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Derek Ting

Overall: 8
An all-purpose vehicle that’s a little too nice to drive in the mud.


Turn-ons:
–● Adjustable driving modes for eco-friendly, cruising, or sport situations.
– Hand gesture, touch and dial controls with customisable displays.
– Comfortable five-person seating with decent cargo space.
–Baby seat buckles.
–≠USB C cables on passenger seats for charging peripherals.
– Auto parallel parking!
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Turn-offs:
– User interface does what it needs to do, but feels complicated and clunky.
– Unnecessary options like a massage feature.
These days, one of the main differentiators in transportation is the technology. BMW has certainly put the pedal to the metal in that arena with the X5, so I thought I’d take a look.
How’s the dash?
The style still feels like a traditional SUV, but you can customise a lot of what the car can do for you and the passengers. There is a variety of ways to operate it through a wheel near the stick, touch screen, and even hand gestures. All in all, the car is much smarter, but doesn’t feel revolutionary. I found the user interface complicated, but of course, I’m the type that doesn’t like reading the manual.
Will it do the driving?

For those of you who fear parallel parking, you are in luck because the X5 will let you view your Instagram while it situates you snugly between two cars. I would surely like to see it park in Hong Kong’s claustrophobic parking garages. There’s a number of built-in warning signals that you can toggle on or off, but alas, you’ll have to still pay attention to the road in most situations. I guess you won’t be taking it out for a night in Lan Kwai Fong will you?
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How does it drive?
The X5 technically handles better than its predecessor given its lower centre of gravity and improved aerodynamics for acceleration. I do like the idea that there’s a sport mode for added agility, and an eco-friendly mode for saving the environment.
Finally, personal preference for how a car performs plays a big part, so I’d recommend that you take it for a spin yourself.
What about panache?

BMW does a great job in making this car feel luxurious, and has also incorporated a lot of its technology to make it a comfortable ride that can seat a family. I feel the carmaker went a little overboard with the massage chair, but maybe that was playing it safe compared with the pedicure feature the designers were considering installing at one brainstorming session.
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Should it be on my wish list?
If you lead an active lifestyle that requires a lot of gear, or you have a large family, then this spacious, well-designed SUV is certainly is a great option to consider.
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