2018 BMW X5 vs Porsche Cayenne

What's the difference?

Favoured by everyone from governments requiring bullet-proof security vehicles to parents doing the school drop-off run, BMW's X5 is the limo of the German maker's now extensive SUV range, and the xDrive40d sits close to the top of the line-up.

As if that's not enough pressure, the X5 is up against fierce rivals in the form of the Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport.

You'd expect an X5 to be luxurious, come loaded with advanced technology, and be dynamic, because it's a BMW, and that's the brand's shtick. But it's an SUV, so it should also be practical.

That's a lot to ask, but after living with the X5 xDrive40d for two weeks, it gave me the answers.

Since the Porsche Cayenne turned the automotive world upside down in the early noughties, it has continued to evolve and has grown to become one of the brand's biggest sellers.

One size up from the mid-size Macan, it's problematic for hardcore Porsche-philes, but there's no doubting this five-seat SUV's success, or the fact that it helps keep the famous German sports car maker well and truly in the black.

And this is the new, third-generation version, with an all-new chassis, fresh engines, and a bunch of dynamic, safety and multimedia tech enhancements.