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What you need to know: The Volvo XC60 is a mid-size luxury SUV whose mould is similar to a BMW X5 or Audi Q5. Available with your choice of four engines, two gearboxes, four trim levels, front- or intelligent all-wheel-drive (certain models only), this stylish Swede easily matches its competitors for variety.
The BMW X5 was among the first of a new breed of soft, luxury SUV’s. Its first generation saw the light of day just before the turn of the millennium with the second generation following in 2006. This third iteration was launched last year and we’ve just spent a week with the range-topping M50d.
A recurring theme in motoring journalism is that of taste. Opinions will always differ and my dream car may not arouse so much as a passing glance from you. Differing tastes seem to be linked mostly with a car’s design and the chief offender in this discipline appears to be the BMW X6.
A few years ago I tested BMW’s 555 horsepower X5 M and concluded that its ostentatious power and price was only for the super wealthy, utterly demented and rock stars. Sad but true, when nothing else matters and only the memory remains, you too may want to park such a car in your heated garage.
The sports utility vehicle (SUV) market has been booming internationally and on local shores, no doubt bolstered by city dwellers with a taste for the big wide outdoors. BMW cottoned onto this long ago with their X5, X3 and X1 sports activity vehicles (SAV).
Time for some history lessons. BMW stands for Bayrische Motoren Werke, which means Bavarian Motor Works. Bavaria is a province of Germany and saw the birth of BMW in 1916. The white on blue propeller badge pays tribute to aircraft engines which the company produced in its early years.
Land-Rover was one of the first companies to identify and attack the SUV market, bolstered by its experience with no-nonsense bundu bashers and luxury brawlers. The Discovery was launched in 1989 to neatly fill the gap between the basic Defender and suave Range Rover.