Me and the wife are looking for a new SUV

any thoughts in the 958 cayenne vs the new '14 X5? obviously no hands-on impressions available for the latter, but welcome members' views

 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see ANYTHING special about the new X5. It looks 'pretty much' the same as older years, there is not many major differences, and to me, that is boring. It is a great truck under all that, but I don't see any reason to pick that over the Cayenne. For those who haven't seen the new X5, here you go. MEH.

 

Without having driven the "new" X5 it is hard to say. The pepper is more sporty than the current X5 but you pay for it.

 

We drove the Audi Q5, Mercedes, BMW X5 and the Cayenne Diesel (which we purchased). Hands down the CD was the superior car. The Audi felt smallish but with ample power/torque. The Mercedes diesel was very nice and #2, in our opinion, to the CD, but felt it was made for an older demographic. The BMW diesel felt very quick as well but its interior was not in the same ballpark as the Porsche.

From renderings, the BMW interior has not changed much and its new exterior is not as nice as the 2013. We actually preferred the look of the BMW X5 over our 2013 CD but everything else was so good that the CD was the easy choice.

Buy the Porsche. On two extended drives this thing just keeps impressing us.

 

I loved my last e70 X5, great dynamics, looks and strong diesel engine but I wouldnt consider this one, it looks horrible imo, much like an overstyled and oversized X3. I dont think this will be an aquired taste.
I would wait for the facelift 958 or the new Audi Q7 in less than year or so.
Regarding the Benz, my wife has a 13" ML350 with all the bells and whistles, AMG exterior, 21" wheels and sport interior, she loves it, drives very smoothly but it doesnt match my GTS on any department. Not even close.

 

I just finished testing both the current X5 and the CD. Based on my personal preferences, I found the CD a better fit for me. It doesn't appear to me that there are going to be any major improvements to the X5 that would have swayed me, so I ended up ordering a 2014 CD. One thing that irked me about the X5 was being forced to order 3rd row seats to get the air suspension. I agree with binner, go with the Porsche.

 

I'm also a register user at bimmerfest.com which is a forums of BMWs, all the users there says negative about the 14 x5, I have not find one appraise/positive thought about it, every one says it's exterior is like x3, not much difference, prefer current model, etc….
Porsche options are ridiculously overprice, I do like some BMW options, like head up display, and side view cameras. I hope BMW and Porsche can combine their options then we would have a PERFECT car.

 

Still got that crazy 2-piece tailgate.

 

I have owned 23 BMW cars and 3 weeks ago I traded in my last one (a perfect condition 11 M3 ) and can say I am done with BMW (unless financially I had to downgrade) .

BMW makes great cars but none of them possess the driving chracteristics that I have found in my Porsches (I have 3 of them) . This current Cayenne line up happens to be best Porsche Cayenne built and it's my opinion that its the best SUV made .

Since you live outside the US I don't know if BMW offers things like "free service" or decent leasing choices in your region. I don't lease my cars and Porsche service is not free so ultimately it may cost more to own a Porsche but it's my opinion that its worth it.

Good luck !!

 

Go with what you know or feel is right...Cayenne!

 

thanks for the advice everyone

the more i look at x5 photos/videos the less it appeals. i actually think the current x1 and x3 are decent looking SUVs, but the front and rear of the x5 just look disjointed to me

now i just need to decide whether to go with a 3.6 (and keep my 997) or sell the 997 and go with the GTS

 

Owning a very sporty SUV sounds great and all, and it will defy physics and thrill you. The amenities in the CTT are great; Infotainment, 3d nav, ventilated seats, Burmester sound, etc. The X5M, which I cross shopped does not compare in any of these except for less turbo lag and a little faster acceleration. Which can be nullified with a tune and bypass pipes for another 90hp and no more turbo lag.

At first it was just an additional car, along with my C2S. Than I switched the C2S to a GT2 and never used that to commute to work. So when using this is my DD for a few months, the 50 mile round trip boring commute seemed like a waste for such an amazing car that had a very very high car payment. Then I picked up an additional car, my bluetec E-class. Its car payment was 1/4 that of the CTT, it was way more comfortable, has massage seats, gets more than double the MPG. A few months later, I realized that I did not appreciate the CTT anymore and thought of it as uncomfortable in comparison to say a Range Rover. And I realized that comfort and luxury were more important to me than sportiness in an SUV.
But I have no regrets and really enjoyed it for the 18months I had it.

 

Appreciate this comment. I had an X5d and went to an M3 convertible. My wife has the CV6 which I drive as much as I can. I know I will not get another low sports car as my daily driver since I can essentially have my cake and eat it too with a sporty SUV, as I miss the comfort, as good as my M3 is... Not unhappy with the M3 vert but miss the ingress/egress and room of an SUV X5/CV6 etc...

 

My $0.02

I am a BMW owner and fan. However my current BMW, a 2011 535, has been tremendously disappointing. So much so, that instead of replacing my current SUV and keeping the 535, my wife and I decided to ditch the BMW and replace it.

I had been sitting in the catbird seat for a while, knowing the new MDX was due out, the new X5 was due out and the Q7 was coming around the same time.

Well, turns out the MDX is like the current one, only boring. The Q7's not out for another year or so, and the X5 was great....inside. Not outside. Even through the camouflage, I could tell the design went in the opposite direction that I wanted to go. So much so that I ditched the idea and ended up ordering the Cayenne even before the X5 was released.

I am very disappointed in the direction BMW is going. My 535 is lethargic and dimwitted, even though it is decidedly not slow when you get on it. It is an old man's car. The base X3 with the 4 cylinder that I drove as a loaner the other day was more fun.

So the 535 is going, and I'm happy that the Pepper will be replacing it. I'm not sure if I'll go back to BMW, perhaps the upcoming F80 M3 will show the way. I do like the F30 3 series, it shows the old BMW spark, but with the switch to forced induction....who konws.

I just wish that the Pajun were coming out sooner.

 

I have had 5 bmw's before getting my first porsche in 2009. Have not gone back to bmw. I am not saying I never will but right now they have nothing that really interests me. Actually there are a few that are interesting but there is really good competition now and they are not keeping up.