BMW X5 v Mercedes GLE v Audi Q7 v VW Touareg - which is the best premium SUV?
- Thread starter nikola1984
- Start date
hovabongZA
Tire Trailblazer
Interior quality of the X5 and BMWs in general blows rivals away ...it’s the best SUV out there currently.
tristatez28lt1
Tire Trailblazer
I'd take the XC90 inscription 
hovabongZA
Tire Trailblazer
They should have replaced the Touareg with the XC90 or Cayenne or both. The Touareg is very popular here in SA recently won a comparison test against the X5 and XC90 then again journos here are very vag crazy.
Busty
Highway Hunter
It’s really striking: I often don’t share his views even though I like his humor. However, in this case, I fully agree. Recently had a 6-pot GLE and it did not blow me away. My impression was that there was substantial cost cutting in various areas. And despite its strange exterior, I have always liked my rides in the Q7. This includes its old-fashioned but incredibly well-built interior. I fear that I will not like the upcoming facelift though. Judging by the Q8, quality and usability will rather be worse than better.
hovabongZA
Tire Trailblazer
Hope the argument of the MBUX being better than iDrive has finally been put to rest.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
Enjoy you your noisy 4 cylinder above 50mph.I'd take the XC90 inscription
The Q7 on air suspension is one of the most comfortable and sophisticated riding cars.
klier
Premium
That happened a day after the MBUX reveal, but on this forum that will never happen, and who cares really. Let them feel happy in their ignorance.
CrunchSlaughtered
RPM Ruler
Why should it be long in the tooth? It's less than 3 years old.
donkeykong
Track Technician
The Q7 went on sale in 2015.
LennyM
VW Bug Starter
Well I guess in relation to the competitors (as tested), it is relatively old news now, especially the interior can do with refresh. overall great car still, coming second in this test was well earned.
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
Should have porbably posted this in this thread in the first place....
Typical Carwow/Mat Watson review really. I knew the outcome before I even watched a second of the video.
I find it just as easy to nitpick at the quality of theX5 as I do theGLE, yet he always fails to call out BMW's and Audi's on their quality shortcomings. And they're there make no bones about it. The ivory 'Individual' leather interior of this particularX5 would certainly help with showroom appeal.
This whole iDrive/MBUX debate is now silly. Sure he personally prefers the iDrive, but the new MBUX is just as intuitive with familiarity and offers some advantages over iDrive. They are both top shelf systems though with their pros and cons.
Offering a four pot on the Benz as a base model to compete with 6 cylinders from competitors is just price gouging by MB UK! Clearly forcing you to fork out even more quid to get the model you really want.
Also what's the point in complaining about 3rd row seats that are clearly intended for children on both theX5 and GLE?
@EnI did make a very good point some time back in another thread, and that is the AudiQ7 clearly benefits from being half a class larger than theX5 andGLE. Whereas Mercedes and BMW have the GLS and X7 to satisfy those wanting more space, and they make a pretty penny out of the extra $$ that privilege requires, Audi is playing both fields with theQ7 and the benefits in space and practicality are evident.
If you're in this market, comfort should be a priority IMO and this would cost the BMW a few points in my book, because not even my X3 M40i offers anywhere close to what I would describe as an enthusiastic/enjoyable drive experience. So I seriously doubt these behemoths are any better on that front.
Typical Carwow/Mat Watson review really. I knew the outcome before I even watched a second of the video.
I find it just as easy to nitpick at the quality of theX5 as I do theGLE, yet he always fails to call out BMW's and Audi's on their quality shortcomings. And they're there make no bones about it. The ivory 'Individual' leather interior of this particularX5 would certainly help with showroom appeal.
This whole iDrive/MBUX debate is now silly. Sure he personally prefers the iDrive, but the new MBUX is just as intuitive with familiarity and offers some advantages over iDrive. They are both top shelf systems though with their pros and cons.
Offering a four pot on the Benz as a base model to compete with 6 cylinders from competitors is just price gouging by MB UK! Clearly forcing you to fork out even more quid to get the model you really want.
Also what's the point in complaining about 3rd row seats that are clearly intended for children on both theX5 and GLE?
@EnI did make a very good point some time back in another thread, and that is the AudiQ7 clearly benefits from being half a class larger than theX5 andGLE. Whereas Mercedes and BMW have the GLS and X7 to satisfy those wanting more space, and they make a pretty penny out of the extra $$ that privilege requires, Audi is playing both fields with theQ7 and the benefits in space and practicality are evident.
If you're in this market, comfort should be a priority IMO and this would cost the BMW a few points in my book, because not even my X3 M40i offers anywhere close to what I would describe as an enthusiastic/enjoyable drive experience. So I seriously doubt these behemoths are any better on that front.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
What are the weak areas of the X5s inteior?
Mercedes are not offering E-Active Body System which is a huge dissapintment. Audi Q7's air suspension is world class I was hoping they Mercedes would get one up on Audi in all markets.
Price is also a factor for the X5 winning the test. Its well equipped and finance offers are better than those avaliable for the GLE.
The Q7 only lost because the inteior is dated. It will come back very strong next year.
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
I've seen X7's and X5's on the lot with their cup holder covers literally falling apart. The ones that weren't falling apart felt cheap in their jerky operation. I find the switch gear in the transmission tunnel module lacking tactile quality and it feels as cheap as the module Mercedes uses on the C and E with the shiny black plastic buttons which feel loose to the touch and creaky to press.
The rear view mirror on the GLE felt no better or worse than in the X5, along with the rotary light knob, which are two issues he raised with the GLE. The hard lower door panels on the GLE are a piss poor effort by MB and an obvious sign of cost cutting but in my opinion the rest is on par with the X5.
Don't get me wrong, both vehicles have fantastic interiors and in the Mercedes case it's clearly a step up from the E, but if you pick hard enough they both have their flaws. Mat Watson has now over a series of reviews continuously picked on Mercedes shortcomings while glossing over issues with comparative BMW's and Audi's. Surely he can't be blind to them.
The Q7 with it's 'dated' interior is probably the best of the lot in terms of quality, but it lacks other touches such as the the leather stitched dash etc. which are probably more impressive to most buyers. It's also superior in build and finish to what Audi is now doing on the A7 etc. where the same sort cost cutting measures he notes on the MB are now evident in the Audi's. So while the
I wonder if the exclusion of e-active body control on RHD models is a short term issue or a long term one. It would be damn disappointing if its a permanent issue. Perhaps @Wolfgang would know more about this?
The pricing of the GLE in the UK is clearly an issue and gouging by MB UK.
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