Test drive BMW X5 E53 2000 - 2003 SUV

And eternal battle ...

It is now difficult to remember when BMW and Mercedes-Benz began to compete. Against any news of one company, another immediately (or almost immediately) exposed its own, similar. BMW and Mercedes Treshka C-class, five and e-class, seven and six hundredth ... with the expansion of model range, rivalry applies to new territories.

 
The Mercedes Mercedes SUV (now received the ML index) appeared on the market in 1997 - it was the ML320 model. The company swayed for a long time, but the sector of the American market, which this car was supposed to get into it seemed painfully attractive.
 

The rival from the BMW - sports -active X5 - was even stronger, the first cars went off the assembly line only in September 1999. (Recall that both model is produced in the USA.)
 

Both have already managed to visit the guests of the magazine (motor #8, 1998 and #4, 2000), but separately. The idea to compare such ardent and bright competitors lies on the surface, but in Moscow such cars are not found too often, and only recently we managed to choose a car with an appropriate engine - ML430 in a couple of BMW X5.
 

Let's start. At first, appearance. At one time, we liked the stylistic concept of X5. And the SUV is not very similar, almost a passenger car, only larger. The car turned out to be bright and dynamic - in the sports traditions of the brand (it generally seems to me that the X5 today is one of the best BMW models in terms of design).
 

The appearance of the Mercedes M -class is more fresh, especially if you deprive the car of cosmetic accessories - a tuning body kit, a kangaroo and optional wheeled wheels. It is higher and more massive, in forms closer to the traditional SUV. But how interesting the concept was. (Apparently, Daimlerchrysler marketer considered that radicalism would scare away potential buyers, for the most part quite conservative. And, I must say, they were not mistaken. There were enough conservatives, the company recently announced the planned doubling of the plant’s power in Alabama - up to 160.000 cars a year.)
 

Let's go through the technique. Engines. The power of 4.4 l of the BMW X5 motor is 286 hp. (5400 vol./Min.), Mercedes ML430 - 272 hp (5500 vol./Min.). Twisting the moment, respectively, 440 Nm (3600 rpm) and 390 nm (3000 rpm). Here the BMW X5 is ahead.
 

Transmission. Five -speed machines are installed on both cars, but BMW has Steptronic with manual control. But Mercedes has a handout and a reduced range of transmission. It is difficult to compare sour with long, but (as it turned out later), these differences are fully consistent with the characters of the cars.
 

Drive unit. For both of our heroes, he is full and constant, without any viscous things there. There are no center differentials, the inter -celebrations are free. The blocking functions are assigned to different ones in name, but fundamentally the same APS systems that brake the boxing wheels, thereby giving the opportunity to torment the moment with the best adhesion to the road. Draw.
 

Wheel bases are the same - a millimeter of a millimeter.
 

Suspens in both cars are independent on all wheels. The X5 in front has a regular Macpherson with springs, and ML430 flaunts transverse levers and torsiones as elastic elements - like large SUVs. The Mercedes remained faithful to the springs, and the BMW designers used pneumatic elements that support constant road clearance.
 

A significant difference: the X5 has a supporting body, and the ML430 has a frame structure. The presence of ABS and stabilization systems of course stability on both cars could not be said ...
 

What is inside? The stylish and strict interior X5 is opposed to the homely cozy salon ML430. To some extent, the upper parts of the torpedo are similar - due to the location of ventilation deflectors and visors of the combinations of devices. Below are two big differences: in BMW, the central console resembles a stack of expensive audio equipment, and Mercedes used quite traditional buttons and rotating handles. However, in both cases, using the central governing bodies is equally convenient.
 

Despite the external massiveness of the body and an extra 70 mm of height, in Mercedes you feel more limited in space than in BMW. True, X5 is a little wider.
 

The driver’s landing in the BMW seemed more convenient for us, and the workplace was organized more thoughtfully. The range of adjustments of the seat is prohibitive, the steering column in this sense is little inferior to him - to the joy of tall. In Mercedes, the front seats with a more direct landing are located above - the large driver rests on the ceiling, while adjusting the chair and the steering column do not save.
 

Review leaves a good impression in both cases - largely due to the increased height of cars relative to ordinary cars. Sitting in the second row is equally comfortable both in X5 and in ML430. True, three adults will easily accommodate in the back in the back, and in X5 it will be crowded there. But the BMW rear passengers can control their climate, in Mercedes they are forced to order the weather from those who are in front.
 

In terms of capacity of the trunk ML430 ahead, but BMW's double -leaf door is more convenient than Mercedes, inaudible gates.
 

Now the main thing is the road check. A more sports image of the BMW X5 made it possible to expect that this car would be more dynamic. So it happened. While the teddy ML430 was gaining speed, thinking with a gearbox, X5 famously rushed forward, regardless of the method of transmission control. The ML430 motor loses through the thrust, but its box, as it seemed, switches the gears more smoothly.
 

Gas pedals among the test participants have approximately equal sensitivity, which allows you to accurately dose engine speed in any road situation. The brake dynamics generally did not cause complaints, the machines answered with a very effective slowdown even to a slight pressing of the pedal, however, in Mercedes it is less informative.
 

As for the smoothness of the course and comfort, Mercedes had a clear advantage. Who would doubt that. The BMW X5 behaves much more athletic, perfectly (for such a high car), turns - almost without roll, preventing it from criticizing course and lateral stability and readily listening to the steering wheel, which becomes acute speed. For all this, you have to pay excessive responsiveness to the profile of the road, but small irregularities of the X5 suspension swallows well.
 

ML430 is also good in turning, but first you need to get into it, and there are problems with it. The Mercedes steering wheel is too lightweight, a small child can also crank it in place, but the car is made for adults. At first it seemed that with an increase in speed everything would fall into place - but no. The almost complete absence of feedback on the steering wheel makes us abandon the thought of frozen in turns - it is better to build a trajectory in advance ...

 
As for a light off -road driving (these cars are not intended for real dirt - it’s enough to remember prices), Mercedes wins here - in full accordance with a more courageous appearance. Its asset has an extra 20 mm of a road clearance, smaller overhangs, a supply of torque and, if it becomes very tight, lowered series of transmission. But if there are comfort, crossed area will not have to move around the area, otherwise the ML430 will begin to swing and peck with his nose.
 

From X5 - the situation is the opposite, the machine fully meets the known formula higher speed - less than pits. And at low speed, a hard suspension will shake the whole soul ...
 

Well, it seems to be compared. You can’t call the results unexpected. They correspond to the impressions that we had during previous acquaintances with cars. The general objective conclusion - who is better: BMW X5 or Mercedes ML430 - is hardly possible. These are different machines, each has its own branded character. BMW AG is still making cars for the driver, and the sports-active BMW X5 is another confirmation of this. Mercedes cars have always been more focused on the passenger, and ML430 - with his comfort, solidity and calm - the bearer of these traditions.
 

And further. No tests will make the BMW fan transfer to Mercedes, and vice versa.
 

Text: Fedor small

 
 
 

Source: Magazine Motor