[Dgjo2022X5MC]

Was thinking of trading in our 2020 G05 but after really looking at the BMW options I think I find myself a bit ‘disenfranchised’.

I think what’s causing my thinking is the general electrification elements being forced upon us in all products we would consider buying.

I don’t desire a mild hybrid 48v motor in the transmission for a host of reasons, including complexity and weight. Look at all the issues and gremlins the XM and 50e have. I definitely don’t desire it, or other electric propulsion elements in M variants.

And the reliance on screens and layers of menus. Hard pass. I look at our G05 and F95 and really like the fact there is still a driver centric cockpit of sorts. No such thing in current models.

Getting old I guess! (Gen X)? Maybe someone can show me the silver lining in the current direction

Next vehicle looks to be a used 2014 Cayenne S or GTS with a normally aspirated v8.

[fallen]

I am 100% with you on that!
Not only BMW, but pretty much all other car manufacturers are changing the products to look more "electric" with flat screens proliferating through the cabin, electric motors making their way into the drivetrain of the ICE cars and a plethora of electronic nannies making the driving experience resemble the video game

I am planning to keep my 2020 F95 until the wheels come off. To scratch the "analog car" itch I got a Porche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 manual without any of the modern car "goodies".
Finding a simple car with analog gages, no nannies and electric motors will be more and more difficult as time goes by...

[Dgjo2022X5MC]

Glad to hear I’m not alone!!!

Sounds like you found a great solution!

[Alan l.]

I plan to keep my 2020 X5M for awhile which is unlike me where I swap cars every 2-3 years. For the first time I don’t find anything else out there that interests me more than my current car. Sure there’s the LCI version but once you sit down and do the pros and cons it just doesn’t make any sense. I simply looked at buying my car for 70K or getting a LCI for 135K. Didn’t make any financial sense to me.

Alan

[Dgjo2022X5MC]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

I plan to keep my 2020 X5M for awhile which is unlike me where I swap cars every 2-3 years. For the first time I don’t find anything else out there that interests me more than my current car. Sure there’s the LCI version but once you sit down and do the pros and cons it just doesn’t make any sense. I simply looked at buying my car for 70K or getting a LCI for 135K. Didn’t make any financial sense to me.

Alan

Makes complete sense. Don’t see any reason going to LCI. We purchase our cars so don’t have end of lease decision. We do have 5 year section 179 timeframe. Looks like as you concluded, I will hang on to my 22.

I am going to get that Cayenne S tho . Want a non turbo 8 in a SUV.

[mc-m3]

I don't know what the design team is thinking. They have become followers, not leaders. We were considering a '24 X5MC, the area below the kidney grill looks like they are copying a Lexus. I would love another M3 but the beaver front end is something that only a mother could love. This time around we went with the Cayenne S, mostly due to the side skirts on the X5MC making it difficult for my wife to enter/exit the vehicle.

[Samurai of 2day]

I don't like the trend towards a completely digital interface, either. I prefer the driver centric cockpit layout and sporty sculpted dashboards BMW was known for.

I'm in the same camp regarding the LCI. Nothing enticing about it. This is the first time in about 10 years I'm not interested enough in anything out there to make me excited about switching out after 3 years of driving my current F96. At least within my budget, lol.

[cmyx6go]

I agree with all of you. My lease is up in August. Normally, at this point I'd be excited about ordering my next one. Not this time. I'm 99% sure I'll buy out my lease. I was going to look at other brands but everyone is doing the same thing. . I had a LCI X5 loaner a few weeks ago and I wanted to slit my throat with a blunt object, it would have been less painful. In addition to all the previous comments about the screens and lack of buttons, where's the shifter, damn it? A button? Really????

I don't know what happened to the Ultimate Driving Machine.

Get off my lawn. Rant over.

[TREKER]

I have no issue with keeping things current and fresh. Sometimes there is an overreach and an attempt to keep up with what everyone else is doing. I look how the center console and other areas are changing and I am a bit turned off myself.

But I also think as a Gen X'er myself, we have the tendency to not like change thrust upon us. We need a little time to adapt and acclimate to new ideas and things. We like what works. We are from the mindset of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

On the other hand, I am a Treker so I love Star Trek - TNG and kinda like the no buttons and all screens like an LCARS interface on the Enterprise D.

BMW doesn't seem to have a Scotty or LaForge there if I get a CEL on my new 50e.

[Samurai of 2day]

Originally Posted by TREKER

I have no issue with keeping things current and fresh. Sometimes there is an overreach and an attempt to keep up with what everyone else is doing. I look how the center console and other areas are changing and I am a bit turned off myself.

But I also think as a Gen X'er myself, we have the tendency to not like change thrust upon us. We need a little time to adapt and acclimate to new ideas and things. We like what works. We are from the mindset of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

On the other hand, I am a Treker so I love Star Trek - TNG and kinda like the no buttons and all screens like an LCARS interface on the Enterprise D.

BMW doesn't seem to have a Scotty or LaForge there if I get a CEL on my new 50e.

I agree with keeping things fresh and innovative. I'm an old guy, but not afraid of, and still remain adept at accepting and using modern tech.
However, as mentioned by you and a few others on this thread, BMW seems to be more "following" than leading when it comes to their design trends.
For example, Tesla has had the singular, center mounted infotainment / driving interface for years now. This makes sense for the majority of their target audience because most of their customer base seems to prefer automation and a less driver focused experience when traveling from A to B.

Now, BMW's customer base is mostly consistent with those who prefer a more driver focused experience, so they can have a bit of fun and excitement during a more interactive and engaging commute.

IMHO, this diversity can still be kept fresh, by continuing to develop tech and creating designs that appeal to the few of us that pay the BMW premium for the bit of excitement we're looking for when getting in the driver seat.
Then let The more appliance based designs remain with other manufacturers for a broader field of options, instead of jumping on band wagons, ultimately narrowing the field and reducing the automotive market options.

And that's just one example. There are other factors that contribute to this "dilution".

BMW will reduce their value, if they don't offer anything different than other manufacturers. Why pay over 100k for a car that looks, performs, and functions just like the cars that cost 55k?

[Dgjo2022X5MC]

I definitely don’t have any interest in driving a soulless toaster. Or making my F95 a bloated and complex hybrid air fryer like the XM and to a lesser degree the LCI (with 48v battery system complexities) are.

[Car-Addicted]

Many reasons to own a car and for most it is basic transportation for your situation. I suspect BMW thinks the iX and the i4 are the perfect answer based on what they believe to be future trends. I suspect they may be right and that makes me sad. I will admit to being an old geezer (get off my lawn) but I'm in the tech business so I also welcome innovation. When a X5 looks more like a Leggo kit on the out side and one of my graphics workstation on the inside, it sends me the message that BMW is not making cars for guys like me. I was lucky enough to snag a 2020 M4CS and it always puts a smile on my face when I walk out into the garage or take it out for a spirited drive. Now there are few BMW's that elicit that response from me and I doubt BMW cares.

[xmanpro]

I have to say this LCI iDrive is a pain to operate. Even with on screen shortcuts and all of that. The lack of physical buttons was a complete miss here. I miss those 8 programmable shortcut buttons every time I drive this thing.

[crabman]

I don't mind the screens, the real failure to me is the lack of hard buttons for frequently used functions.

In that regard I'd highlight moving the distance control for the ACC off the wheel and burying it 5 touches deep into the GUI as the biggest blunder I've encountered with modern auto GUIs.

To add insult to injury the space on the wheel those butttons once populated is now going unused and that space is generally regarded as the most valuable control space in the car. Utter and complete fail.

The system itself is actually fine, you don't often need to get into it for the day-to-day other than the aforementioned huge blunder.

On the screen location and size I do have one point: While I dislike Tesla's control paradigm I found the somewhat similar new Mercedes layout to be easier to use than the one here. That big screen shape and size allows GUI buttons to be better spaced out and identified quickly with a glance. You have to look down slightly more to see the lower portion of the screen but the ease of finding something quickly and intuitively, with the sense you know right where to look, is stronger in the Merc setup.

They also have the problem of having cut too many buttons and owners responded negatively to it. This is to the point that more buttons are coming back at the refresh and new model cycle. This isn't a guess, MB announced it in their notes for the changes on the S class refresh.

I'd suspect the same may occur here, where some of what is gone, finds its way back.

[Dgjo2022X5MC]

To change distance you have to go into a menu? Thats plain dangerous. I change distances all the time depending on traffic patterns. What a preposterous design.

[SlowX6M]

Completely share your sentiments, and its not just BMW but almost every car. The amount of interaction with screens in my 2021 F96 is about the maximum I can tolerate, I have no interest in the newer model with the giant screen across the whole dash.

[crabman]

Originally Posted by Dgjo2022X5MC

To change distance you have to go into a menu? Thats plain dangerous. I change distances all the time depending on traffic patterns. What a preposterous design.

I used one of my programmable shortcuts to go directly to it but it's still a big heaping pile of stupid. I also use it very frequently as the traffic situation evolves.

I should mention there is an allegedly smart auto distance feature you can turn on, but it's poorly implemented: Much too far on the freeway, but will follow needlessly close when you're out on country roads where there is no reason to crowd the people in front of you.

[Alan l.]

I thought about switching to another brand but there really isn't anything out there that get me excited except for things that I can't afford lol

Went to build a Cayenne S and the darn thing cost more than a X5MC. It wasn't even loaded.... It also doesn't look remotely special for a 140K+ car. To be fair no Porsche does until you get into an RS model

Not a MB fan at all. Can not stand the frumpy looking face they put on all of their cars.

Not a Audi guy either but been always a huge fan of the RS6 and that would be the closest car i would consider replacing my X5MC with but thats long overdue for a new model and I hear complete horror stories about servicing Audis..

The X5M/X6M is the best car that does it all no matter what price point.

Alan

[crabman]

lol, I was thinking I'd pick up a 60i, then I drove the Cayenne S and decided I liked it better. Then I configured one the way I wanted it; not totally decked out but with the important features: 140k. Then I thought there was no way that was 30k better than the 60i, so I'm not buying it.

As you can my hands were tied; I clearly no choice but to buy the X5M. Don't question my logic...

[roryhw]

I’ve driven BMWs for 20+ years and have been along for the journey of advancement in tech since before they first introduced a screen on the dashboard and the iDrive controller.

I upgraded from a fully optioned 2020 X5 40i to a fully optioned 2024 M60i with iDrive 8.5 and while it took about a week and an open mind while adapting to the pull down for shortcuts, touch screen for climate control, etc, I absolutely love the new UI. The screen res is super high quality and it’s really snappy/responsive.

I am ok with the move to software / digital controls and keeping the user experience modern.

I would be more concerned if BMW allowed itself to fall behind and fail to stay relevant in a competitive segment in the industry.

I do have nostalgia for the “all buttons” and red clocks dashboard for sure tho…

[Dgjo2022X5MC]

Originally Posted by crabman

lol, I was thinking I'd pick up a 60i, then I drove the Cayenne S and decided I liked it better. Then I configured one the way I wanted it; not totally decked out but with the important features: 140k. Then I thought there was no way that was 30k better than the 60i, so I'm not buying it.

As you can my hands were tied; I clearly no choice but to buy the X5M. Don't question my logic...

Porsche is absurdly overpriced. I agree the value (for me) isn’t there. They depreciate the same as BMW, perhaps worse if you go option crazy. I looked at a Cayenne GTS when shopping for my F86 replacement and did not like it at all. That’s just me, though.

If you don’t want to spend 200kish+ on a manufacturer’s apex performance SUV (Cayenne turbo, Urus, Aston Martin), I think BMW the clear choice. But what the BMW direction has me strongly considering is a CPO or very lightly used version of those competitors over a brand new F95.

[crabman]

I've spent a fair bit of time at Porsche and while I don't disagree on the pricing; I do like their cars and they've been successful at getting me to pay that premium. Although I do admit I always feel ripped, not going to deny it.

Not a bad choice going used on an apex predator in the segment. I've done the exotic thing and it isn't all roses. In that group I'd be looking at the GT, you'll avoid a lot of the stupidity the others are going to bring out in a small, but existing, portion of the people you encounter.

You're probably already aware of that kind of thing and I'm not trying to dissuade you, just an FYI if you haven't looked into it too much.

As to this car, IMO the complaints are overblown and not really directed at what's going to PO most people. Things like the stop/start not staying disabled over the course of your drive, the lack of frequently used functions on buttons, etc. Those types of things will be what annoy most people. The screens themselves are fine with decent resolution and good response. But needing to use a gesture to get to a function that I then have to tap to enable on a remote screen, for an adjustment I might make 10 times during a single trip down the freeway; that torques me.