I have always loved and owned beautiful cars. Like most men and many women, I appreciate and enjoy all aspects of reading about, watching videos and TV shows, great driving movie scenes, owning and driving great automotive machinery. So I thought I would tell you about my current favorite car - my BMW X5. It is a 2003 3.0i straight six petrol model.

It has about 40,000kms on the clock, which is very low for this year model. It is pristine white in colour, with black leather interior. Extras include dark tinted windows, aluminum side-steps, parking sensors front and back, headrest DVD players with wireless headphones and remote control, Ming paint protection and leather protection. The car is in 'as new' condition and looks and drives as such.

After reading so many magazines, watching countless episodes of Top Gear and similar programs, and searching the net constantly for articles and wallpapers for my computer, I feel well-equipped to now do my own, unbiased of course, road test and review. Whilst not a recognised motoring journalist, I believe I can provide a layman's review that anyone can relate to. So based on my BMW X5, here are the pros and cons as I see them.

Economy: I average 12 L/100kms with an even mix of freeway and round town driving. I normally carry four passengers on average also, which to me is pretty good economy for a vehicle of this size and weight.

Interior: the fittings are all of very good quality, including the plastics, and being an all-black palette probably helps the feel of luxury and quality. The visibility is good all round, although I would definitely recommend the parking sensors both front and back to assist the average driver in avoiding any minor errors in judgment. The windows are large and give good visibility to both driver and passengers, and the higher seating position of an SUV also assists with this benefit. Leg, shoulder, and head room is very good front and back and traveling with four passengers regularly has never prompted any complaints of a lack of space. Seats are comfortable on long journeys for four adults, although a third passenger can sit comfortably in the middle of the rear seat if they are smaller in stature or preferably a child.

On the road: for a large vehicle, the 3.0i petrol engine provides ample power for acceleration for both city and country driving. Overtaking is effortless, although constant heavy use of the right foot will definitely consume a lot more petrol. Forget the motoring experts who test cars at their upper limits and criticize them for being a few tenths of a second slower than their rivals. The reality is for us average, normal drivers who obey the speed limits most of the time, the power and speed of this car is excellent. Ride is smooth over nearly all surfaces, with only the most pot-holed road sending some bumps into the seats.

The noise levels are also generally very good, even at 110 kms per hour. Coarse bitumen surfaces on country roads will produce some noise from the tires, but this is not to a level that will prevent conversation between front and rear passengers or listening to the radio or CD player. Handling is a major strength for this car with even tight twisting corners producing almost sedan-like handling with a minimum of body-roll. Braking is excellent with the big discs all round bringing this big, heavy car to a stop very quickly.

Summary: overall I am absolutely thrilled with this vehicle and it has absolutely made me an advocate for the BMW brand. I would definitely buy another one, and would highly recommend it to others. But I feel obligated to at least list what I acknowledge as the cons. So here they are: firstly, the economy could be better and looking at the specs on the current '09 models this seems to have been improved considerably with the new generation engines, even the V8. Next, a reversing camera as standard would be a nice-to-have rather than a must have, as the noise-warning sensors actually work very well.

Finally, some would consider the ride on the firmer side with some other competitors being softer in ride. However, the old trade-off needs to be considered - if you soften the ride you will decrease the handling and increase the body roll on an SUV. For me, the ride is more than acceptable and I would not trade any handling ability for a softer ride. So there it is. I hope this encourages more of you to buy and own a BMW X5.