2019 BMW X5 Vs. 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

2019 BMW X5 vs. 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Safety

The X5 has standard Active Protection, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the X5 helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the X5 and the Range Rover Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X5 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 47 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Range Rover Sport has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the Range Rover Sport’s (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Land Rover only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Range Rover Sport.

There are almost 2 times as many BMW dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the X5’s reliability 40 points higher than the Range Rover Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 11th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 73 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 99 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 30th.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the X5 xDrive40i is faster than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport 3.0 supercharged:

As tested in Car and Driver the X5 xDrive50i 4.4 turbo V8 is faster than the Range Rover Sport Supercharged/Autobiography 5.0 supercharged V8:

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X5 gets better fuel mileage than the Range Rover Sport:

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the BMW X5 as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

Transmission

The X5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X5 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Range Rover Sport:

The X5 stops much shorter than the Range Rover Sport:

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X5 has larger standard tires than the Range Rover Sport (265/50R19 vs. 235/65R19).

The X5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Range Rover Sport’s standard 65 series tires. The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Range Rover Sport’s optional 40 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The X5 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Land Rover doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Range Rover Sport.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X5’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Range Rover Sport (117.1 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

The X5’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the Range Rover Sport’s (48.4% to 51.6%). This gives the X5 more stable handling and braking.

The X5 xDrive40i handles at .89 G’s, while the Range Rover Sport HSE pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The X5 has 1.4 inches more front headroom and .5 inches more rear legroom than the Range Rover Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the X5’s available third row seats recline. The Range Rover Sport’s optional third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Range Rover Sport 5-Passenger with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 24.8 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Range Rover Sport with all its rear seats folded (72.3 vs. 55.8 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the X5’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Range Rover Sport’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Ergonomics

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the X5 has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the X5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X5 third among midsize premium SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Range Rover Sport isn’t in the top three.

The BMW X5 outsold the Land Rover Range Rover Sport by 85% during 2018.