Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Chevrolet TAHOE VS 2015 BMW X5 Near Phoenix, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front, middle and rear (child comfort guides) seat shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Tahoe are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Tahoe has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To help make backing safer, the Tahoe (except LS)’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The X5 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Tahoe and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Tahoe 1 year and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 12 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Tahoe’s warranty.

The Tahoe has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X5 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tahoe third among large suvs in their 2013 Initial Quality Study. The X5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2014 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 8th.

The Tahoe’s 5.3 V8 produces 55 more horsepower (355 vs. 300) and 83 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 300) than the X5 s/xDrive35i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6 cyl.

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Tahoe’s fuel efficiency. The X5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Tahoe uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X5 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Tahoe has 3.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 (26 vs. 22.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Tahoe stops shorter than the X5:

For better traction, the Tahoe has larger standard tires than the X5 (265/65R18 vs. 255/55R18). The Tahoe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X5 (285/45R22 vs. 275/40R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tahoe offers optional 22-inch wheels. The X5’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Chevrolet Tahoe’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Tahoe has a standard full size spare tire so your trip isn’t interrupted by a flat. A full size spare isn’t available on the X5, it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Tahoe is 4 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the X5.

For better maneuverability, the Tahoe’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the X5’s (39 feet vs. 41.7 feet).

The Tahoe offers optional seating for 9 passengers; the X5 can only carry up to 7.

The Tahoe has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 4.9 inches more front legroom, 4.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 6.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

The Tahoe’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Tahoe’s (except LS) optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X5 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Tahoe’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tahoe’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The X5 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its tailgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Tahoe has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The X5 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Tahoe’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge – which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X5 has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

Consumer Reports rated the Tahoe’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X5’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Tahoe has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Chevrolet Tahoe outsold the BMW X5 by over two to one during the 2014 model year.