Does anyone wish there X5 was a little bigger?

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by JCL

I suppose. Maybe I am not a good example. I went on a three week camping trip in a Datsun 1200, with a tent. I went on a three week camping trip with two kids, in the Volvo wagon, pulling a large Coleman tent trailer through the Rockies. Moved along by all of 114 hp.

I just wonder why having one child in a car seat calls for something larger than a 3 series, and why having two children often seems to require a third row. Maybe it is the SUV-sized strollers.

And I regularly go camping on a motorcycle. I've also camped with no more than I could carry on my back for 14 miles. I don't quite get your point.

Almost anything in possible, but for comfortable camping from a steel cage, I expect to take such things as a medium-sized cooler, two-burner stove, lantern, sleeping bags, etc.

I figure that a 5,000 lb+ SAV (Emphasis on the "Activity"), should have at least as much cargo space as a Ford Focus Wagon.

I don't think that is an unreasonable expectation.

[Richard in NC]

Part of the cargo inefficiency for the X5 is the styling for sleekness and aerodynamics. The back of the cargo area slopes down and the rear window slopes forward. A Volvo Wagon or even the Focus is more squared off.

Even the older X3 had nearly the same cargo capacity for a much smaller/lighter vehicle because it was more square.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Penguin

I don't quite get your point.

Just that we all have different expectations of what sort of vehicle makes sense.

You are making a valid point that while it may weigh 5000 lbs, the X5 doesn't hold very much.

I made the point that whatever the capacity limitations, many of us have done quite well with far smaller vehicles, including going camping for several weeks with four people.

I think that the days of buying a 5000 lb vehicle to carry a very small family may be numbered. I am not sure what the gas price has to be to start to change buying behaviours.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by JCL

...
When our kids were in car seats many years ago we had a Volvo wagon, a 245. It carried everything we needed then. ...

I remember those days: we carted our daughter in a '62 Volkswagen, and she and our son, in our '68 Beetle. I must not have been paying attention to the
lack of space available.

[Jordo]

I just wish the rear seats slid back and forth to gain cargo OR gain rear seat leg room. Yes I know that the rear seat s power recline, I want the seat base to slide front to rear.... Like the front does.

[roadkillrob]

Originally Posted by Jordo

I just wish the rear seats slid back and forth to gain cargo OR gain rear seat leg room. Yes I know that the rear seat s power recline, I want the seat base to slide front to rear.... Like the front does.

It does in an E70.


I do wish it was a little bigger, it has a 3rd row, but shouldn't, it needs another 6 inches to have a usable 3rd row.

[Chip]

our car came with the 3rd row seats (didn't have a choice not to get them) and NO adult can fit in them. I got in the seat just fine, but your femur needs to be half the size of a regular adult to be able to fit there without touching the 2nd row seating!

[nynd]

Yeap - thats what made me buy it initially but as the kids grew, had to move into a large GL - where an adult can actually sit back there for more than 5 minutes without complaining.

[smuggymba]

Originally Posted by BMWX522

I often do. I have a 6 month old baby and sometimes I feel like a little more space would be nice. I have only had it for 5 months and love it other than this issue. None of the other Suvs I looked at handeled like the x5. They were all way to soft. I wish they made a x7! Im just talking out loud. Thanks!

that would be a minivan

[blondboinsd]

Originally Posted by smuggymba

that would be a minivan

My thoughts exactly...

If the X5 gets any bigger I won't be buying another one. I don't need to be driving a barge