2008 BMW X5 Safety Review [ 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 49 X5 reviews and test drives.
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 BMW X5 does very well in federal government crash tests and is one of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "Top Safety Picks." Automobile Magazine says the X5 is "one of the best machines money can buy to get you and six of your favorite people wherever you want to go, safely."
The X5 gets top crash test scores of five stars for driver and passenger safety in frontal crash tests, as well as for front- and rear-seat safety in side crash tests. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2008 X5 its top score of "Good" in both frontal offset and side impact tests. This good performance standard electronic stability control earn the X5 a "Top Safety Pick" designation.
Accident Avoidance
Several reviewers took the X5 on BMWs own wet skid pad at high speeds and weren't able to make it miss a step, let alone roll over. Autobytel reports,
"the heavy Bimmer remained flat even when we yanked on the steering wheel at high speeds. We subsequently goosed the throttle to determine how tail-happy the X5 could be, and even with the wheel cranked, the pedal on the floor, the surface wet and the stability control off, we didn't get the rear end to twitch more than a foot or so. With stability control on, traction didn't brake loose at all, though switching to regular suspension mode allows for a little softness in hard corners. To say that the X5 feels stable in extreme conditions would be a serious understatement."
The X5 comes standard with Dynamic Stability Control, four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes, electronic brake assist and all-wheel drive, all of which can help avoid an accident.
Crash Protection
In the event of an accident, passengers are protected. The driver and front passenger have frontal air bags, as well as side-impact and side curtain air bags. The rear passengers have side-impact and side curtain air bags.
