2009 X5 V6 Low Power?

alaparos

I just test-drove an X5 with the V6 (2009). It had 3 people in it, probably hauling in at 600 pounds or so. Nothing towed. I also own a 2009 528xi and thus compare the X5 with it (same engine). OK, the X5 is a tad heavier, but...

The X5 did not jump off from stop. I didn't floor it, just a gentle push that on my 528 just causes it to go thru the gears nonchalantly. What truly disappointed me was the way it behaved going up a steep paved hill. From a full stop, it thought it was just fine lugging the engine creeping up the hill in 4th or 5th gear (couldn't tell). I finally had to blip the gas pedal to get it to downshift with quite an uncomfortable lurch.

I just drove my 528 up the same hill from a full stop. It clearly started up in 1st gear, went to 2nd, eventually to 3rd where it stayed until the hill got a bit less steep. Good performance and well engineered decisions on when to shift and to what gear.

Was something screwed up in the test X5's transmission or adaptive logic? I told the salesman the performance was inadequate, but he didn't seem to react and remained non-commital.

I tried to research this question on this and other groups, but nothing precisely hit it. If this is a dupe, pls excuse. Thanks in advance for any responses.

Gary in Upstate NY.

rrusso1

I have a 2008 X5 and a 2008 535. The transmission on the 535 is far superior to the X5. The 535 always seems to be in the right gear while the X5 needs a quick push on the accelerator to get it to downshift on steep hills. It is especially annoying when you make a turn off a level road and immediately start going up a steep hill. You must hit the gas right away to get the transmission to downshift. Unfortunately this is the way the tranmission functions. I must say that the the good qualities of the car, especially on the road, far outwiegh this minor inconvenience. Hopefully BMW will correct this situation in future models.

roadburner

You must have stumbled upon an extremely rare prototype, since BMW has never sold a vehicle equipped with a V6 engine.