2019 BMW X5 vs Range Rover Velar

What's the difference?

I said at the start of this review that the new X5 is predictable… but it's more like predictably impressive.

There's a lot to like in the fourth-generation X5. You may still want to option a few extras over the standard base model car, but the 30d model embodies the idea of a luxury, tech-heavy family SUV beautifully.

When you've got 50-something models to choose from, it's very difficult to suggest - or even guess - at the sweet spot in such a large range. The P250 is a fine start and the R-Dynamic additions made it a lovely car for a fair chunk under $100,000. That's a lot of money, but not by Range Rover standards.

There are some frustrating exclusions both at the bottom end (no sat nav or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto in the base Velar?) and reverse cross traffic alert in most of them is an option. The list of options is truly dizzying.

If you're not planning anything more difficult than a trip to the snow or the hobby farm, a big-wheeled Velar is going to look and feel great and seems a lot more expensive than it is. Even better, it drives well and feels a million bucks in the right spec.

You won't confuse the BMW X5 for one of its rivals - this is no Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7 / Q8, or Lexus RX.

But you might confuse it for one of its siblings - there's more than a passing resemblance between this new-gen X5 and the also-fairly-new-but-marginally-smaller X3 (which is now bigger than ever, too). I saw a couple of new X3 models during my week, to which I waved and then, shamefaced, realised they were actually people driving lesser BMW SUVs. Ahem.

Back on topic, our 30d tester looked particularly plush, with the, er, sporty 'M Sport' package adding what is essentially a body kit to the lower edges of the car, including distinct front and rear bumpers as well as side skirts. There is a standard rear spoiler on all models, too.

If that looks a bit too aggro for you, BMW also offers the 'xLine' pack (which has more off-road elements to it) or the 'Indulgence' luxury-look pack.

I think the exterior design is some of BMW's most convincing work for a while, with plenty of recognisable cues when compared to X5s of generations past, but also enough contemporary styling - including those gorgeous cutaway tail-lights and that (arguably too large) kidney grille on the nose.

The interior design is considerably better than we've seen in other BMWs recently, too - it's almost Audi-like in its interpretation. Check out the images to see what I mean.

The Velar is a beautiful design. Looking more Evoque than Range Rover - front end aside - there are clear influences echoing from Rob Melville's LRX concept all those years ago. Including the flush door handles (okay, the LRX didn't have any, but you get the point).

The exterior design is sharp and to the point, with an obvious skew to urban lifestyle tastes rather than off-road practicality.

A body kit is only available with the SVAutobiography, and I'm reserving judgement on that until I see it.

The Velar looks better with bigger wheels and depending on colour, a black roof looks the business.

Our interior images show another cracker of a cabin from Range Rover. Like the exterior, the Velar's interior is a step ahead. Some Land Rovers can feel a bit ordinary inside, but Range Rovers always deliver, especially now the new Evoque has been revealed.

The Velar's cabin is genuinely lovely, with beautiful leather and various optional wood veneers. Even most of the plastics are all right and the various fabrics are also pleasant to the touch.

Finally, a BMW with an interior that keeps pace with the exterior.

There's a 12.3-inch media screen with sat nav and you can control it using the rotary dial, using the screen by tapping and pinching, using voice commands or you can attempt to get the gesture control thing to work. I don't really bother much with that.

It looks great and is backed by a mighty stereo system with 10 speakers as standard, and up to 20 if you want to option them. Apple CarPlay is standard, and it's wireless - it even works with my beat-up old iPhone 6, which is awesome. But there's no Android Auto at all.

There's a big digital instrument cluster, too, and a smallish steering wheel with recognisable controls.

You wouldn't expect BMW to forget anything when it comes to interior practicality, and there are big cupholders, decent storage nooks and bottle holders in the doors, too.

And while the leather on the dash of our test car is lush, it'll cost you extra ($2700). Plus things like heated seats are on the options list, too.

As for occupant space, adults will be able to sit behind other adults back here in comfort. With driver's seat is in my position, I had heaps of legroom and shoulder room, plus decent headroom - even with the big glass roof.

The new model has a longer wheelbase, and it feels roomier than I recall the last model being. Three people my size will be able to sit next to each other reasonably comfortably, too. And of course there are dual ISOFIX child seat anchors and three top tethers as well.

BMW has thought of all the things you might need, too, with cupholders and bottle holders, plus map pockets - or, maybe more correctly, iPad pockets, with USB-C chargers above.

Now, if five seats isn't enough - or you can't stomach the look of the new X7 - you can get a set of extra seats in the boot. But sadly, if you want seven seats in your X5, you'll need to add $3700 to the price, and then you must add the 'Adaptive 2-axle' air suspension set-up at a further $3900, or $2300 if you have the M Sport model. That makes for either $7600 or $6000 for the M Sport. Yikes.

What's most annoying is that you have to bundle the third-row seats, but you can get air suspension separately if you want it.

Boot space is generous at 650 litres, and if you fold those 40/20/40 split-fold seats down that almost triples, to 1870 litres. And even though it has run flat tyres, the X5 gets a space-saver spare wheel.

How many seats? It's a good question. Like its under-the-skin sibling the Jaguar F-Pace, the Velar looks like it could easily swallow seven people with a third-row seat, but alas no such luck. It's five seats or bust.

Front and rear legroom are excellent, courtesy of very generous interior dimensions. It feels bigger in comparison to the F-Pace.

Front and rear passengers are each treated to a pair of cupholders for a total of four. There are four bottle holders, various 12-volt power points and several USB ports.

Starting with an impressive 673 litres of boot space, put the seats down and you'll have 1731 litres of cargo capacity. And that's before you fit a roof rack or roof box to the rails.

All Velars have similar mechanical specs - they're AWD and come with an eight-speed automatic transmission. As with most of the rest of the shared Jaguar Land Rover stables, there are four trim levels in the range - the vanilla Velar, then S, SE with the range topped by the HSE (until the SVAutobiography arrives).

How much your Velar will cost is dependent on an unusually high set of variables - all eight (eight!) engine specifications are available with all four specs, so the price list stretches on forever.

For a detailed model comparison, check out our snapshots. All prices are quoted in RRP (or MSRP as the manufacturers suggest) and the drive-away price is subject to the usual taxes and charges.

The entry-point is the $71,033 Velar D180, but this standard features list applies to every available engine.

You get 18-inch alloy wheels, an eight-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, remote app, auto LED headlights, auto wipers, leather and suede trim, power tailgate and a space-saver spare.

There's no sat nav (an almost $2000 option) on this car, which would be fine if it had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Which, for a solid $520 via the 'Smartphone Pack', you can have. Cheaper than sat nav, yes, but it would be nice if it were standard.

Each spec level is also available with the R-Dynamic package, which is essentially a styling pack for inside and out - different wheels, upgrades to seat leather, aluminium trim pieces and, on some models, an upgrade to the sound system. R-Dynamic adds around $6000 to the price of each trim level and inclusions are slightly different between the models.

The big price jump to the S adds 19-inch alloys, an 11-speaker stereo, ambient interior lighting, electric front seats, sat nav, auto high beam, LED headlights with signature DRLS, puddle lamps, Wi-Fi hotspot with on-board SIM card slot, powered and heated folding mirrors and road-sign recognition.

The SE builds again with about a $5000 price increase, with 20-inch alloys, a 17-speaker stereo, side parking sensors, digital dash, matrix LED headlights, self parking, scuff plates and reverse cross traffic alert.

The top-end HSE nabs you 21-inch alloys, massaging front seats with heating and ventilation and metallic interior finishes.

At the end of 2019 (fingers crossed) the Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition will arrive. Priced at $175,322, it comes with a fair chunk of the HSE's equipment list, quilted perforated leather trim, knurled aluminium switchgear, 21-inch alloys, electronic active differential, sports adaptive dampers and various styling features.

And a bellowing 405kW 5.0-litre supercharged V8, which, in other JLR cars, can wake the dead, so with the variable active exhaust, prepare for neighbours complaining.

Each Velar comes with JLR's new stacked touchscreen technology, 'Touch Pro Duo'. With two big touchscreens, one high in the dash as before and one where the dash meets the console, it allows you to spread the different functions across the two screens.

As has been the case over the last few years, it's better than before, with much faster hardware. It also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (finally) but you have to pay $590 for the privilege. You've also got USB and Bluetooth connectivity. Physical media fans will be disappointed by the lack of a CD player.

The colour range is suspiciously short - 'Narvik Black' and 'Fuji White' are freebies. 'Byron Blue', 'Kaikoura Stone' (bronze? brown?), 'Corris Grey', 'Firenze Red', 'Yulong White' and 'Indus Silver' are all $1780 while 'Aruba' and 'Silicon Silver' weigh in at $3550.

Gold and orange fans will be disappointed.

The lengthy optional features list includes the nifty activity key, sunroof (if not already standard), upgraded multimedia and sound system, upgraded navigation system, black pack or individual black bits, self parking/park assist, various accessories, floor mats (ahem), different size wheel rims and designs, air suspension, matrix LED lights... the list goes on. And on.

Under the bonnet of the 30d model is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six-cylinder engine producing 195kW of power (at 4000rpm) and 620Nm of torque (from 2000-2500rpm). It has a standard-fit eight-speed automatic transmission with paddleshifters, and has permanent all-wheel drive.

Those engine specs are strong, and it has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of just 6.5 seconds - faster than some hot hatches. If you really want a silly fast SUV, you could spend extra and get the M50d with its quad-turbo drivetrain.

Towing capacity is 750kg unbraked and 2700kg braked (1900kg for the xLine version), and the higher number is good, but still not best in class. An Audi Q7 or Q8 will tow more (3500kg), if that matters to you. BMW Australia has confirmed an upgrade to towing will be offered from April production, up to 3270kg.

I hope you've caught your breath from the spec lists because there are more engine specs in the Velar range than there are hangers-on at an awards party.

Each has a number that doesn't denote engine size but metric horsepower. The P tells you it's a petrol and the D a turbo-diesel. There is no manual transmission available, just the always-excellent eight-speed automatic from ZF.

JLR's 2.0-litre four-cylinder 'Ingenium' range underpins the Velar's powertrains and are available in petrol or diesel with single or twin turbos. Of course, being a Range Rover, four-wheel drive is standard across the range. 

The first of the diesels is the D180, developing 132kW/430Nm. The D240 offers 177kW/500Nm, the increased power made available with the addition of a second turbo.

Switching to petrol, the 2.0-litre P250 spins up 184kW/365Nm. The P300 punches out 221kW/400Nm, courtesy of an extra turbo and a more advanced electro-hydraulic valvetrain.

The D275 is first in the not-long-for-this-world 3.0-litre diesel V6 range, with 202kW/625Nm while the D300 gives you 221kW/700Nm.

Moving back to petrol and the also-about-to-be-pensioned 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol P340 sends 250kW/450Nm and the P380 280kW/450Nm. 

Performance figures start at a respectable 8.9 seconds for the sprint from 0-100km/h in the D180, down to 5.4 seconds for the P380, which is a reasonable turn of speed for a car of this size and weight.

Towards the end of the year you'll be able to buy a Velar with one of the world's most pleasantly obnoxious engines, JLR's delicious supercharged V8. If you want a quick 0-100 acceleration time, that's the one you want.

All Velars come with a single-speed transfer box, Land Rover's 'Terrain Response' system and various off-roadey goodness like hill-descent control. On-road fun is helped along by a torque-vectoring system using the brakes.

Towing capacity varies between the models, so you'll need to check with your dealer. Unsurprisingly, a towbar is an option.

Given Land Rover's commitment to electrification, a plug-in hybrid can't be far away.

The claimed fuel use for this version is 7.2 litres per 100km. On test, we saw a little higher than that, at around 10.6L/100km.

Prepare yourself for an expensive trip to the servo when you eventually get there, as the diesel fuel tank capacity is 80 litres.

While the claimed use is better than many others, the X5 oddly doesn't come with any form of mild-hybridisation as other SUVs in the class do. It does have a diesel particulate filter and requires AdBlue, though.

Obviously, "your mileage may vary" is an understatement when it comes to the Velar's fuel consumption.

Diesel fuel economy, as you might expect, wins out in the numbers game. The D180's official rating starts at 5.9L/100km (157g/km) and the D240's is 6.5L/100km (171g/km). The 3.0-litre V6 brings a small increase to 6.6L/100km in the D275 and the D300. 

The P250 four-cylinder petrol will return (in the lab, at least) 7.6L/100km (173g/km) and the P300 7.8L/100km (178g/km). Moving on to the petrol V6s, Range Rover says both the P340 and P380 will return 9.4L/100m (214g/km). The V6's fate was sealed early in 2019 with the announcement of the company's Ingenium straight-six engines.

Fuel-tank capacity also varies between the models, from 60 litres in the D180 to 66 litres in the D300 vs the petrol cars' uniform 82-litre tanks.

The last BMW X5 was sporty to drive, but the steering was a bit hard to get used to, and the ride could be pretty punishing on bad roads.

This new-generation model has improved on both counts, with steering that is light and direct without being too hefty or trying to offer the ultimate sports-car-on-stilts experience, and adjustable dampers on all models that allow you to choose what you want the drive to be - comfortable (choose Comfort) or sporty (you guessed it, choose Sport).

It still has run-flat tyres, though, so the ride is a little rigid - particularly over sharper edges in urban settings. And even putting it in Comfort mode didn't dissipate that sensation - in fact, I think it made it a little worse, because it was very softly damped but still thumped into bumps. Sport mode is too hard in town, but great on a windy road.

My choice for the week was Adaptive mode, which chooses the most appropriate settings for how you're driving it.

Of course, those modes also affect throttle response, though the big six-cylinder diesel engine is strong and solid no matter the mode. Its roll-on acceleration is exceptional, but there is a bit of low-rev lag when you take off from a standstill.

But once you're moving, the transmission is smooth and clever, the engine revving without any diesel clatter and hardly any vibration through the cabin. It's really nicely refined, and very quiet, too. Effortless is the word that comes to mind.

Oh, and it's quicker than a car weighing 2110kg (kerb weight) really ought to be - arguably faster than you'll ever need to be on the way to drop the kids at school.

Given how many engine options are available, it's hard to give you a definitive answer. I can tell you that the R-Dynamic SE P250 is a fine car, though. Loaded with options as it was, it was one of the most refined SUVs I've ever driven. The P250 is an unstressed sounding engine, the Velar sailing along happily on a wave of torque.

On air suspension, the Velar remains unruffled by lumps and bumps but has a weird habit of getting a bit floaty when not in Dynamic mode. It's not unpleasant, it's just weird.

One thing I really liked about the Velar was the steering. I was expecting an isolating set-up, but it had good feel and sensible weighting. The variable rack means that Range Rover's engineers didn't sacrifice road responsiveness for off-road usability. A run in a Range Rover PHEV a couple of weeks before had probably polluted my thinking.

This isn't a review of the Velar's off-road capability but a) it's a Range Rover and b) the fundamentals look good. Coil-sprung cars have a wading depth of 600mm and obstacle clearance of 213mm.

Add air suspension to your Velar and you can wade up to 650mm and obstacle clearance increases to 251. Ground clearance is listed at 165mm. 

So, fundamentally, it's as smooth and stylish to drive as it is to look at, and feels better than the last F-Pace I drove.

The Velar ships with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, tyre-pressure monitoring, reversing camera, lane-keep assist, forward AEB with pedestrian avoidance, and lane-departure warning.

Traffic-sign recognition is available on all but the base car, with or without R-Dynamic.

Blind-spot monitoring, high-speed AEB, and reverse cross traffic alert are part of a safety pack and standard on the HSE.

The Velar scored a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating in September 2017.

There are also three top-tether anchor points and two ISOFIX points.

The mainstream brands might be moving to longer warranty plans, but BMW's - along with the other German luxury brands - remains set at three years/unlimited kilometres. That includes roadside assist, too.

The servicing is condition-based - so, your car will tell you when its time for some maintenance. And you can pre-pay for servicing, with the base version of that plan costing a reasonable $1995 for five years/80,000km. That covers the basics, and you'll need to visit the dealer every 12 months/24,000km.

The Range Rover warranty is an increasingly isolated three-year/100,000km warranty, although oddly premium brands are sticking with this sort of package. Three years' roadside assist helps sweeten the deal.

You can control the car's service cost with a service plan. This varies between engine specs, with the 2.0-litre petrol starting at $1500 for five years/130,000km.

The 2.0-litre diesel will sting you for the same money but only 102,000km. The supercharged V6 petrol ($1800) and V6 turbo-diesel ($2200) both go for up to 130,000km. This seems like good value.

The owner's manual will tell you when a service is due, as will the onboard computer. The manual will also tell you things like where the battery is, top speed and tyre pressures.

The Velar hasn't been around very long so common reliability issues, problems and faults are hard to pinpoint. For the same reason, resale value is difficult to assess. The waiting time for a new Velar is dependent on how weird a combination of options you choose.