utility buyer has plenty of options from which to choose. We traveled to Vancouver, BC to see for ourselves if BMW has managed to maintain its lead in the luxury crossover race with this redesigned 2014 X5.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/18/2014-bmw-x5-review-first-drive/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>2014 BMW X5</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/18/2014-bmw-x5-review-first-drive/">2014 BMW X5</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Wed, 18 Sep 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/18/2014-bmw-x5-review-first-drive/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20723180/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/18/2014-bmw-x5-review-first-drive/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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