Quote:
Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82
Driving pleasure, not competence or joy. Feeling the road, the excitement of the noises and feelings you get. Compared to those you mentioned, yes. Compared to something better, no. At this price point, just take the M60 for example, the Cayenne or Alfa or Mercedes even will have more driving feel. I said the X5 is better to drive than American, Korean, or Japanese vehicles. There’s no debate about that.
Take for example the M3 vs the CLE AMG. I have owned both, and there is more instant driving pleasure in the Merc. It feels connected while the M3 is numb and isolated. The M3 is faster but not more pleasurable.
I love our BMW SUVs and wouldn’t trade them for anything else. But the conversation was around pleasure in driving, not other metrics. There is a distinction there. I actually want my X7 and iX to be isolated, quiet, and a luxury cruiser. It’s the ultimate riding machine and very competent at driving as well.
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You seem to equate driving pleasure to only a tight, connected, rigid chassis, sport capable automobile. But not everyone thinks or feels like you, so the driving pleasure doesn't have to be the same thing all the time in all cars for all people, FYI. If it was, there would be no Citroen, or Bentley or Mayback or old Cadillacs fans, that love driving them, because those cars give them plenty of pleasure.
I find my X5 M60i with air suspension delivers plenty driving pleasure for my taste, the engine, transmission, suspension comfort, etc, all work to a package very well put together.
I hope you may get something you like if your driving pleasure expectations are no longer met by the X5 or X7. But that doesn't mean BMW dialed the driving pleasure out from them, like you said, only that you no longer like to drive them.