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I am very pleasantly surprised at the job my X5 (4.4l w/the sports package) did. I've pulled that boat with a Jeep Grand Cherokee, an Expedition, and most recently a 2000 Suburban.
HANDLING & ACCELERATION: I was concerned that the X5 would be overwhelmed by the boat (which dwarfs the X5) much in the same way that it overwhelmed the Jeep. It was not overwhelmed at all and, in fact, pulled the boat better than the Expedition which, at highway speeds, became rather loose and squirriel-ly. My wife's Suburban is an excellent tow vehicle, but there is no contest when accelerating on to the interstate. Naturally, the X5 feels more nimble and handles better than the Sub. You certainly know that the boat is back there, compared to the Sub, but the boat did not "move" the X5 around the lane (as it did with the jeep). Perhaps this is due to the X5's considerable weight. I had no problems pulling the boat at 65-70 mph.
BRAKING: The X5 did a better job stopping and slowing down with the boat than any of the above mentioned SUV's. I have trailer brakes (hydraulic) on the dual axle trailer.
TWO MINOR CONCERNS: 1- The tongue that is supplied with the factory hitch is very short. As a result, it makes backing the X5 up to the waiting boat tricky (especially if you are alone). The ball does not protrude out much past the rear bumper, so you have to be careful not to bump the bumper cover with the trailer (thankfully, I did not)
2- The hitch, as you know, is tucked up under the bumper, and when you attach the safety chains the hooks rest on the lower lip that curves out under the tailpipes. I'm afraid that the hooks may eventually scratch the lip over time or on long hauls.
Overall, I could not be happier with the X5's towing performance. Much better than I thought the "smaller" truck behave. So much for the "you idiots shudda bought an E39 5-series wagon" argument.
I'm happy to answer any questions.
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