Which is better between 2018 BMW X5 and BMW X6

Hello Paul, I live in the UK but want to come back to Uganda so I am shopping for an SUV. I fancy the BMW X5 and X6 2018. Please tell me which one of the two is better for our Ugandan environment. Julius.

Hello Julius, the 2018 BMW X5 and X6 are excellent midsize SUV choices for someone with a strong sense of style and passion for a dynamic driving lifestyle. Both the X5 and X6 are stylish performance brutes with comfort, safety and performance attributes in almost equal measure.

Perhaps this is why you need to know which one will serve you better when you give it a spin across the equator, on the pearl of Africa.

The BMW X5 is BMW’s flagship 4WD patented in 1999 before the breakdown of its marriage with Land Rover. Now in its 3rd generation, 19 years later, the X5 is still a honcho with a place on the high table of SUV kings.

The X5 has been refined and improved to offer the best in dynamic performance, luxury and a more aggressive look which delivers stunning performance when you sit behind the wheel and put your foot down. My favorite engine is the twin turbo V8 power plant which feels like a Roman chariot drawn by 448 horses of power.

The BMW X6 is a crossover, meaning it is based on a passenger car platform and meant for light off road use with coupe-like design and structure. Perhaps here lies the fundamental difference between the BMW X5 and X6. Crossovers have ride, handling and sometimes performance attributes similar to those of cars. Indeed, it is the imposing and distinct styling that sets the X6 apart with the low sloping roof and coupe-like looks.

The X6 interior and seats are upscale and have a sportier edge to emphasise its playful attributes. Do not be deceived by the looks, the X6 is kitted with the same engines as you have in the X5 and has animal instincts on the road, and equally BMW wonderful. The Dynamic Performance Control features shared by both the X5 and X6 help to bridge the gap between the lower slung X6 and the higher longer X5.

When it comes to the crunch, the BMW X5 offers more cabin and luggage space with the 7-seater option useful when you move around with the typical Ugandan extended family.

The rear passengers of the X6 have lower restricted head room. On the road, the X5 feels heavier and more planted to the road when you need to drive fast through the winding new asphalt roads on Ugandan up country highways.
The X5 is more adapted to the Ugandan off road conditions thanks to its more robust bigger platform and equally suitable suspension with off road package.

As they say, big is big, the X5 has a practical edge over the X6. But the X6 throws back the challenge with comfort and stylish features which come standard. For all that you pay a heftier price for the X6. The X5 safety rating by the US NHTSA is a whopping 5 stars, whereas the X6 has not been subjected to the safety crash tests so its safety standards are not in doubt.

However, both cars offer stability control, forward collision warning and adaptive dampers with rear air suspension. Self-parking system, power closing doors and wireless smart phone charging are some of the modern convenient features in both BMWs.

So, if you just want to have fun on the Asphalt, the X6 is your play house. If you want to enjoy road trips with your family on asphalt as well as some project work upcountry, then the X5 should be your pick of the two.