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The 2020 BMW X5 Is Worth Skipping the Porsche Cayenne for

Buying a newer luxury SUV can mean getting the best of two worlds. On the one hand, you get the space and practicality of driving an SUV. You can tow along toy haulers and boats, squeeze in the whole family for a scenic road trip, or pack in groceries and soccer bags at the end …

Buying a newer luxury SUV can mean getting the best of two worlds. On the one hand, you get the space and practicality of driving an SUV. You can tow along toy haulers and boats, squeeze in the whole family for a scenic road trip, or pack in groceries and soccer bags at the end of the day. On the other hand, you get all of the luxuries you may want from smaller sedans and coupes. While the new Lamborghini Urus is out of most people’s price range, there are more options to choose between, like the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne.

The 2020 BMW X5

Only a year old, you can find many 2020 BMW X5 SUVs on the market for a great price — starting at around $60,000. It might seem steep, but for a barely used luxury SUV it fits in quite well price-wise. According to US News, the 2020 BMW X5 wins out over the same year Porsche Cayenne in several critical ways.

One highlight worth mentioning is that the BMW X5 receives high marks from the NHTSA safety rating team, which is a big plus for many owners looking to buy a commuter car or family vehicle. It also offers a more responsible fuel economy than the Cayenne option, but as performance-SUVs, it still isn’t very remarkable.

A blue BMW X5 SUV on display at an auto show
A BMW X5 displayed at an auto show | Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images

The 2020 Porsche Cayenne

Year after year, the Porsche Cayenne just keeps getting better. From appearances to features, it’s hard to deny that the 2020 Porsche Cayenne is a great luxury SUV to buy new or used. With an offering of luxury and performance, even as an SUV, the Cayenne is capable of reminiscing decades of racing heritage from the Porsche brand.

With everything the Porsche Cayenne has to offer, it’s no wonder that the 2020 model year still comes so highly recommended. But factor in the price of all of the additional add-ons and cool features, and you can be looking at a price tag well over $100,000 even for a used model.

A vibrant red 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe on display at an indoor show
2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupé is on display at the 112th Annual Chicago Auto Show | Raymond Boyd, Getty Images

They’re both great luxury SUVs…but…

Both the 2020 Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5 are great options for slightly-used luxury SUVs, but the typical buyer isn’t looking to own both — and that means having to pick. The BMW option features many standard options that buyers are looking for, with an intense variety of useful and quirky options, one of the most underrated being the heated and cooled cup holders.

A raindrop-dotted BMW logo on a parked black car
This BMW recall affects only 28 vehicles | Artur Widak/NurPhoto

There are plenty of reasons to love either choice, and when it comes down to a final purchasing decision, it takes quite a bit of nit-picking to select one of these well-balanced options over the other, but the BMW X5 just seems to wrap up everything consumers could want in one SUV-shaped bundle.

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