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WE WANT TO SERVICE YOUR VOLVO Your Volvo deserves only the best in care and maintenance. At our service centre, the care and well-being of your Volvo is something we take very seriously. Trust only the best qualifi ed to service it. Contact our professionals at: VOLVO OF OAKVILLE 1-888-310-1305 service@volvoofoakville.com 19 W ednesday , N ovem ber 3, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m BMW x5 is pleasant to ride in, fun to drive Continued from page 18 If youre wondering why all the focus thus far has been about performance, its because driving dynamics is where the X5 really shines. Sure, this sport utility (or SAV in BMW- speak) is practical, but in many respects falls in line or behind the competition. Open the split tailgate and youll find a usable 620 litres behind the second row, which grows to 1750 litres with the seats folded flat. This falls somewhere close to the Cadillac SRX, is substantially smaller than the Acura MDX and is somewhere between the Audi Q5 and Q7. The X5 also has a large compartment beneath the cargo floor, which is ideal for securing valuables and those items you dont want rolling around. Technology is another area where BMW shines, and the X5 is replete with packages and standalone options to enhance the com- fort, convenience and safety of the vehicle. My tester had nearly 14-grand worth of options, pushing the price to $73,950. This included the Technology Package ($2,500) that came with a rear view camera with Top View (great for tight parking spaces); navigation system (with 8.8-inch high-res monitor); voice control (ie. for adjusting navigation routes while driving); and BMW TeleServices, which connects the dealer with your vehicle for servicing issues. It also included the $5,450 Premium Package that added power tilt/telescopic steering, automatic tailgate, panoramic sunroof, Nevada leather upholstery, park distance control and more. The one I probably wouldnt do without was the Executive Package ($3,100), which includes Comfort seats (adjustable in near- ly every way imaginable), four-zone climate control, heated rear seats, manual side sun- shades, and Comfort access, which allows you to lock/unlock and start the vehicle with the key fob in your pocket or purse. Im surprised the latter feature isnt standard at this price. The standard-equipped iDrive is much improved, and just about as intuitive as the Mercedes-Benz COMAND system. It has buttons to directly access the most com- monly used functions (CD, radio, phone, navigation), and through a menu system has access to information that includes range, distance to destination, fuel con- sumption, tire pressure, oil levels and more. You can also find settings for the option- al ($1,500) heads-up display, climate con- trols, door locks and lighting, not to men- tion a warning chime that you can set for a particular speed for example, one that may get unwanted attention from the high- way patrol. Theres still much more to the X5 in terms of leading-edge tech, which is all- available on the company web site. So, does a $60K-plus sport utility make sense in a world of rising fuel prices and numerous, more practical alternatives? Probably not. But if you have a big budget, enjoy the performance and handling of a sports sedan, but need a little more space, not to mention all-wheel-drive safety and stabili- ty, then the X5 is definitely worth a look. Metroland Media Carguide Magazine Subaru has teamed with its motorsports partners, tuners and enthusiasts to show- case the latest available Subaru Genuine Parts and Subaru Performance Tuning Accessories at the 2010 SEMA show. One of the vehicles on display from Subaru will be the "Fastest STI Ever," the record breaking Nurburgring Subaru WRX STI that lapped the Ring in 7:55:00. The SEMA show runs this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Subaru launches custom performance cars at 2010 SEMA Show