My mom is currently leasing a 208 BMW 535xi sport wagon with a 6 speed manual and as someone who has been fortunate enough to have driven an E46 M3, been in a ride along in a highly modified Supra, and been in a few Porsche 911 Turbo's this car is surprisingly fun to drive. My mom is leasing this car with the sport package and the suspension is fairly stiff but the ride is not harsh at all. I've found myself on empty stretches of highway pushing this wagon into the 140mph range effortlessly. The N54 Twin Turbo in this car has plenty of power almost everywhere in the rev range. The boost from the turbos kick in down low in the 2000 rpm range and don't let off until well after 6,000 rpm's. It's very nice not to have to down shift in 6th gear to pass a slower car. I can't say enough about how great the mechanics in this car are, but it's a BMW, so you should expect the best. This is not the prettiest car ever built but it's nicer looking than most other sports wagons you will see on the road. In terms of interior the new E60/E61 5 series is not as traditional as the E39 which I am accustomed to. The interior is very nice in my opinion and the i-Drive is a very nice feature. If you can use an i-pod, you can use i-Drive, so I don't know why people dislike the system. All I can say is if you are trying to decide between an X5/X3 and something else, look at the 535xi. It has the same all weather abilities as an SUV with about the same storage capacity but appeals to those who don't want to drive an SUV and want something that is more like a car. For this, the %35xi Sport Wagon is the perfect solution.
Pros:
Amazing Twin Turbo Motor, 6 speed manual, x-drive=all weather capability, hill assist, plenty of cargo space for most purposes
Cons:
Not the prettiest car on the road
