BMW X5 x40i query?
Discussion
I’m wanting to swap my 2016 F16 X5 x30d M Sport as I’m wanting to move away from diesel and am going round in circles looking at different cars. After not being happy with other marques Im starting to think the obvious route for me is another X5.
I can’t afford the 50i or 45e so have been looking at the 40i but my main concern is the lack of torque, having ‘only’ 450Nm compared with 560Nm for my current car.
I know the 40i has more HP and is over a second faster to 60mph than my x30d but how do people find it on day to day driving? Does it lack in drive etc or is this engine OK and have plenty of drive out of corners and can tackle hills etc. without issue?
Any thoughts appreciated.
I can’t afford the 50i or 45e so have been looking at the 40i but my main concern is the lack of torque, having ‘only’ 450Nm compared with 560Nm for my current car.
I know the 40i has more HP and is over a second faster to 60mph than my x30d but how do people find it on day to day driving? Does it lack in drive etc or is this engine OK and have plenty of drive out of corners and can tackle hills etc. without issue?
Any thoughts appreciated.
Honestly, the B58 is a magnificent engine and has plenty of grunt, but it is ill suited to the X5. The diesel 30 and 40d’s are way more efficient (circa 10MPG more) and the torque characteristics are better matched to a big SUV. I’ve had both and vastly preferred the diesel - an X5 is not a car you rev out all the time or go door-handling in, so a slightly slower 0-60 is no big miss.
If you are after new then worth knowing that the 40i engine has now been quietly dropped in the X5.
If you are after new then worth knowing that the 40i engine has now been quietly dropped in the X5.
Cogito Ergo Sum said:
Honestly, the B58 is a magnificent engine and has plenty of grunt, but it is ill suited to the X5. The diesel 30 and 40d’s are way more efficient (circa 10MPG more) and the torque characteristics are better matched to a big SUV. I’ve had both and vastly preferred the diesel - an X5 is not a car you rev out all the time or go door-handling in, so a slightly slower 0-60 is no big miss.
If you are after new then worth knowing that the 40i engine has now been quietly dropped in the X5.
Thanks, very useful. As you say the X5 is not a vehicle you rev and throw around like a sports car which is why the torque figures are more important to me than the BHP.If you are after new then worth knowing that the 40i engine has now been quietly dropped in the X5.
I'll scratch the 40i off my list
I've got an X5 M50i which you say is out of budget - I bought it new earlier this year, and once you'd added spec to the 40i and considered the discount on a 50i there wasn't huge clear air between them on the pricing. The 4.4 engine really suits the X5 and makes it both effortlessly fast and fun to drive. I didn't drive a 40i (though did test a 40e), but in doing my YouTube research the 40i gets lots of praise. I'd definitely try one before writing them off. My M50i replaced a previous generation 50d, which was a great car, but I don't miss the diesel.
Hedgeman said:
I've got an X5 M50i which you say is out of budget - I bought it new earlier this year, and once you'd added spec to the 40i and considered the discount on a 50i there wasn't huge clear air between them on the pricing. The 4.4 engine really suits the X5 and makes it both effortlessly fast and fun to drive. I didn't drive a 40i (though did test a 40e), but in doing my YouTube research the 40i gets lots of praise. I'd definitely try one before writing them off. My M50i replaced a previous generation 50d, which was a great car, but I don't miss the diesel.
Thanks. In the used market there appears to be quite a difference in price between similar age/spec X40i’s and 50i’s. One thing that concerns me with the 50i is the lack of air suspension (unless I happen to stumble across one with it) but I’d need to test drive to know for sure. I have an X3 M40i but wouldn't want the engine in an X5. It is a great engine and superb in the X3, but the X3 is more spritely than the X5 by a big margin. The 3L diesel is great and suits the X5 well. I have driven an X45 45e a fair bit and like it a lot. The £££ is a lot though for that and I believe the battery tech may be getting an upgrade in the next year. If this is true a 45e will probably become the 50e and cost even more. The 45e is super quick off the mark though which is fun. My X3 is quicker on paper but the instant torque of the phev is amusing. If they do uprate the model the 45e might drop a bit ?
Tea Pot One said:
I have an X3 M40i but wouldn't want the engine in an X5. It is a great engine but the 3L diesel is great and suits the X5 well. I have driven an X45 45e a fair bit and like it a lot. The £££ is a lot though for that and I believe the battery tech may be getting an upgrade in the next year. If this is true a 45e will probably become the 50e and cost even more. The 45e is super quick off the mark though which is fun. My X3 is quicker on paper but the instant torque of the phev is amusing. If they do uprate the model the 45e might drop a bit ?
Interesting, thanks. I could always wait for APR’s to drop again so that the 45e and 50i are within easier reach but if and when that happens who knows.
What I find strange is on the used BMW site they quote torque figures as 332 ftlb (450Nm) rather than 600Nm, looks like they’re only quoting the ICE rather than combined.
What I find strange is on the used BMW site they quote torque figures as 332 ftlb (450Nm) rather than 600Nm, looks like they’re only quoting the ICE rather than combined.
Edited by snerkler on Saturday 24th December 16:39
Edited by snerkler on Saturday 24th December 16:43
snerkler said:
It’d be on PCP so I wouldn’t want to spend money remapping to spend again to put it back to stock.
My X3 is remapped by DMS. Surrey rolling road showed it as 440hp (up from 360hp at SRR before) and 440 ft lbs ... but tbh maybe as it is such a good map, it doesn't feel a lot quicker. I had a DMS map on an E92 330d and that felt quick ... this is just so smooth it doesn't feel it. It is quick, I can tell is I catch it just right and think OMG, that is a lot different, just so smooth. I still think diesel or more preferably 45e for my money. Tea Pot One said:
My X3 is remapped by DMS. Surrey rolling road showed it as 440hp (up from 360hp at SRR before) and 440 ft lbs ... but tbh maybe as it is such a good map, it doesn't feel a lot quicker. I had a DMS map on an E92 330d and that felt quick ... this is just so smooth it doesn't feel it. It is quick, I can tell is I catch it just right and think OMG, that is a lot different, just so smooth. I still think diesel or more preferably 45e for my money.
I’m thinking 45e or 40d now even though ideally I wanted to move away from diesel. I think the 50’s may be too harsh without air suspension snerkler said:
I’m thinking 45e or 40d now even though ideally I wanted to move away from diesel. I think the 50’s may be too harsh without air suspension
I've driven a 45e at work a few times for a few hundred miles and tbh I loved it. I looked at prices and winced. If driven sensibly they give good economy and will leave most things off the line if it amuses you. The diesel would be best value I think and I know people who have had the 40d (well, two) who sold it and regret it. They talked of the effortless power ideally matched to the X5 size etc .... Tea Pot One said:
I've driven a 45e at work a few times for a few hundred miles and tbh I loved it. I looked at prices and winced. If driven sensibly they give good economy and will leave most things off the line if it amuses you. The diesel would be best value I think and I know people who have had the 40d (well, two) who sold it and regret it. They talked of the effortless power ideally matched to the X5 size etc ....
To be honest I don’t do enough miles for economy to worry me ‘too much’. The MHT 30d is far better suited to the X5 than the 40i, forget the 0-60 difference (it's less than .5 second slower so nothing) the 30d will feel more effortless/powerful in most daily driving situations.
You're only giving away around 40hp once you factor in the hp from the electric motor and in a car that weighs over 2 tonnes you're going to miss the low rev torque not the high rev hp.
Big SUVs with "small" petrol engines often give the worst outcome, the fuel economy of the V8 versions but the performance of the diesels without the benefits of big torque low down.
You're only giving away around 40hp once you factor in the hp from the electric motor and in a car that weighs over 2 tonnes you're going to miss the low rev torque not the high rev hp.
Big SUVs with "small" petrol engines often give the worst outcome, the fuel economy of the V8 versions but the performance of the diesels without the benefits of big torque low down.
Wills2 said:
The MHT 30d is far better suited to the X5 than the 40i, forget the 0-60 difference (it's less than .5 second slower so nothing) the 30d will feel more effortless/powerful in most daily driving situations.
You're only giving away around 40hp once you factor in the hp from the electric motor and in a car that weighs over 2 tonnes you're going to miss the low rev torque not the high rev hp.
Big SUVs with "small" petrol engines often give the worst outcome, the fuel economy of the V8 versions but the performance of the diesels without the benefits of big torque low down.
Thanks. You're only giving away around 40hp once you factor in the hp from the electric motor and in a car that weighs over 2 tonnes you're going to miss the low rev torque not the high rev hp.
Big SUVs with "small" petrol engines often give the worst outcome, the fuel economy of the V8 versions but the performance of the diesels without the benefits of big torque low down.
snerkler said:
Thanks. In the used market there appears to be quite a difference in price between similar age/spec X40i’s and 50i’s. One thing that concerns me with the 50i is the lack of air suspension (unless I happen to stumble across one with it) but I’d need to test drive to know for sure.
Definitely drive one with air suspension before committing. It's an option on the M50i as you've noted, and I was all set to tick the box before I actually drove one with air suspension. I hated the feeling of disconnection and the blancmange type driving feeling (regardless of comfort/sport mode the car was in). The adaptive sports suspension on the M50i really is the best of both worlds on this car - taught, connected, and still very comfortable. Hedgeman said:
Definitely drive one with air suspension before committing. It's an option on the M50i as you've noted, and I was all set to tick the box before I actually drove one with air suspension. I hated the feeling of disconnection and the blancmange type driving feeling (regardless of comfort/sport mode the car was in). The adaptive sports suspension on the M50i really is the best of both worlds on this car - taught, connected, and still very comfortable.
I’ve got air suspension in mine (albeit only rear) and have driven the 2020 X5 x30d with full air suspension and liked it, the roads around me are shocking and I like to be cushioned 
snerkler said:
I’ve got air suspension in mine (albeit only rear) and have driven the 2020 X5 x30d with full air suspension and liked it, the roads around me are shocking and I like to be cushioned
It will certainly cushion you 
I've found the suspension on my G05 M50i much better than the F15 M50d. Better body control, and yet more compliant.
Just as an alternative opinion… have owned the original 30d, the 30d MHT and the 40i in the current X5.
The 40i was easily my favourite, silky smooth, quick, nice noise. Used to average early 20s, whereas the 30d MHT easily averages mid 30s, so that’s something to think about.
Never noticed the lack of torque in the 40i compared to the diesels, and the 40i likes a few revs, so never felt stressed when doing so.
The 40i was easily my favourite, silky smooth, quick, nice noise. Used to average early 20s, whereas the 30d MHT easily averages mid 30s, so that’s something to think about.
Never noticed the lack of torque in the 40i compared to the diesels, and the 40i likes a few revs, so never felt stressed when doing so.
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