BMW X5 review

Talk about a trailblazer. It was the BMW X5 that kicked off the craze for sportier SUVs that felt more like cars to drive – sacrificing a bit of ruggedness and rock-climbing ability in favour of better handling, improved ride comfort and a smarter interior.

Several challengers have since staked a claim on X5's niche. Firstly, the Volvo XC90 brought seven seats as standard, while the Range Rover Sport came along offering a halfway house between sportiness and proper off-roading abilities. And then the Audi Q7 arrived, impressing with its blend of seven-seat versatility, remarkable comfort and classy interior.

Under pressure from such talented rivals, this fourth-generation of the X5 has its work cut out. But rather than standing still, the X5 has moved with the times, featuring evermore efficient engines, which includes a plug-in hybrid model with a great electric-only range.

The entry-level engine for the BMW X5 is called the xDrive30d. It's a 294bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel that offers strong acceleration (0-62mph in 6.1sec) and enough mid-range welly to get you up to motorway speeds effortlessly. A more powerful 347bhp version, called the xDrive40d, is also available and hits 0-62mph in just 5.5sec. With oodles of low-end grunt, both diesels are the ideal choice for anyone who regularly tows a caravan. 

Our pick of the range, though, is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) xDrive50e. It combines a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with a big 25.7kWh battery powering a powerful electric motor. The upshot is a combined total of 482bhp and, needless to say, incredibly swift performance. When we tested it we achieved a 0-60mph time of 4.6sec, which was quicker than the Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90. It can also do over 70mph without firing the petrol engine.

According to official WLTP figures, the xDrive50e can do up to 62 miles on electric power alone. In the real-world, expect more like 50 miles from a single charge, though. If you need a longer electric range, go for the Range Rover Sport, which will potentially do about 10 miles more thanks to its bigger battery. 

If you want power and maximum performance, the range-topping 523bhp M60i – with its 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine – will have you pinned to the seat with its eye-widening acceleration (0-62mph in 4.3sec).

All X5s come with a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox, which is generally more responsive than the auto 'box in the Audi Q7.

Our recommended engine, the xDrive50e PHEV, comes with standard-fit air suspension. That's a real boon because it broadens the X5's ability to be comfortable over a wide range of surfaces.

It's not as wafty as its bigger brother, the X7, and also a little firmer than the best-riding versions of the Range Rover Sport and XC90. As a consequence, you'll feel slightly more impact over big imperfections, such as speed bumps, but it's never jarring.

Where the X5 really scores highly is body control. Because it's slightly firmer, and therefore better tied down than some of its competitors, you don't get bounced around so much along an undulating road.

Air suspension is an option on other versions of the X5, and we’d suggest ticking that box if you want to maximise ride comfort. Also, try to stick to the smallest wheel sizes possible – bigger wheels tend to make the ride harsher. 

M Sport and M60i versions come with an M Adaptive Suspension sports set-up as standard, with M Adaptive Suspension Pro and air suspension both available as an option.

The two adaptive ‘M’ setups give the X5 a sportier and more nimble feel, but are also noticeably harsher and don’t absorb bumps quite as soothingly as the standard car. We haven't tried the M60i on air suspension yet.

The X5 has plenty of grip and tight body control, making it an incredibly stable and reassuring SUV to drive on twisty roads.

The precise, well-weighted steering makes it easy – even enjoyable – to guide this sizeable chunk of metal along your favourite country route. The Porsche Cayenne handles even more sweetly but that's a full-on sports SUV. The X5 is sharper than the Range Rover Sport and among the best-handling models in the luxury SUV class.

Despite the extra weight of its battery pack and electric motor, the xDrive50e continues that trend. It doesn't have quite the same degree of agility as other versions, but steers well and is fun to drive compared with rival PHEVs.

Rear-wheel steering is available as an option. We'll stop short of telling you it's a 'must have' but it does reduce the X5's turning circle and makes it more nimble around confined city streets. 

The X5 has good off-road capabilities, with standard four-wheel drive, and driving modes that adapt the drive settings (and ride height, if air suspension is fitted) to the road condition. Ultimately, though, the Land Rover Defender and the Land Rover Discovery are better off-roaders.

The xDrive30d has a surprisingly appealing throaty engine note for a diesel. It never really fades away, though, even at a cruise. When you select Sport mode, it adds some artificial noise played through the car’s speakers to deepen the soundtrack.

The sportier M60i sounds more aggressive if you accelerate hard, but is happily subdued when cruising. The xDrive50e is whisper-quiet when running on electric power, and when the petrol engine chimes in, it does so smoothly.

The standard eight-speed automatic gearbox is delightfully smooth, and wind noise is well suppressed. It’s not all great news, though. There's a bit of suspension noise around town, and the big, wide tyres generate road roar over rougher asphalt. The XC90 is worse for road noise, mind, and the Range Rover Sport has more wind noise. The quietest SUV cruiser in this price range is the Q7.

"It would be wrong automatically to expect a BMW to be good to drive, but the X5 really is one of the best in its class. I put that down — mostly — to its terrific engines, but when I approached a series of corners, it handles neatly too. Game on." – Stuart Milne, Digital editor

Finding a comfortable driving position in the BMW X5 is a doddle. There's electric seat adjustment (with memory) for the seat height, backrest angle and side bolsters.

However, if you want electrically adjustable lumbar support and the ability to fine-tune your seating position to the nth degree, you'll want to specify the optional Comfort Seats. As well as offering a wider range of adjustments they're are really supportive on a long haul.

The X5 gives you a commanding view of the road from the driver's seat – although a Range Rover Sport is even loftier – and the controls are laid out logically. Unfortunately, BMW has gone the same way as Audi and Volvo in ditching old-fashioned buttons and knobs for the heating controls. Instead, you have to change the settings using the touchscreen infotainment system, which is more distracting when you're on the move.

A standard 12.3in digital instrument display takes the place of conventional analogue instruments. Its graphics are sharp, but it lacks the varied layouts offered by the Audi Q7's Virtual Cockpit. A head-up display is available as part of the Technology Pack.

The commanding driving position gives you a great view forwards, so it's relatively easy to judge where the X5's nose ends. And rear visibility is pretty good for an SUV with such a large footprint, thanks to a near-vertical tailgate window and large side windows. Only the rival Volvo XC90, with its bigger all-round glass area, is noticeably better to see out of.

To make life even easier, you get front, rear and side parking sensors as standard, plus a reversing camera. A surround-view camera is available as an option for a top-down view when parking. You're also well served at night, with standard adaptive LED headlights.

Dominating the top of the dashboard is the X5’s 12.3in infotainment screen, which curves seamlessly into the driver’s display. The software is responsive and the graphics are clear. You can use the touchscreen to make selections, but, if you're driving, it's less distracting to use the voice control or rotary dial on the centre console to navigate the menus.

The only issue is BMW has made the menus quite layered, so it's not always obvious where to find things. A customisable element does allow you to choose widgets that show frequently accessed information on the main screen (a bit like on a smartphone). 

You get a glut of handy connected features, too. All X5s can receive over-the-air map updates and have a navigation system that can connect to an app on your phone to provide tailored guidance.

For example, it can monitor current traffic conditions to tell you when to leave for an appointment, as well as providing concierge services. There’s also a remote 3D view that allows you to see what’s around your car.

Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity are standard, so you can bypass the BMW software and use your phone's instead. The standard stereo sounds decent and there are Harman Kardon (standard on M60i) or Bowers & Wilkins upgrades if you like a bit more fidelity.

It’s hard to fault the build quality inside the X5, which is right up there with the excellent Q7 and slightly better than the Range Rover Sport.

The material quality and finish is generally high, too, although not quite as plush as the XC90 in places – the leather doesn't feel quite as supple and there's a lot of silver plastic trim instead of real metal and wood.

That said, we doubt you'll be disappointed sitting in the X5, and it's good that soft-touch materials aren't just reserved for prominent locations – you’ll find them covering much of the interior.

"I've always loved the BMW rotary controller that makes using the infotainment system such a doddle. It's top of the class for usability." – John Howell, Deputy reviews editor

Up front, the BMW X5 feels airy, with plenty of head and leg room – even for people over six feet tall. Better still, the interior is wide, so you’ll be nowhere near to rubbing shoulders with your passenger. That puts it on par with chief rivals including the Range Rover Sport and Volvo XC90.

There's plenty of storage space, too, with a huge cubby between the seats, another one with room for your smartphone and two cup-holders, which, if you tick the right option box, can heat or cool your drinks.

The glovebox is a decent size and the door pockets can each take a small drink bottle – although the door pockets aren't lined so hard objects might rattle around.

There’s space in the back of the X5 for two tall adults to sit comfortably in the outer rear seats for long periods of time but, ultimately, the Audi Q7 and XC90 offer even more leg room.

The middle rear seat is raised slightly but there's still enough head room, and it's just wide enough to squeeze a burly adult in when the other seats are full. Another plus is there's only a minimal hump in the floor for the middle passenger to straddle.

The X5 is a five-seater as standard, but you can pay extra for a third row of seats in all versions except the PHEV model. The Q7, BMW X7, Land Rover Discovery and XC90 are all seven-seat SUVs as standard. The the XC90 is one of the few cars on sale to retain seven seats with the PHEV version, too.

The X5's two optional third-row seats aren’t as spacious as those in some of its rivals, and are best reserved for smaller passengers because of the lack of leg room. The X7, on the other hand, has one of the most spacious third rows out there.

The electric controls make it easy to adjust the X5's front passenger seat through a wide range of movement, but only the driver’s seat gets a memory function.

As with most rivals, you get rear seats that split 40/20/40 and fold down to allow one or two occupants to remain seated while you’re carrying a long load.

If you pay more to have the optional third row of seats, you can upgrade to a sliding middle row to increase boot capacity when you need to. Sliding rear seats are standard in most rivals.

If you go for a five-seat X5 with a diesel engine, the boot has a 650-litre capacity. Seven-seat models make do with 575 litres (when the third row is folded away), while the PHEV gives you 500 litres.

That’s not vast by the standards of some luxury SUVs (the Q7 and XC90 have bigger boots) but even the PHEV still has enough space for nine carry-on suitcases, which is the same as the Range Rover Sport PHEV. And no matter which X5 you buy, the back seats fold down flush to the floor, leaving you with a usefully flat extended load area.

The split tailgate is handy when loading larger items, too: you can rest them on the lower half, which folds down to form a shelf, before sliding them into the boot. It also makes a good picnic seat, and both tailgate sections open and close electrically.

"The X5 may not offer as much interior space as the Audi Q7 or others of that ilk, but it's still very roomy, thanks to its large side windows and broad interior. It was more than up to the job for a family holiday — with space to spare." - Doug Revolta, Head of video

Generally speaking, the BMW X5 costs a similar amount to the Audi Q7 if you're a cash buyer. You can get a Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90 for less – and don't forget they're both seven-seaters as standard, while you have to pay more for seven seats in the X5. That said, the xDrive50e is still competitively priced next to the equivalent Range Rover Sport PHEV.

If you're buying on PCP finance, the X5's strong resale values should help to keep your monthly payments competitive. 

The diesel xDrive30d returns an official combined fuel economy of around 40mpg, which is slightly better than the equivalent Discovery.

The xDrive50e's official economy is a gobsmacking 313mpg figure, but that's only achievable if you keep the battery charged so you're running mainly on electric power. When the battery's depleted and your using the petrol engine, expect to average around 28mpg.

The xDrive50e's low CO2 emissions and good electric range have a massive benefit when it comes to your company car tax rate. It's much more affordable to run than other X5s, which are all in the top BIK tax bracket, and cheaper to run than many PHEV rivals. The exception is the Range Rover Sport PHEV, which has a better range and, therefore, sits in an even lower tax band. 

The X5 xDrive30d is available with a choice of two trim levels: entry-level xLine and more expensive M Sport. M Sport is the only option for the xDrive50e.

The xLine trim gives you leather upholstery, heated front seats, keyless entry, 19in wheels, a faux-leather-wrapped dashboard and ambient interior lighting. You also get the bits we mentioned earlier, including adaptive LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, electric front seats (with driver's memory) and a well-equipped infotainment suite.

M Sport adds sportier body styling, larger 20in alloy wheels and gloss-black exterior details instead of polished metal. Those cosmetic enhancements should help resale values, so M Sport is our pick, but xLine is fine if you don't want to pay the extra and you’re happy with the diesel engine.

The M60i doesn’t offer any trim choice: its spec list is based on M Sport, but with a bespoke limited-slip differential (LSD) to increase traction in corners, a sports exhaust system, an upgraded sound system and even larger wheels.

In our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, BMW was one of only three premium brands to feature in the top 10. It came in sixth place, with Lexus in ninth. Audi and Mercedes both sit in joint 22nd place in our chart . 

The X5 comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage BMW warranty, which also covers the car’s paintwork for three years and against corrosion for 12 years. That’s about the same as most rivals, although the Lexus RX offers an even longer warranty.

The X5 received the full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, but that was way back in 2018. It achieved solid scores in each category, only suffering issues when it came to leg injuries for adults in the front, which lowered its adult occupancy score.

The trouble is that rating has now expired, so it's nothing more than a useful guide. And it's impossible to compare the X5's 2018 safety rating against rivals that were tested more recently because the later tests are much more thorough.

Regardless, the X5 comes with front collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB) as standard, but on seven-seat versions the side airbags don’t reach back into the boot area for third-row passengers, as they do in the Q7.

The optional Driving Assistant Professional package adds adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and a host of other driver aids, including a system that can swerve to avoid an obstacle.

All versions come with an alarm and immobiliser. Security experts at Thatcham gave the X5 four out of five for its ability to resist break-ins and five out of five for preventing theft. Rivals perform similarly well.

"The X5 should prove to be reliable going by BMW's overall reliability rating. I'd have no qualms about driving long distances with my family." - Stuart Milne, Digital editor

Buy it if...

– You like your luxury SUV to handle more like a sports SUV
– You enjoy a well-controlled ride rather than something uber soft and wafty
– You need a PHEV with a good electric range

Don't buy it if...

– You need a PHEV with seven seats
– You're after the last word in practicality from your next luxury SUV
– You need an up-to-date Euro NCAP safety rating to guide your decision

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