BMW X5 Review 2024
Written by Lawrence Allan
Quick overview
Pros
- Incredibly luxurious cabin
- Great to drive in the right spec
- Plug-in hybrid 50e is exceptional
Cons
- Not as competent off-road as some
- Expensive to buy
- You have to pay for seven seats
Overall verdict on the BMW X5
"The BMW X5 is a highly impressive large SUV. It’s practical, spacious and comfortable, but also quite fun to drive for something so big. A fantastically smooth gearbox, powerful engines and supple air suspension make it a compelling package. It’s expensive, but the plug-in hybrid 50e has low running costs and is luxurious enough to feel worth it."
If you think about big, posh SUVs like Olympic athletes, most of them pick a single discipline to specialise in. Volvo sets the gold standard in safety with its XC90, Land Rover's Discovery is unbeatable off-road, and so on. The BMW X5, though, is a heptathlete - it won't necessarily beat its rivals in one specific area, but it's dominant in many, as we'll show in this review.
That 'jack of all trades' approach makes it a fantastic all-rounder, especially as with the latest model where BMW has added luxury and comfort into a mix that already included fantastic engines, strong practicality, and a surprisingly complete driving experience.
The spectrum of its abilities is so broad in fact, that you can order your BMW X5 as a plug-in hybrid that emits less than 30g/km of CO2 for ultra-low running costs, or an outrageous high-performance missile with 530PS (the bonkers X5 M60i).
Let's start with practicality. No it doesn't have the biggest boot in the class, or seven standard seats (you can fit them as an option) but still provides generous passenger and luggage space. You can fit five adults inside without complaints from those in the back, and the boot has enough functionality to compensate for its size.
The excellent 3.0-litre diesel 30d will be more than quick enough for most buyers. It has impressive pulling power across the rev range, and works beautifully with its standard-fit eight-speed automatic transmission. An update in 2020 means it also features mild-hybrid tech, boosting performance while lowering CO2 output.
Of the engines available, we think the 30d strikes the best balance between price, pace, and fuel economy. It also has a massive cruising range of over 700 miles, making it perfect for those cross-continental road trips.
Still, if you want an electrified driving experience, then the plug-in BMW X5 xDrive 50e is one of the best hybrid cars going. It took over from the 45e, giving an upgrade in power by some 96bhp. With a fully charged battery, it can travel over 50 miles on electric power alone, up to 83mph, so it gives you more opportunities for zero-emissions driving than either the XC90 T8 or Range Rover Sport P400e will.
It's no slouch either, with a combined output of 489PS it feels every bit as fast as the xDrive 40i petrol - and the 50e is quicker from 0-62mph, taking 4.8 seconds to the 40d's 5.5 seconds. The only place you pay a penalty for its advanced drivetrain is in the corners, where is feels heavier and less nimble than the standard models. It's still surprisingly easy to hustle down a twisty road, but rolls about more.
Equipped with a conventional engine, the BMW X5 is still impressive to drive. Every model gets four-wheel drive and (with the exception of the M50i and M50d models that are no longer available new, where it was optional) cushioned air suspension that's incredibly comfortable. It can switch between smooth, supple motorway cruiser and sharp handling B-road hustler at the press of a button. It's not quite a 5 Series in that department, but for something so tall and heavy it's a great achievement.
As one of the flagship models in BMW's range, the X5 commands a seriously high price. To help you swallow that pill, it's incredibly well equipped - the base xLine trim is crammed with everything you could need or want. It feels more luxurious inside than its rivals too, with stunning cabin materials and exceptional build quality.
It's safe to say we're big fans of the BMW X5. As the do everything, Swiss Army knife of large, premium SUVs, it does everything you'll ask of it and more. If you only need five seats, then it should be at the top of your list.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of BMW Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of BMW X5 models for sale. If you're looking for the older version, you need our BMW X5 (2014-2018) review.
Is the BMW X5 right for you?
What other cars are similar to the BMW X5?
Comfort and Design: BMW X5 interior
"The BMW X5's raised suspension means you can slide straight into its wide, comfortable front seats. The driver gets a huge range of electric adjustment, with the seat and steering wheel both moving at the push of a button."
The electric adjustment in the BMW X5's extremely comfortable front seats covers not just the backrest angle and distance to the pedals, but also an extendable thigh support cushion.
Lumbar support, seat heating and a memory function are all standard, so if you share driving duties with your spouse you can reset the seat to your preferred position without having to fiddle with all the controls.
If simple seat heating isn't enough, you can option the centre and door armrests to be heated too, alongside the usual ventilation and massaging functions. That used to be the reserve of the most expensive luxury cars.
As with most SUVs, you sit up high - giving you a commanding view down the bonnet - and over most normal traffic. For such a large car, visibility is pretty good, although the chunky rear pillars mean it can feel intimidating to navigate round confined spaces like airport car parks. Luckily its various sensors and cameras lend a hand.
Older BMWs used to be a bit of a button-fest. They had dash designs that were deliberately complex, to try and show you just how expensive the cars were by bamboozling you with the sheer number of switches.
Its latest models have moved away from that approach, so are now a lot more user-friendly. The controls are all grouped together in zones. So the driving modes, suspension settings and so on are right next to the gear selector, the climate controls are a strip under the vents, a row of touch-sensitive media buttons below that.
In fact, it's so well executed that once you've got your bearings, finding the right switch takes just a moment.
Our only gripe is that its digital dials don't let you change to a circular speedo or rev counter, or customise the layout or design in any way. Why not BMW?
Quality and design
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the BMW X5
Space and practicality: BMW X5 boot space
Handling and ride quality: What is the BMW X5 like to drive?
"Most versions of the BMW X5 come equipped with air suspension, with different driving modes to tailor the ride to suit what type of driving you're doing. It's brilliantly judged too - soft and cosseting in Comfort mode, it'll glide over bumps and potholes, almost totally isolating you and any passengers on board from the road's surface."
The BMW X5 has always been the benchmark for how a road-biased SUV should ride and handle, and the latest car is no different. Rivals still can't match its blend of stability, handling and plushness.
With air suspension standard on most models and options on the others, the BMW X5 can be adapted to suit the driving environment. Models fitted with larger alloys (and run flat tyres) will occasionally trip over sharper-edged deviations, but in general this is one of the most comfortable cars of its type, and won't fidget at low speed like a Volvo XC90.
Swap into Sport mode on the right road, and the whole car lowers itself closer to the Tarmac, tightening up its body control, and doing a superb job of keeping the X5's not inconsiderable weight in check through corners. For such a large car it feels agile, changing direction sharply thanks to progressive, nicely weighted steering.
Every model has four-wheel drive as standard, and while the system sends more power to the rear wheels to push you out of bends, it also provides impressive traction. It feels particularly stable on twisty country roads, where the wide tyres generate huge grip. This is one SUV that was clearly setup with on-road driving in mind.
The range-topping M60i models have conventional steel springs and adaptive dampers. It gives them a different character to the standard cars, with a noticeably firmer edge to the ride, and less body lean. Air suspension can be specified as M Adaptive Suspension, but again it's more tuned towards handling than comfort.
They feel eager to change direction and fairly sporty for a large SUV, but not quite as sharp in bends as Porsche's Cayenne. The steering is a little sharper, too, and the M and hybrid models come with slightly sharpened steering as standard.
However, they're simply not as comfortable on pockmarked urban roads; they're far from jarring, but as big SUVs should prioritise comfort the the standard setup will suit most buyers better. The heavy plug-in hybrid is also the least nimble X5 to drive thanks to the weight of its batteries.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the BMW X5?
Refinement and noise levels
Safety equipment: How safe is the BMW X5?
MPG and fuel costs: What does the BMW X5 cost to run?
"Choosing the plug-in hybrid BMW X5 will save you a lot of money on fuel, but only if you do lots of short journeys on electric power alone."
The X5 xDrive 50e M Sport claims to have an electric driving range of up to 62 miles, versus the 54-mile range of the 45e version. That works out to combined economy of 313.9mpg (where the 45e claimed a best of 188.3mpg).
With a depleted battery in the hybrid you'll get closer to 30mpg than BMW's claimed figure. On EV power alone, the X5 can travel significantly further than most plug-in SUVs - so if you have room to charge it at home and a shortish commute, running costs should be very reasonable.
It comes supplied with a three-pin and Type 2 fast charging cable, but a slow 3.7kW maximum charging speed means a seven hour top-up.
As for the popular diesel models, thanks to the recent introduction of mild-hybrid technology, they are really remarkably fuel efficient, with the 30d getting an official 39.8mpg (down slightly from the earlier version's 47.1mpg), while the twin-turbo 40d returns a best of 37.7mpg. Those figures are fairly realistic, too.
The pure petrols, on the other hand, are substantially less efficient. The 40i model could officially manage 33.2mpg, but you might struggle to manage that on anything but a motorway cruise. The M50i, meanwhile, officially manages 24.6mpg at the most - and you'll do a lot less than that if you exploit its performance. The X5 M60i's 24.4mpg finest doesn't bear thinking about...
How reliable is the BMW X5?
Insurance groups and costs
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a BMW X5?
How much should you be paying for a used BMW X5?
"The current BMW X5 was launched in 2018, and that means there are not that many bargains on the used market. You'll still need around £40,000 to get yourself into a X5 30d in xLine trim with a few choice options fitted."
Cars at that price should have covered around 25,000 miles and most are from 2020. While that means the manufacturer warranty is no longer applied, at least heycar's 30 day warranty can give you initial peace of mind should problems arise early on.
M Sport models with the same straight-six diesel engine start from around £3,000 more. To secure the much rarer 40i petrol or thumpingly quick 50d model you'll need to budget around £50,000 or £55,000 respectively.
The plug-in hybrid 45e is in incredibly high demand, but values have eased, so you can find a used one that is four-years old with 35,000 miles for around £45,000. You'll be lucky to find an X5 50e hybrid for less than £70,000 with 5000 miles showing on the clock.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Does the BMW X5 come with seven seats?
Is the BMW X5 a good car?
What is the boot space of the BMW X5?
How does a used BMW X5 compare to its rivals on price?
Is there a high-performance version of the BMW X5?
BMW X5 cars for sale on heycar
BMW X5xDrive30d MHT M Sport 5dr Auto
20239,542 milesDiesel£1,047 mo£66,000
BMW X5xDrive30d M Sport 5dr Auto
201778,088 milesDiesel£471 mo£21,490
BMW X5xDrive30d M Sport 5dr Auto
201940,959 milesDiesel£776 mo£35,699
BMW X5xDrive M50d 5dr Auto
202062,904 milesDiesel£643 mo£41,300
BMW X5xDrive45e M Sport 5dr Auto
202153,579 milesHybrid£583 mo£38,600
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