Review and photos by
Chris Chase, CanadianDriver.com

Before the BMW X5 came along, sport utility vehicles – despite the very word being in the designation – were not sporty. They were utilitarian, like the Jeep Cherokee, the granddaddy of all SUVs, or the Ford Explorer, which you can credit (or blame) for making this kind of vehicle so popular in the first place.

2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i

And then along came the X5, which proved that an SUV – or crossover, as these not-designed-for-off-roading SUVs came to be called – could be entertaining to drive, paving the way for other vehicles that so many enthusiasts love to hate, such as the Porsche Cayenne.

For 2011, this second-generation X5 (it was redesigned in 2007) gets a mid-cycle refresh that includes small styling changes to the front and rear fascias, and new colour choices inside and out. More significant, though, are a couple of new engines, and an eight-speed automatic transmission to go with them. (more…)