BMW X5… and BMW iX5

The BMW X5 has always been the sensible choice for drivers who want luxury, performance and practicality wrapped into one premium package. Now, for its fifth generation, BMW has given its best-selling SUV the most radical transformation in its 27-year history – and, for the first time ever, buyers will be able to choose a fully electric version.

Meet the all-new BMW X5 and its battery-powered sibling, the iX5.

BMW’s luxury SUV enters a new era

The latest X5 ushers in BMW’s Neue Klasse design philosophy, bringing a cleaner, more modern appearance that marks a significant departure from today’s model. Gone are the oversized grilles and fussy styling details. In their place sits a sleeker front end featuring slimmer lighting signatures, sculpted surfaces and a more upright interpretation of BMW’s trademark kidney grille.

While previous generations evolved cautiously, this new X5 feels more like a reset. It’s unmistakably an X5, yet there’s a distinctly futuristic edge to its styling. The new look is arguably closer to a concept car than anything BMW has dared put into production before.

Fortunately, BMW appears to have resisted the temptation to chase shock value for its own sake. After the divisive styling of some recent models, this new SUV looks cohesive, sophisticated and, crucially, expensive.

First-ever electric BMW X5 arrives

The headline news is the arrival of the iX5 – the first fully electric version of BMW’s hugely successful SUV. Sitting alongside petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants, the iX5 demonstrates BMW’s determination to offer customers every conceivable powertrain rather than forcing them down a single path.

At launch, the flagship iX5 60 xDrive will feature dual electric motors producing around 570bhp, enough to propel the large SUV from 0-62mph in less than five seconds. More impressive, however, is its claimed range of up to 435 miles, putting it firmly among the longest-range electric SUVs on sale.

Underneath sits BMW’s latest sixth-generation eDrive technology, complete with an 800-volt electrical architecture and a massive battery pack. The new system also supports ultra-rapid charging speeds of up to 460kW, potentially adding around 170 miles of range in just 10 minutes under ideal conditions.

If those figures translate into the real world, rivals such as the Mercedes EQE SUV, Porsche Macan Electric and Audi Q6 e-tron may suddenly find themselves looking rather vulnerable.

Traditional engines aren’t going anywhere

Despite the electric headlines, BMW isn’t abandoning combustion power just yet.

The new X5 lineup will continue to offer petrol and diesel engines equipped with mild-hybrid assistance, while an updated plug-in hybrid model promises improved efficiency and greater electric-only range. BMW has even confirmed that a hydrogen-powered iX5 will join the range later this decade, making the X5 the first BMW model to offer five distinct propulsion technologies under a single nameplate.

In an automotive landscape increasingly dominated by one-size-fits-all electrification strategies, BMW’s approach feels refreshingly pragmatic.

A cabin packed with technology

Inside, the new X5 receives perhaps its biggest overhaul yet. BMW’s latest Panoramic Vision display stretches across the base of the windscreen, replacing the traditional instrument binnacle with a more immersive digital experience. A large central touchscreen remains, while an optional passenger display adds another layer of in-car entertainment.

BMW says its latest Operating System X will bring enhanced AI functionality, more advanced voice controls and improved driver assistance systems. Premium materials, ambient lighting and high-end audio options ensure the X5 retains the luxurious atmosphere buyers expect.

The challenge, as always, will be balancing technology with usability. BMW has traditionally excelled at creating intuitive cabins, so enthusiasts will hope physical controls haven’t been sacrificed entirely at the altar of digital minimalism.

Our verdict

The X5 effectively created the blueprint for the modern luxury SUV back in 1999. More than a quarter of a century later, BMW is once again reinventing its family favourite.

The introduction of the all-electric iX5 is undoubtedly significant, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new X5 is BMW’s refusal to pick sides in the powertrain debate. Whether you want petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, electric or even hydrogen, Munich intends to have you covered.

In a world where many manufacturers are placing increasingly risky bets on a single technology, that flexibility could prove to be BMW’s smartest move of all.