Cayenne
 

I own neither right now but the QC on BMW is better per JD Powers and Intellichoice rates it higher. A Cayenne's option list can drive up the finished cost like a rocket.

I figure top speed in realistic driving is not a issue with either car. I pay more attention to 0-60 and handling.

Dealer network is another issue. You are in Seattle and I Portland. One Porchse dealer and he is on the far end of town. Twice as many BMW dealers here.

I feel overall the BMW has better styling but it is a personal thing.

Id take a cayenne over an X5 anyday!! But not over an E70

Really? a 3.0 loses to the regular cayenne? I thought in regular trim it was way underpowered and bloated with weight compared to the X5...

Took a couple years, but the Cayenne has grown on me and my wife is hot to get one, They are still a bit overpriced compared to the X5 but a Facelifted CPO is going to be im my future as the X5 startes to climb in miles.

I test drove the Cayenne Turbo before I bought my 4.6. Great straight line power but couldn't even come close to the handling of the X5 4.6is.

I was trying to compare the two as well when I bought my X5. 3.0 vs. base Cayenne. Couple things that pushed me over to the X5

1. You can get sooo many more options on the X5 for half the cost of Cayenne options. Ex. Panorama sunroof on the X5 is 1350 while it's around 3000 on the Cayenne. Make a list and see what you can get for your money.

2. Doing the research, I found that the X5, even with it's problems, is lightyears ahead of the Cayenne when it comes to reliability, repair record, etc.

3. Aesthetically, I personally feel that the X5 is better looking. I used to think that the Cayenne was an ugly car, with a frog-esque looking front. It grew on me though. Of all the friends and family I asked in helping me make the decision, about half thought the Cayenne was ugly. Not one thought that way about the X5.

Another con is that because the Cayenne and Touraeg were jointly designed, they have similar body styles. You could get a Touraeg for about 10k less. If you care about status though and want people to say "that's the guy who drives the Porsche", the Cayenne may be for you. You won't see nearly as many Cayennes on the road as you will X5s. But if you want a blend of luxury, performance, and status, I'd go with the X5. In the end, it wasn't a difficult choice for me. Good luck.

My friend owns both. He has a 2001 4.4 sport and a 2004 Cayenne S (among other cars). Anyway, he says the Cayenne handles better at higher speeds (100+), but prefers the X5 in every other way. The brake calipers on his Cayenne look great, but he says they don't stop as well as the X5 and he says acceleration feels the same in both. He's had the Cayenne for about a year and the X5 since it was new. He's planning on turning both in on a 4.8 which goes to show you, well nothing really other than what he prefers, but at least it's a decent comparison.

Oh, does anyone have a link to the base Cayenne 0 - 60 times or something else that shows it beating a 3.0? Last I read, the base Cayenne was in the high 8's or low 9's to 60.

yea i got a pro and con. The E70 is stunning while the cayenne looks like shit. I dont care how fast the tt is id never get one

Its pretty sad that the Cayenna loses out to a design that was 4 years old at the time of its introduction (1999 vs. 2003 - [or maybe it was 2002?]).

Its just going to get worse for the X5's competitors once the E70 hits the streets...