Turbodan

Guys my close friend is a builder and requires an SUV and he loves mountainbiking.
He currently has an X5 and lease is up. He considers himself a sporty driver and he does drive fast, hits apexes (on the road) etc.
He asked me if I thought he should get the Cayenne Turbo (2017 low miles) or X5M. I told him I didn't think the BMW was even in the same class but since have learned the M is a big jump from the regular one.
My wife has a Touareg and I am no expert on Cayennes but think the GTS would be better as a driver's car and the turbo IMO is just too much power for a road car (would get a lot tickets).
Can you guys please chime in here and help him understand the differences as I told him he needs to read on rennlist about these vehicles.
I think the Turbo is too expensive and too fast for an suv and the GTS would be a better car to enjoy spirited drives in.

sclemmons

If you can find a nice low miles, normally aspirated 2013-2014 GTS, get it.

I drove a Cayenne Turbo and a Cayenne Diesel and it was damn close between them both driven aggressively up to about 90 mph on the highway. Off the highway, I am sure the premium Turbo suspension comes out on top.

The X5 is a truck. No idea about the X5M, but I bet it is on the truck end of the spectrum. I swore off BMW after earning my 25 year BMWCCA pin.

deilenberger

I can't imagine a Cayenne turbo having too much power. IMHO - there is no such thing. I find the power in mine adequate. The trick to not getting tickets is - drive a WHITE Cayenne Turbo - to a cop it looks like a mom mobile - don't drive like an ***. Let someone else be the fastest guy, especially if you're out of state and traveling on roads you aren't familiar with. The local fast guy will know where the cops hide so watch for his brake lights, and he'll distract the cop from your white Turbo.

jlusby

skiahh

You mention that he's a mountain biker. Is that because you're implying he'll take his vehicle off the beaten path? If so - at least back in '13-14 - the Cayenne came in second only to the Grand Cherokee in off road tests.

So any of the Cayennes would be better than the others for that reason alone!

wkearney99

Having driven both, I'm quite pleased with the 440hp the V6 in a GTS produces. When buying new the added ~$50k wasn't worth it to jump to the Turbo S. It has the same brakes and suspension as the Turbo.

I let a friend with an X5 borrow it for a drive. His comment was it handles so much better than the BMW, without seeming harsh or too 'race car-like'.

Used, all things being equal, if the prices were close I wouldn't steer anyone away from the Turbo S. Power is only a risk if you're unwilling to restrain your driving shenanigans.

BK77

I have a 2017 GTS, and love it. I also compared to the turbo, and the GTS is by far the best bang for the buck. Once you drive Porsche, you don't go back to BMW

CarGuyNVA

Depends on what your friend values most in a high performance SUV. I've not owned any BMW, nor have I personally driven an X5M, but from all I've read about them it seems that the CTT and the CTTS handle a bit better (it's close) and perhaps have a little better overall driving dynamics, but the X5M wins in acceleration (yes, even against the CTTS).

I'm not sure about dependability/reliability, although it seems the Porsche has a little better track record there. As far as styling/looks, I prefer the Porsches inside and out myself versus the BMWs, but the X5M is no ugly duckling either.

I'd say keep doing the research, and more importantly get some quality seat time in each of them. In the end he's the one that has to live with it and be satisfied.

rich!

lurker but i'm in the same boat for the last year - replacing my Touareg (TDI) buyback. Think I've driven them all and still can't hammer it down. The wife did not like the X5/M due to the harsh ride nor did the kids (i did own a 1st gen 4.4i and wasn't a great experience way back when). an oddity suggestion here is check out the durango srt (some counter points to the interior and dealerships but i was impressed with the driving experience, noises + wonderful shifting plus probably fit the bikes in the back). I'm actually off to check out another '15 cpo low mile ctt tmw (to me the most civil but that tends to get me in trouble vs more raw and being aware)

kennyt

My previous vehicles were M3 and X5M. My current ride is Cayenne Turbo. My experience with the X5M is very quick in acceleration, corner is flat due to adaptive dynamic suspension which levels the corners of the vehicle, the vehicle feels planted to the road at high speed (90-100mph through Kansas and Oklahoma with confidence), more hi-tech features in the X5M (20GB hard drive for music files, built-in 6 DVD unit, radio is downloaded onto the HD so you still get XM radio for a few minutes in underground parking). The negatives: sport seats are uncomfortable on long ride, harsh suspension even in comfort mode (it feels like a truck), short life AGM battery (2 batteries in 5 years), plastic crankcase-ventilation pipe cracks every 2-3 years due to heat from the V8 twin turbo and it costs $1800 to replace and you still get a plastic pipe (shortly after warranty).
Cayenne Turbo (no PDCC) on the other hand is fast but I don't feel planted to the road at high speed like the X5M. Corner is not flat because I don't have PDCC. But the seats are amazingly comfortable and the ability to raise/drop the vehicle by a few inches comes handy at times. I can source aftermarket brakes for the turbo at a fraction of dealer price (I do my own brakes). Build quality can be seen in the Cayenne compared to Bimmer mass production. Interior is quiet compared to the X5M (low road noise, no squeaking).

Turbodan

reason I mention mountain biking is he carries gear in the car and bikes on the back. Pretty much no offroading in this vehicle.

domrep

Curious as to why you mention specifically the 13-14 GTS as opposed to the newer models? I just recently picked up a '13 and love it, but I would've loved a newer one if it fit my budget. Is there something slightly more preferred on the 13-14 models?

CarGuyNVA

leftlane

Love my 14 GTS and it has all the power I need. I would never buy another BMW under any circumstances after having a totally crappy experience with my 750. My GTS has been flawless.

TXCOMT

Yes, yes...yes, we do! Love the wife's '14 S for that exact reason!

TXCOMT