New 2014 BMW X5

Had a chance to drive the new 2014 X5 over the weekend over a mildly off road course.  It was the same trim level as our X5 (Xdrive 3.0d M Sport) but with the ivory Leather.  I felt very at home in the driver's seat although the driver position didn't seem as elevated and the car didn't look as tall as the old X5. The cabin seemed slightly smaller in the front, but could have been a optical illusion as the dashboard and centre console seemed to encapsulate the driver and front passenger more.  The cabin space in the back was similar to the old model. The dashboard indicators are a lot more modern with few  LCD colour displays replacing the old analogue dials but the dash is still recognisable as a BMW's.

The ride in the old X5 (especially the M Sport) can be be described as firm (which  I  quite like) but the the ride in the new one was a bit softer and it was none the worse for it and although I didn't really get to drive it at any great speed the body roll was minimal as well.

Off road it coped with the steepish muddy slopes and a foot or so of water quite easily (probably nothing any 4x4 Yeti couldn't handle)   - hopefully I wouldn't encounter much more than this in and around south Cheshire. On the whole it seems a better car than the model it replaces - but not by much.