2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e first drive review
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Canberra was a fitting place for BMW to launch its latest model this week – the X5 xDrive40e.
The 'e' designates it is part of the German giant's new i Performance sub-brand (more on that latter), introducing plug-in hybrid technology to the company's most popular Australian model.
But even BMW admits it is likely to only make up a small per cent of X5 sales because local buyers are yet to embrace the cleaner, greener car without any incentives from the government in the nation's capital.
But the X5 40e does have an ace up its sleeve – it doesn't charge a price premium. Instead it costs the same $118,900 (plus on-road costs) as the diesel-powered X5 xDrive40d. So, in many ways, the X5 40e becomes a test of just how many people really want a 'greener', more efficient car because there are few downsides to picking it over the 40d.
Our test drive around the suburbs of Canberra demonstrated the 40e has retained the same basic characteristics of the rest of the X5 range - space, practicality, luxury and polished on-road dynamics - despite its new petrol-electric powertrain.
Under the bonnet is the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine from the 528i and 330i sedans that produces 180kW and 350Nm but is paired with a 83kW/250Nm electric motor that is built into the casing of the eight-speed automatic transmission. Together the powertrain produces a combined output of 230kW and 450Nm.
To put that performance in perspective the twin-turbo six-cylinder diesel 40d matches it in terms of power but has 630Nm – a significant 180Nm advantage. Even the single-turbo diesel 30d pumps out 190kW and 560Nm.
But while the 40d uses a frugal (by big, powerful diesel SUV standards) 6.0-litres per 100km the 40e smashes it with a claimed combined cycle rating of just 3.3L/100km.
It is possible to achieve that figure thanks to a seemingly endless number of driving mode settings that allows you to tailor the way the powertrain behaves.
The first setting is the 'eDrive' button which has three modes for the combined powertrain and the petrol and electric motors operate – Auto, Max and Save.
Auto is, as the name implies, designed to automatically get the best of both depending on the type of driving conditions. It will run on the electric motor alone up to 70km/h before calling on the petrol power.
The Max setting locks out the petrol engine until you hit 120km/h allowing you to run purely on electricity while the Save setting, unsurprisingly, saves battery power as much as possible by keeping the petrol engine running - say, for example, if you're driving on the freeway and want to keep the electric power for city conditions. Under heavy acceleration, though, it can call on the electric motor for a boost and begins recharging the battery if it reaches less than 50 per cent charge.
If that's not enough the 40e also comes equipped with an adapted version of BMW's drive select system that offers Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes to alter the way the adaptive suspension, throttle, steering and transmission respond.
Importantly these settings adjust the way the regenerative braking works to charge the battery without needing to burn petrol using the engine as a generator. Somewhat surprisingly, there is very little regenerative braking in Eco Pro mode and instead the most aggressive form comes when you switch to Sport mode.
The result is a complex system that will take owners time to learn how to get the absolute best out of the potentially very efficient powertrain.
During our drive we tested the limits of the batteries by keeping it running in electric-only mode as much as possible for our drive around Canberra. That means switching to Max eDrive mode to lock the petrol engine out. Despite official claims of being capable of 31km of electric-only driving our battery hit five per cent charge after only 20km.
At that point the petrol engine took over the workload as the batteries required recharging via the regenerative braking.
At our initial stop after 30km of driving, using the EV mode first we saw a return of 4.3-litres per 100km, still an impressive return for such a big car. However, it did highlight that the X5 is very much a hybrid and not a proper electric car, needing to balance its petrol engine and electric reserves in order to hit even lower economy figures. Using it purely as an electric car would require only a very short commute.
The 40e also performs more like a traditional hybrid than an electric car when it comes to performance. The official 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds is a match for the 30d but almost a full second slower than the 40d.
From the driver's seat the 40e feels adequately powered but the electric motor doesn't provide the kind of immediate punch we have become accustomed with electric cars like the Tesla Model S.
It doesn't shove you back in your seat with huge reserves of acceleration. However, when the electric motor gives the petrol engine a boost it does feel punchy for such a big SUV.
At the other end of the scale, when the car relies on petrol propulsion alone the big X5 feels underwhelming as the small engine labours at times to move such a sizeable SUV.
And it is a big machine, tipping the scales at 2230kg thanks to an additional 120kg of weight from the motor and batteries.
That weight is noticeable when cornering, despite BMW's decision to add rear air suspension as standard in order to compensate for the extra mass. There's noticeably more body lean in the bends when you tip the X5 into a corner and the sharpness of the handling is dulled as well.
The adaptive air suspension is one of a handful of extra items included in addition to all the usual gear you get in the 40d. Others include an acoustic warning system for pedestrians, BMW's eDrive services and a charging cable.
An in-house wall box charger is a $1700 option and will allow you to cut charging times in half – from five hours using the standard cable and outlet to just 2.5 hours.
BMW is also partnering with EV infrastructure organisation, ChargePoint, to help customers find public places to plug in. The company claims ChargePoint will expand its network from 262 points around Australia currently to 950 by 2020.
By then BMW should know if its customers are really interested in cleaner, greener cars. The X5 40e will be joined by the 330e later this year and BMW Australia is currently considering adding the 7-Series to its i Performance range.
But only time will tell if this will be a breakthrough car for BMW and green-tinged consumers.
2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e pricing and specifications
On sale: Now
Price: $118,900 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol/electric motor
Power: 230kW (combined output)
Torque: 450Nm (combined output)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Fuel use: 3.3-litres per 100km