brian5s

I agree. I am definitely not a fan of the run flats that BMW puts on their vehicles. My Q5 3.0 w/20" tires and H&R Sport Springs rides awesome! Much better than my wife's BMW!

Redd

I let a friend drive us to dinner, and he parked the car in a mall parking lot, "head in" in the space next to one of the grassy strips with trees in it. He asked me if I had room to open my door or if I was too close to that curb. I popped the door--and found that he had actually CLIMBED the curb and was parked right on top of it, and neither of us had noticed what the car had climbed over.

Harsh ride? ROFLMAO. Does a damn good job eating RR track crossings and speed bumps, too.

Bluntly, put your own butt in each of the two cars and see how you like them. I have another friend with an orginal X3 who tends to leave a water bottle in the passenger side cup holder all the time. If I get in that car without really looking, my knee slams into it every time, and the holder is really asking to be broken off.

But then again, in my Q5, the driver's knee can actually turn off the automatic headlights as you are getting in or out of the car.

The original X3 didn't have runflats, but you had to release the spare from inside the rear floor, and then scrabble under the car to release the tire (carried below the floor, outside the car) starting with a nylon strap that was drum-tight, begging to be cut.

Both cars have been built by eccentric Germans. Be sure to review the eccentricities up close and personally, before taking either one home.

ZCD2.7T

We drove both (2015 X3 28i xdrive and 2015 Q5 2.0T/3.0T/TDi) and it was the ride as much as anything else that sold us on the Q5. The X3 is a REALLY nice vehicle, though, with slightly more responsive handling, but the tradeoff is a firmer/jigglier ride. It's still much smoother than the original X3/X5, which were truly awful to ride in.

I actually think the suspension tuning on our TDi is as close to perfect as it could be for the type of vehicle it is - firm enough to keep body motions in check and offer good handling overall, yet also smoooooth, with nary a harsh/unrefined feeling to be found.

ex-quattro PETE

Test drove an X3 28i xdrive a bit over a year ago, when we were shopping for a vehicle for the wife. Personally, I found the X3 to be a bit more sporty/responsive alas a bit harsher, probably due to run-flats. If it was for me, I'd probably get the X3. But the wife preferred the Q5 interior, so that's what she got. Nothing wrong with the Q5 ride either, just a bit less sporty, IMO.

You really should test drive both before deciding.

JimVonBaden

That was exactly my experience, except, at my age, I prefer a little more comfort over sport in an SUV. Besides, I have a sports car for handling anyhow.

Redd

I would compare the handling to dance or sports:
The Q5 makes a fine ballet, for a 4400# ballerina, but it will never hold up in a rugby scrimmage, much less break dancing.
You can make a "sporty" CUV or light truck, whatever you want to call it. But you can't build a real sports car with a center of gravity that high. Like Jim notes, they make sports cars for that.
And after a long day on the interstate, some of the tradeoffs in the Q5 don't look or feel so bad.

To me, if taking a hard corner at speed is going to roll the vehicle--and it will roll the Q5 if the ESC system is off--it ain't a sports car. Take one for a test drive and casually turn off that system, then see if the salesman notices.(G)

Q5 Bob

When we bought our Q5 it came down to a choice between it and the X3. I was leaning towards the BMW and my wife, the primary driver, preferred the Audi. The Q5 has become our preferred highway cruiser for road trips as well as the errand runner for my wife. IMO it rides well for a CUV and the cabin is very quiet and comfortable. We have the 19" wheels/tires and it does get a little bouncy on uneven pavement, but not too bad overall. I don't think the Q5 would disappoint.

I've just started the search for the Q5's replacement and the new MB GLC Is on our radar. It has a real nice blend of ride handling and is similar in size to the Q5. Another option I just started looking at is the upcoming '17 Audi Allroad wagon. A nice blend of ride, handling, utility and luxury in a package that's a little different from the CUV's out there.

ZCD2.7T

Is it just me, or is the GLC the first MB that looks a LOT like an Audi, specifically the Q5?? They seem SO similar to me in profile, and even some of the detailing...

JimVonBaden

Wow, it really does!



Reasonably priced too, but maybe a bit of a step down for the Q5, especially with the 3.0T.

ZCD2.7T

It's like a Q5 with an MB front clip grafted on. Never seen anything like it (an MB that appears to ape an Audi design).

Then again, if your SUV (the GLK) had been kicked in the teeth in sales, comparison tests, etc. by the Q5 for years, you might "join 'em" rather than "beating 'em", too!