Overview & Reviews

The BMW X5 gets significant powertrain changes for 2011. The base engine is BMW's latest 300-horsepower turbocharged six-cylinder, while the V8 gets upgraded to the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 first seen in the 7 Series. A new eight-speed automatic becomes standard on all but the diesel-powered xDrive35d, which carries on unchanged. The 2011 X5 also gets a mild styling refresh and the wider iDrive screen now found throughout the BMW lineup.

• Athletic handling, potent and efficient engines, luxurious and comfortable interior, huge list of features, steadfast high-speed stability.

• Standard steering is stiff at low speeds, ride may be firm for some, hefty price.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 63.00

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  oil field - 2011 BMW X5
  By Dave - December 5 - 2:05 pm

  Bought this car with 39.000 just 2 weeks ago. First issue, minor oil ring seal. Leaked for a bit. Now the issue is its burning oil. Do all bmw cars and trucks have oil issues? Went through this with the 645ci. Ridiculous!

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  Awesome machine - 2011 BMW X5
  By Joey - August 3 - 11:00 am

  This thing is a blast to drive, and a really good option for families with one or two kids. You cant beat the safety features this things a tank. The only real concern with the X5 35d is the upkeep cost. If you consider the fuel economy, maybe it evens out...but doubtful. I cant say the repair cost is high, because we havent had to actually have any repairs done (60k miles). The warranty covered a few sensors that needed to be replaced, but everything else has been routine. Dont bother with a dealership for oil changes. They will straight up lie to you. I had two local BMW shops tell me its over $300 to change the oil and fill the DEF on my 35d. Order the Castrol oil, a filter and some DEF and do it in the driveway, or take it to a small shop and pay 15 bucks. Total cost for me was less than $100. If we can afford it in the future, we will certainly invest in another X-model. Lets hope we can squeeze 150k out of this one.

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  Pricey but Nicey - 2011 BMW X5
  By Phillip - July 16 - 8:03 am

  I suspect that a low mileage used X5 would be the way to go for most folks. We bit the bullit in 2010 and ordered ours with all of the options. At the time, there was a hefty rebate on the diesel and a tax incentive of $5k . My wife and I both drive it and it has 66,000 miles. Brakes, tires and a battery is all we have done to it. Regular dealer and good independent service have kept the cost down. You dont buy one of these to save money. You buy it for the driving experience, comfort and safety that the Beemer is famous for. We get about 30 mpg on the highway and 24 in town. I had the dealer install the BMW trailer hitch package and it is worth it. Ill pull a horse or big utility trailer with it easily. The hitch is rated at 6500 lbs, but the same car in europe is rated at 7700 lbs. The hitch kit from the dealer includes an integrated trailer brake system hooked into the computer. They re-program the computer to "know" the trailer and lights etc. The shift patterns change when a trailer is hooked up. Pretty good stuff. BMW says the transmission and some other fluids are for life. My mechanic says to change them out at about 80K. I tend to believe him as it makes sense that any fluid will break down over time. Would I buy one again? Absolutely. New? Probably not. Probably get another diesel with under 10K miles on it. They are around and priced well.

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  My 3rd X5 - 2011 BMW X5
  By dborlando1 - November 6 - 7:05 am

  (Previously leased 2003 4.4 and 2008 4.8 X5 models). By far, this 50i model is my favorite X5. Improved satellite navigation system lets you speak the entire destination at once, instead of bit-by-bit, and is usually accurate. Sound system has both an equalizer and surround sound. Excellent back-up camera that shows not only the rear view, but also view from above, which is great for back-in and parallel parking. 8-speed automatic is noticeably smoother than the earlier X5s 6-speeds transmissions. Fuel economy is slightly better than the earlier X5s (averaging 13.5 to 15.0 MPG). The 19" tires help. The 03 and 08 X5s both had 20" tires (and were more expensive to replace).

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  It just keeps getting better - 2011 BMW X5
  By lessbs - June 3 - 12:40 pm

  I had the 2011 x5 diesel built to my specs and delivered in Sept 2010. I loaded it up with almost all accessories which, like all German cars, add considerably to the price of the car. I now have about 26,000 miles on it. The car drives as close to a BMW feel as is possible for an SUV and continues to improve as the computer learns how you drive it. I am tall (63") and it is one of the few cars that truly fits me. We drive the car regularly between Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area, and it is hard to imagine a better car for this use.

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  German engineering at its finest - 2011 BMW X5
  By piredon - May 3 - 9:02 am

  I have about 21,000 miles on the odometer and am mostly very pleased with the vehicle. Fuel mileage is frankly amazing for a 5200 lb SUV. Worst tank was 22mpg and best was nearly 28, overall average of 25mpg. Its fast enough for nearly any situation. Its a fantastic long-distance vehicle with a range of nearly 600 miles between fill ups, and grown-up back seat passengers have commented the rear is plenty comfortable. It also handles better than any other SUV Ive driven. Complaints include some cheap plastic in certain places in the interior, an "upgraded" audio system thats just so so, some turbo lag off idle, turning radius is terrible, and you have to get used to the diesel noise.

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  Its a diesel? Yup - 2011 BMW X5
  By dasdzl - February 13 - 12:44 pm

  Got a 2011 left over that the dealer had for a while probably because of the color (sparkling bronze) but I kind of like it. I have almost 4000 miles on it now and have done 2 longish trips with it. I avg around 25 for urban driving and on the 2 longish trips have seen 31. Even with the ski box on i still see around 27 on the highway. I would have liked it it have the sport seats, but the standard seats seem to be fine although it has taken some time to get the right seating position for comfort and visibility. I very much enjoy the rear seat room for friends and the ability to have room for the dogs in the back. I did get a trailer hitch for it for the bikes. Kinda pricey though.

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  Bye Bye X5 - 2011 BMW X5
  By rakundig - February 7 - 4:43 pm

  Bought my X5, custom built, in 2010, delivered Aug 2010. I put just about every option into it except that suspension option. I dont plan to offroad in my BMW so I didnt see the point. Sales experience was horrible. Performance is sub-par. It suffers from horrible performance below 50 mph. Hesitation off the line and if you give it gas to accelerate it waits for about a second before kicking you in the shorts. I assume this is because it is in 6th gear at 40mph. After a 1.5 years of driving it I have had enough. It has nice polish but the engine/tranny is junk. Just traded it for a Volvo which isnt as polished but actually goes when I give it gas.

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  Beautiful vehicle, but still has flaws - 2011 BMW X5
  By _pj - September 22 - 7:20 am

  The X5 is beautiful, but not flawless. The navigation sucks and doesnt even give correct directions. There was no dvd included to update it. Ive read elsewhere the dealer charges alot for a new one. The ride is firm. The seat bottoms on the active ventilated seats are hard, flat, and unsupportive. They quickly become uncomfortable. I had to buy a seat cushion to make them bearable. The drivers seat puts out alot of heat from underneath and behind. The transmission on the diesel isnt always smooth starting out. Now that I have close to 6,000 miles on the vehicle, it sounds like the diesel is getting louder. The worst thing of all, was the way we were treated at the first BMW dealership.

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  Great Car -- Highly Recommended after 1 Year Use - 2011 BMW X5
  By rpg1410 - September 1 - 2:50 am

  Traded in a 2008 535 - needed something bigger for 2 kids. After driving all the midsize SUVs, I narrowed it down to the Audi Q7 diesel and the BMW X5d. Preference for diesel due to mileage. Ended up with a better deal on the X5d. I couldnt be happier with the car. Of the midsize SUVs I drove, the X5 comes closest to giving car handling. The road feel is spot on. Interior design is great and now after having the car since Nov.2011, all components are still working well. Diesel has great responsiveness, of course not as peppy as 535 I traded, but very respectable. Mileage avg 21.7 Enjoying the Sport Package. Got stock radio and its fine, not same as 535 premium sound but fine.