[LDT]

A similar Cayenne v X5 discussion can be found on Rennlist Cayenne 9Y0 forum. There is a surprising amount of love for the X5.

[Eric500]

Originally Posted by SwissBeemer

The G05 is almost exactly as long as the new Cayenne, 0.83" wider and 2.24" taller.

(L x W x H)
Cayenne 2024: 194" x 78" x 67"
X5 G05: 194" x 79" x 69"

Seems the 2024 Cayenne grew quite a bit.

The space difference is from the wheelbase 114 vs 117, the BMW feels larger likely due to that. Also, I think the back window area of the cayenne slopes in more so less cargo space too?

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by Eric500

I posted this on the Cayenne forum and thought you all would find it useful as well. I know BMW is guilty of some cost cutting over the years, but Porsche really went below and beyond on the 24 refresh:

part 2: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8JnbdhE/

part 3: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8JnHXn2/

What Porsche did with the refresh is a crime lol if you sit in a base car without options it feels like a plastic toy car

[Eric500]

Originally Posted by mattsrs

What Porsche did with the refresh is a crime lol if you sit in a base car without options it feels like a plastic toy car

yeah, but I feel like a base X5 is more worthy of the price than a base cayenne (interior wise at least)

A lot of the items addressed in the video cannot be optioned to be better

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by Eric500

yeah, but I feel like a base X5 is more worthy of the price than a base cayenne (interior wise at least)

A lot of the items addressed in the video cannot be optioned to be better

For now yes but I am pretty sure BMW will also cut corners on the next gen X5. I haven’t done a back to back experiment but I think even the refreshed Cayenne has better road noise insulation than the current X5. What blew me away by interior quality is the new range rover sport

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by mattsrs

For now yes but I am pretty sure BMW will also cut corners on the next gen X5. I haven’t done a back to back experiment but I think even the refreshed Cayenne has better road noise insulation than the current X5. What blew me away by interior quality is the new range rover sport

Agreed on the RRS. Besides the large amount of piano black in center console - interior is top notch, seats are heavenly. Haven’t driven one tho - not sure if it can hold up against x5 or cayenne performance wise. It does have the b58, I think?

[swiego29382]

Originally Posted by BeEmVee

Other than the pricing, does anyone have practical feedback on the driving/build quality/ownership experience between the two? Porsche seems to have become more cookie cutter with their shared VW platform.

We cross-shopped the 2024 Cayenne S against the 2024 X5 M Competition for a very long time. There were several points that eventually swayed us toward the X5:

1. Interior volume - both passenger and cargo - were substantially greater on the X5. It turns out not to be particularly close; the Cayenne is on the lower end of cargo capacity for mid to full size two-row SUVs and the X5 is definitively near the upper end. The vehicle we were upgrading from was between the two and one of the primary goals of the upgrade was more room, not less. Cayenne (and Macan) were disappointingly small.

2. Driving feel, engine performance - this was another area where frankly it wasn't even close. The Cayenne S felt "almost" as responsive as the m60i and nowhere near the X5MC despite the two being in essentially the same price bracket given typical options. This was another enormous disappointment as we had gone into this process all but assuming that we would wind up in a Cayenne. From the first test drives, "where is the 2024-level performance? where is the throttle response?" kept coming up.

3. Price and dealer experience. Porsche pricing was consistently ugly and uncompetitive, and the ability to even experience the vehicles was limited; the first Porsche dealership we went to said "no test drives period" and the second gave us 3/4 mile down the adjacent residential street then back. The first BMW dealership let us put city & highway miles on a M60i and a X5MC, unsupervised, and we bought the latter from them the next day. It's hard to discount how hard Porsche tried to make us not be interested in their vehicles.

On Porsche's behalf, some of the things we noticed:

1. While the X5's list of features was far, far longer, the Cayenne's execution of features felt better. The ventilated seats actually ventilate (versus the X5) and the Cayenne's climate control is actually good and usable whereas we still can't get the LCI vent positioning stalks to send air in the right direction. I'd have been happy for BMW to get rid of the soft close doors and lighted panoramic glass (stuff that's useless) and instead put more effort into HVAC, matrix headlamps, etc. that matter more.

2. It's possible the Cayenne's dynamic handling behavior at the limits is superior to the X5 but given the X5's already considerable sticky, wide tires and composure, it's not going to matter on any public road. Still, I acknowledge the possibility of better chassis tuning.

3. The X5's steering is terrible IMO - ratio is too high and steering effort too low even in the "Sport" mode. This is the most highly boosted steering of any vehicle I've ever owned, which is shocking given its performance pedigree. My parents would like it very much, however.

4. I do worry about longevity of the BMW platform. Already, we've had a few technical glitches. On the other hand, the Cayenne S threw a "chassis failure" fault even before it got out of the parking lot at the dealership that deigned us with the 30mph test drive, so who knows. Nevertheless, the X5 exudes a "hundreds of features and count on a whole lot of them not working in 6 years" vibe to it that I hope proves not to be the case but...

5. Finally, iDrive is about the worst UI I've ever seen in an automotive product and we looked at virtually every mid to large size performance / luxury 2-row SUV on the market. I hear that iDrive 8 is better than 7 to which all I can say is that I'm glad I never got to see 7. This vehicle has "China Market" design written all around its feature spec & UI aka "throw as many features into the vehicle as possible and make everything as complicated looking and cluttered as possible" since that is what affluent buyers in developing markets gravitate toward.

In the end, the performance (at least of the X5 MC although the M60i was nuts as well) was so incredibly superlative that it offset all of the things we disliked about the vehicle.

Good luck with your decision!

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Agreed on the RRS. Besides the large amount of piano black in center console - interior is top notch, seats are heavenly. Haven’t driven one tho - not sure if it can hold up against x5 or cayenne performance wise. It does have the b58, I think?

I have a 24 X5 currently and test drove a P400 RRS (395hp) last week. It is not the sportiest car in terms of handling but it definitely has great power and power delivery is smooth and it is dead quiet inside and rides sooo well even on harshest roads

[Fegelein]

Originally Posted by BeEmVee

Other than the pricing, does anyone have practical feedback on the driving/build quality/ownership experience between the two? Porsche seems to have become more cookie cutter with their shared VW platform.

IMHO, having owned both Porsches and BMW's for decades, Porsche is next level up and not just a badge charge. I think of the "big 3" BMW is #1, then Audi, then M-B. Then there is Porsche which is sort of a bridge between the norms and the exotics. I came out of my '18 M5 and into a '21 Cayenne Coupe GTS w/ all the bells and whistles (pic below). It's basically a 911 GTS w/ a lift and an overall amazing vehicle, that didn't have me missing the M5 one bit once I leased it.

[swainbmw]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Sorry - but the exact arguments that the cayenne isn’t worth the price increase can be made for the x5 when compared to any lesser / cheaper competitors. This is very subjective where the line on cost / value is drawn. I’m sure people on Kia/Hyundai forums are saying the same about the x5 as what’s being said above about the Cayenne.
Kinda silly.
For me - that subjective comparison- base to base the x5 is better value for the purpose of those 2 cars. Go up the m60 - I’ll take the cayenne S any day as the handling and overall driving experience is second to none and worth the premium (IMO!!)

I’d check the backseat rear legroom again - I obsessed over this having 2 small kids and car seats. It’s very well known the x5 is pretty much worst in class and despite the cayenne being a smaller I found the cayenne having noticeable more rear legroom for every seat configuration I test drove one in. Others have also verified this.

Back seating in the X5 is very tight I do not feel like this is a family car when I put my small 10 pound dog in the back and my book bag in the front seat and a couple other items I have filled the whole car up I cannot imagine putting two small children and adult upfront If I lived that lifestyle, I would have a Chevy suburban only give me breathing room, can’t stand people on my back driving, and if the cayenne is worse, I would never buy one regardless of how it handled.

[Brando95]

Originally Posted by mattsrs

I have a 24 X5 currently and test drove a P400 RRS (395hp) last week. It is not the sportiest car in terms of handling but it definitely has great power and power delivery is smooth and it is dead quiet inside and rides sooo well even on harshest roads

We also crossed shopped the RRS and I had one on order before cancelling to get the X5 M60i. The RRS is hands down the most comfortable SUV I’ve driven. The interior is incredibly upscale, but I didn’t love the UI compared to the BMW. For the size of the RRS, the P400 had nice, smooth power, but doesn’t come anywhere close to the M60i.

For us, it was a decision between comfort vs sportiness and I wanted something that packed a little more punch. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice, but they’re definitely geared towards different buyers.

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by swainbmw

Back seating in the X5 is very tight I do not feel like this is a family car when I put my small 10 pound dog in the back and my book bag in the front seat and a couple other items I have filled the whole car up I cannot imagine putting two small children and adult upfront If I lived that lifestyle, I would have a Chevy suburban only give me breathing room, can’t stand people on my back driving, and if the cayenne is worse, I would never buy one regardless of how it handled.

I’d say only the GLE (in the luxury mid size suv) has the legroom you are looking for. But to be clear the consensus is, which I agree with, the Cayenne has more legroom than the x5.

[Mixitt]

Originally Posted by Brando95

We also crossed shopped the RRS and I had one on order before cancelling to get the X5 M60i. The RRS is hands down the most comfortable SUV I’ve driven. The interior is incredibly upscale, but I didn’t love the UI compared to the BMW. For the size of the RRS, the P400 had nice, smooth power, but doesn’t come anywhere close to the M60i.

For us, it was a decision between comfort vs sportiness and I wanted something that packed a little more punch. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice, but they’re definitely geared towards different buyers.

Pardon my ignorance but what is a RRS?

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by Brando95

We also crossed shopped the RRS and I had one on order before cancelling to get the X5 M60i. The RRS is hands down the most comfortable SUV I’ve driven. The interior is incredibly upscale, but I didn’t love the UI compared to the BMW. For the size of the RRS, the P400 had nice, smooth power, but doesn’t come anywhere close to the M60i.

For us, it was a decision between comfort vs sportiness and I wanted something that packed a little more punch. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice, but they’re definitely geared towards different buyers.

Yea for 100k I think the RRS delivers an underwhelming acceleration number. (I know I know it’s not all about that , but if it was a tad faster I think they’d win quite a few more customers at that price point)

[Brando95]

Originally Posted by Mixitt

Pardon my ignorance but what is a RRS?

Range Rover Sport

[mattsrs]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Yea for 100k I think the RRS delivers an underwhelming acceleration number. (I know I know it’s not all about that , but if it was a tad faster I think they’d win quite a few more customers at that price point)

It starts from $80k and its not slower than a base Cayenne that would cost a lot more if you add nice options

[Mattl0806]

Originally Posted by mattsrs

It starts from $80k and its not slower than a base Cayenne that would cost a lot more if you add nice options

Yea, was just thinking the dynamic which is like 90? - But great point on value here.
I would never buy a base cayenne as these new prices - as many have said base spec is severely lacking. Id take a 40i over it. But if you really option out a 40i, which I would, you’re in the 80s - base cayenne is easily pushing 100k with a decent interior and air suspension and the RRS can be in the 90-95k w/ reasonable options…

If those are my only 3 choices - I’m probably taking the RRS..

[Brando95]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Yea, was just thinking the dynamic which is like 90? - But great point on value here.
I would never buy a base cayenne as these new prices - as many have said base spec is severely lacking. Id take a 40i over it. But if you really option out a 40i, which I would, you’re in the 80s - base cayenne is easily pushing 100k with a decent interior and air suspension and the RRS can be in the 90-95k w/ reasonable options…

If those are my only 3 choices - I’m probably taking the RRS..

When comparing like this the RRS definitely provides great value. When I had one on order I was at $102K so I actually saved a little going with the M60i.

Ditto on not buying a base Cayenne as it is pretty bare bones and you quickly drive up the price adding options. Porsche has never been concerned with price or value though. We looked at an S and it was going to come in at around $130K. The new Cayenne has had their fair share of supply chain issues and stop sales, so decided to steer clear of that mess. Couldn’t be happier with the decision to get our first BMW

[swainbmw]

Originally Posted by Brando95

Range Rover Sport

Been down that road before drive one if you wanna be stranded

[Eric500]

if only Land Rovers were even remotely similar in reliability to BMW. Im not gonna expect lexus, but i've tolerated and had decent experience with BMW reliability over the years where it's acceptable bar for LR to aim.

That alone is such a huge deal breaker for me

[swainbmw]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

Yea, was just thinking the dynamic which is like 90? - But great point on value here.
I would never buy a base cayenne as these new prices - as many have said base spec is severely lacking. Id take a 40i over it. But if you really option out a 40i, which I would, you’re in the 80s - base cayenne is easily pushing 100k with a decent interior and air suspension and the RRS can be in the 90-95k w/ reasonable options…

If those are my only 3 choices - I’m probably taking the RRS..

Think twice on the RRS they live at the dealership

[BeEmVee]

Originally Posted by Mattl0806

I’d say only the GLE (in the luxury mid size suv) has the legroom you are looking for. But to be clear the consensus is, which I agree with, the Cayenne has more legroom than the x5.

Legroom aside, isn’t it funny just how much better the X5 is than the GLE?