Comparison - Porsche Cayenne 2019 - Vs - BMW X5 M 2019
Comparison - Porsche Cayenne 2019 - Vs - BMW X5 M 2019
Although the 2017 BMW X5 gets called a "sports-activity vehicle" or SAV by its maker, we know a luxury SUV when we see one. Going head to head against the Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the 2017 X5 emphasizes the "sport" part of sport-utility vehicle. The resulting lineup of luxury SUV models includes a hybrid, a diesel, and even a fire-breathing M version, all of which are fun to drive. The X5 is big, but still midsize, so it's easy to manage through traffic and parking lots, while remaining roomy and comfortable at the same time. Note that the "utility" part doesn't extend as far off-road as you can go in a Land Rover or even a Jeep Grand Cherokee. If you want a luxury-sports sedan, but need the room of an SUV, then the BMW X5 should definitely be on your short list. The X5's charms don't come cheap, and if you want a more luxurious ride -- that is, softer -- you might be better suited with a Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX or Audi Q7. If you need more room, check out the larger Mercedes-Benz GL or Infiniti QX80.
Not a very smart idea to hand the keys of a 160 MPH automobile to a novice driver. Insurance studies show the worst drivers are the very young and very old. Give her a ride for the first few years to get used to driving. Being a parent means more than making a baby. It's about being responsible.|||wow - my thoughts are - a child should earn a nice car like that instead of having it handed to the on a silver platter. GT3|||A used, beat-up one. Seriously. If she's only 16 and getting such a pricey car, you know she's just gonna wrap it around a tree. One with no brakes would be great. That way you can remember for the rest of a life what a damn fool you are.|||Wtf you shouldn't get her a frickin sports car for her 16th birthday. Get her something that doesn't make her look like a spoiled brat, like a Pontiac G6 Convertible or Solstice.
For the first time, the Cayenne gets a staggered tire setup: Base and S models have 255/55R-19 fronts and 275/50R-19 rears; the Turbo has an inch-wider wheel with 285/40R-21s in the front and 315/35R-21s in back. Press on through low-speed corners and the four-wheel steering turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts, neatly pivoting the rear end through the corner. Stomp on the accelerator, and the Cayenne would happily drift were it not for the intervention of the stability control. As in Porsche鈥檚 sports cars, pushing the PSM (stability control) button once puts the Cayenne in a less intrusive Sport mode; holding down the button shuts off the system entirely. Coupled with PDCC (the electrically controlled active anti-roll bars) and the three-chamber air springs, there鈥檚 effectively no body roll. It may sound like a lot of electronic aids to get an SUV to handle鈥攁nd there definitely are a lot鈥攂ut the systems work in concert, giving the Cayenne鈥檚 handling a natural fluidity and ease that doesn鈥檛 seem artificially enhanced. With this selection of options, the Cayenne feels more like a good sports sedan than an SUV.
We鈥檇 really like to try one on the steel coil springs and without the rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars to see how much these chassis aids affect handling, but none were available at the launch event. Porsche is introducing tungsten-coated iron brake rotors on the new Cayenne. Dubbed PSCB (Porsche Surface Coated Brake), the brakes promise a grabbier surface, less brake dust, and a 30 percent longer life than the conventional brakes. 9080 carbon-ceramic option (PCCB). We didn鈥檛 notice any difference in the way the pedal felt compared with the standard rotors. As in all Porsches, the pedal is firm but easily modulated, and the brakes easily stopped the Cayenne from high speeds. Also as in all Porsches, the ignition remains on the left side of the steering wheel, a quiet salute to all the parents who got their kids to practice on time. Much of the interior is pulled from the Panamera, including the 12.3-inch touchscreen and the capacitive-touch switches surrounding the shifter. The herringbone arrangement of buttons surrounding the shifter on the center console is gone.
