I drove 7 other vehicles on a regular basis, before I got the X5, over the last 25 years, that make me appreciate the overdrive ratio of my X5's auto transmission, especially since the final drive is 4.10!

Here's the lineup of my vehicles, past & present, of which the X5 has neither the best nor the worst rpms at 75 mph (listed from most rpms to the least):

• 1) 1966 Chevy Chevelle Malibu, 441 c.i. (7.2L), 2WD, TCI Powerglide/Transbrake,
  4.88 final drive (full-spool diff), with MT 28/10.5-15 tires (28") drag, 275/60r15 tires (28") street
  First: 1.76 (8.59), Second: 1.00 (4.88)
  4392 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 2) 1986 Chevy S-10 Tahoe Ext.Cab, 173 c.i. (2.8L), 2WD, TH700r-4, 3.42 final drive,
  with 255/60-15 tires (27") rear...215/65r15 (26") front
  First: 2.74 (9.37), Second: 1.57 (5.37), Third: 1.00 (3.42), Fourth: 0.667 (2.28)
  3192 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 3) 1969 Chevy C-10, 355 c.i. (5.8L), 2WD, Turbo-Hydramatic 350, 3.73 final drive,
  with 30/9.5r15 tires (30")
  First: 2.52 (9.40), Second: 1.52 (5.67), Third: 1.00 (3.73)
  3133 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 4) 1975 Chevy C-10, 358 c.i. (5.9L), 2WD, Turbo-Hydramatic 350, 3.42 final drive,
  with 275/60r15 tires (28")
  First: 2.52 (8.62), Second: 1.52 (5.20), Third: 1.00 (3.42)
  3078 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 5) 2001 BMW X5 E53 3.0i, 182 c.i. (3.0L), AWD, 5L40-E, 4.10 final drive,
  with 235/65r17 tires (29")
  First: 3.42 (14.02), Second: 2.22 (9.10), Third: 1.60 (6.56), Fourth: 1.00 (4.10), Fifth 0.75 (3.07)
  2672 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 6) 2009 Chevy HHR Panel LS, 134 c.i. (2.2L), FWD, 4T45-E, 3.91 final drive,
  with 215/55r16 tires (25.3")
  First: 2.96 (11.57), Second: 1.626 (6.36), Third: 1.00 (3.91), Fourth: 0.681 (2.66)
  2652 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 7) 2004 Chevy Silverado 2500HD WT (reg.cab), 364 c.i. (6.0L), 2WD, 4L80-E, 4.10 final drive,
  with LT245/75r16 tires (30.5")
  First: 2.48 (10.17), Second: 1.48 (6.07), Third: 1.00 (4.10), Fourth: 0.75 (3.08)
  2451 rpm @ 75 mph
  
  
• 8) 1998 GMC Sierra Ext.Cab, 350 c.i. (5.7L), 2WD, 4L60-E, 3.73 final drive,
  with 275/60r15 tires (28")
  First: 3.059 (11.41), Second: 1.625 (6.06), Third: 1.00 (3.73), Fourth: 0.696 (2.60)
  2336 rpm @ 75 mph

I had a long commute to work (120+miles, round-trip), for 14.5 of those years, and another 3 years (70+ miles, round trip), before retirement 7.5 years ago. And I towed my race car many miles for 11.5 of those years, too. I used a lot of gasoline.

The best commuter car was my '09 HHR panel, which I used as daily driver from '09-'16, when I replaced my '04 2500HD as a daily, bought due to $4 gas prices in late '08. The worst was my '66 Chevelle, which I had to drive a few times to work, when other choices were few (OK when it had a 327 c.i. engine and 3.38 final drive, became expensive to drive when it got the first 427 c.i. engine and 3.73 gears, and impossible when it got the bigger 441 c.i. engine + 4.56, and later 4.88 gears ...with a locked differential, and 5 gallon fuel cell/118 octane fuel.

The '86 S-10 was strictly a commuter too, with a wimpy tow rating, so I bought my first C-10 to do double-duty, commuting and/or towing, back in 1997. I restored/modded the '69, but found that the hi-po 355 engine used a lot of gas, and I got the '75 C-10 with lower compression engine, and lower gearing to use mostly for long-range towing. Never finished restoring it (despite the new engine and running gear), so it was my back-up commuter (topper on the back made it alright for overnight stays at work during ice storms...the HHR was much better, though).

Since retirement from racing in '08, and from work in Jan.'16, the '04 2500HD has been relegated to towing trailers (we've got a '98 GMC as back-up), the '09 HHR has been the grocery-getter and wife's eveyday vehicle, and the recent (2 years ago) acquisition of the X5 made it my seldom-used project/daily?? driver vehicle.

Why do I feel that the X5 gearing is fine as it is? As few miles as I drive it around town, it doesn't matter much if the HHR (or GMC) get better mileage, and the 2500HD with the 6.0L engine and same final gear gets much worse mileage about town and even worse than the X5 on the few highway trips it's gone on.

The X5 was going to replace the HHR (daily driver & go-getter), 2500 HD (2250 lb. camper towing), and GMC (people hauling, as it was the only 4-passenger vehicle, previously) functions, as I envisioned it 3.5 years before getting it. Meanwhile, my health limited my camping, personnel changes in the family negated the need for 4+ seats, and neither my wife nor I travel even a fraction as many miles as in the past years. So, I have vehicles aplenty for uses I no longer need them for. But, the X5 is here to stay, regardless of rpms or gas mileage.

__________________
01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide