JJ 
2011 BMW X5 Diesel xDrive35d 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 6A)
2011 improved more than just engines
 I traded directly from a 2009 X5 35d (built in July 2009) to a 2011 35d (built in May 2010) and noted significant differences even though the diesel engine and transmission are unchanged. The vehicle is quieter. Road/engine/exhaust noise are less intrusive into the cabin and the suspension is more supple. Highway ride is more composed. The media joke that most of the 2011's 4,000 new parts must be in the engines, but clearly more than the drive train and bumper styling have changed. This X5 feels like a luxury SUV now. The gravelly sound of the diesel engine is just a distant murmur except on hard acceleration, which is to be expected from BMW.