When BMW debuted the X5 in 1999, it wasn’t just a departure from the German giant’s saloon-car convention; it helped to spearhead an SUV revolution.
Having sold some 3.1 million worldwide over the last quarter of a century across four generations, the fifth-generation X5 has been unveiled this week.
As BMW promised before the millennium, the luxury Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) will tick a variety of boxes.
From handling like one of the brand’s finely fettled saloons and offering the practicality and spaciousness of an estate, to delivering plenty of off-road capability, versatility remains very much its calling card.
But the Mk5 promises to be the most multifaceted X5 yet; that’s because it will be sold with a choice of five different powertrains, ranging from a traditional diesel engine to future-facing hydrogen technology.
Here are five quick-fire things you need to know about the latest X5.
Five things you need to know about BMW’s new X5: Here’s a whistlestop tour of the fifth generation of the German marque’s luxury SUV that arrives in the UK early next year
When it comes to powertrain options, the X5 offers unparalleled choice.
In Europe, it will be available with five variants: conventional petrol and diesel engines, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), a fully electric version and even hydrogen.
Sadly, Britain isn’t getting the pure-petrol model but, bucking the market trend of disappearing diesels, the entry-level version will be an oil burner.
And there’s clearly still plenty of demand for a diesel X5 in Britain. Last year, a third of the 7,500 big Beemers delivered to UK customers had a diesel engine under the bonnet, while fewer than 250 were petrol models.
The entry-level X5 is the 40d xDrive, which uses the brand’s 3.0-litre diesel engine with mild-hybrid assistance and two-stage turbocharging.
With 313hp and 670Nm of torque, it will deliver plenty of low-rev grunt that, when driven on a variety of roads, should return average fuel economy of more than 40mpg.
Like Audi’s new Q7 SUV, the diesel powerplant is compatible to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – a renewable fuel that reduces carbon emissions by around 90 per cent compared with conventional diesel.
Two PHEV versions – both using a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, electric motors and a 26.5kWh lithium-ion battery – are said to be capable of covering around 63 miles in electric-only mode.
The hydrogen fuel-cell variant is due in 2028 as part of a partnership with Toyota and is claimed to deliver up to 466 miles of range.
The iX5 boasts segment-leading range statistics. BMW says it can go for 525 miles on a full charged – that’s 150 more than its Mercedes EQE rival
The fifth-generation BMW X5 will be the first to be sold alongside an all-electric iX5 – and the EV sounds particularly impressive.
Using taller cylindrical cells in an enormous 140kWh battery pack – said to be the largest fitted to a production car sold in Europe – it has a claimed range of up to 525 miles on a single charge, which will make it class leading.
To put it into perspective, it’s 126 miles more than the longest-distance Porsche Cayenne Electric and more than 150 miles better than the Mercedes-Benz EQE.
In fact, the only EV in showrooms today that betters the iX5 is the £100,000 EQS 450+ saloon (542 miles).
Charging is also expected to be faster than its rivals, topping out at 460kW if you can find a compatible DC ultra-rapid charger that’s powerful enough.
The X5 and iX5 will both inherit the latest ‘Neue Klasse’ design language, including an illuminated kidney grille. But the double-X signature headlights are all-new for this car
Predictably, the X5 has adopted the same face as other recently launched BMWs, including the smaller X3 and iX3.
The ‘Neue Klasse’ design language incorporates the brand’s new signature upright BMW kidney grille, which illuminates.
This is now flanked by double-X light signatures: LEDs in the shape of an X that serve as the daytime running lights, low-beam headlights, side lights and indicators.
Notably, the range-topping PHEV will debut the BMW M division’s trademark yellow headlights, a nod to the German firm’s GT endurance-racing heritage. They were first shown last month on the electric M3 Concept.
The X-shaped headlights can also be configured to create unique welcome and goodbye animation sequences, incorporating the rear lights, mirror lights, ‘Ceremonial Light Carpet’ projectors that shine onto the ground below, the interior lighting and the door handles.
The range-topping X5 plug-in hybrid debuts the BMW M division’s trademark yellow headlights – a nod to the German firm’s GT endurance-racing heritage
The minimalist side profile of the car is bolstered by its hidden window seals and ‘Winglet’-style door handled fixed to the door pillars
Speaking of the door handles, these are all-new too.
Like those fitted to Ferrari’s Purosangue SUV, they are ‘winglets’ that protrude from beneath the frames of the side windows within the door pillars.
The doors are also electrically powered and soft-closing. Owners can even open all four simultaneously by holding a button on the key fob.
The overall silhouette, however, remains unmistakably X5, with a boxy profile, muscular wheel arches and a sloping roofline.
The look is further enhanced by hidden window seals, which create a cleaner glasshouse appearance, while the rear light cluster extends across much of the vehicle’s width to make it appear broader and more muscular on the road.
BMW has steered away from conventional hard buttons in a move that will increase distraction. For the first time, customers also get the option of a separate passenger touchscreen display
As we’ve come to expect from BMW’s luxury family SUV, the interior is awash with high-end materials.
But it’s the technology that is most eye-catching of all.
The wraparound cockpit features the new BMW Panoramic iDrive system beneath the windscreen, providing a driver display with information such as speed, EV battery range and navigation instructions at eye level, meaning motorists won’t need to divert their attention from the road ahead.
As such, there is no conventional digital display behind the steering wheel, allowing room for a substantial 17.8-inch central touchscreen.
Frustratingly, this integrates almost all of the main control functions, including temperature settings, heated-seat controls and audio functions. There are no conventional hard buttons anywhere on the upper dashboard – a move almost certain to increase distraction while driving.
That said, the operating system powering the screen is incredibly capable, making it one of the most responsive and intuitive systems available.
The standard infotainment setup can also be complemented by a new BMW Passenger Screen, which makes its debut in the X5 as an optional extra and provides access to a selection of streaming apps to keep occupants entertained on long journeys.
UK pricing for the new X5 and iX5 is due to be revealed in October. The entry diesel should start in the region of £80,000
UK pricing has not yet been confirmed, but BMW says it will be announced in October, well ahead of the first deliveries arriving in early 2027.
The entry-level diesel is expected to start at around £80,000.
The EV should not command a significant premium either, based on the pricing structure of the X3 and iX3.
‘With its imposing presence and flawless symbiosis of comfort and driving pleasure, the BMW X5 became a global bestseller,’ Dr. Joachim Post, BMW’s head of development.
‘And now the latest generation also benefits from the technologies in the Neue Klasse and the widest possible range of drive systems.
‘As a result, I’m sure the new BMW X5 will set the benchmark in its class once again and write the next chapter in its success story.’
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