BMW Just Completely Reinvented The X5. Here’s What’s New

BMW has launched the fifth-generation X5 with a radical overhaul that ditches the brand’s iconic split tailgate in favor of a conventional liftgate, citing aerodynamic and packaging improvements. The new model adopts the brand’s Neue Klasse design language, featuring double-X headlights that can switch to yellow—a nod to classic M cars—and flush door handles operated by a button or smartphone app. The interior introduces a 17.9-inch center touchscreen paired with an optional 14.6-inch passenger display, a new vertical-spoke steering wheel, and premium materials like slate and Alcantara. The X5 grows in size, now 2.2 inches longer overall but 0.6 inches shorter in height, aligning its footprint with the outgoing iX. Weight, however, climbs sharply: the base gasoline model tips the scales at 5,213 lbs, the plug-in hybrid at 5,985 lbs, and the electric iX5 60 at a hefty 6,393 lbs. The lineup spans five powertrains globally—gasoline, plug-in hybrid, electric, diesel, and hydrogen—though the diesel won’t reach the US and hydrogen won’t arrive until 2028. For the US, BMW will offer a 400-HP gasoline X5 40 with a 3.0L straight-six, two plug-in hybrids (X5 50e at 489 HP and X5 M60e at 612 HP), and the electric iX5 60 with a 141.0-kWh battery, all-wheel drive, 578 HP, 593 lb-ft of torque, and an estimated 525-mile WLTP range. The battery, a new archetype for BMW, delivers a 30% usability increase over current models. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but BMW confirms the new X5 will hit dealerships by the end of 2026.