5th generation BMW X5 to have 5 powertrain choices

In 1999, with the SUV segment starting to explode, BMW also entered with a brand new model which it designated the X5. Rather than go with the other companies who used Sport Utility Vehicle as the description, BMW chose to refer to its new model as a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) instead of a SUV, because they felt that with BMW driving dynamics, it was a sportier vehicle.

Like many of the new generation of SUVs, the X5 didn’t use a chassis frame and instead had a monocoque structure like a passenger car. And of course, it had all-wheel drive, which BMW called xDrive. However, It wasn’t BMW’s first car with AWD as, in 1986, there was a 325iX (E30) which had four powered wheels.

So BMW already had some experience making an AWD drivetrain although it is widely believed that its acquisition of the Rover Group in 1994 had been mainly to get Land Rover and its 4×4 technology.

Made in the USA
The X5 would go on through four generations, holding position high among the premium SUVs. Before the end of 2026, the fifth generation will be in showrooms as production starts at its US factory which was original set up as the global production hub for the SAV models.

The fifth-generation X5 arrives as a successor model with a pragmatic engineering approach. While just a few years ago, the auto industry seemed to be rushing to switch over to electric powertrains, the PAUSE button has been hit and automakers have revised their medium-term strategies to not abandon the internal combustion engine (ICE) while still moving forward with electrified powertrains.

5 powertrains
For the first time in the history of the X5, a single model architecture will support 5 distinct drive systems. Customers have the freedom to select from petrol and diesel engines now boosted with 48V mild-hybrid technology, a high-performance plug-in electric hybrid, the fully electric iX5, and even a hybrid electric fuel cell.

BMW’s approach of offering different powertrains echoes what Toyota has been promoting for many years – a multi-pathway strategy that gives customers a choice and does not force them towards vehicles which may not be suited for their markets at this time.

The new iX5
Of much interest to many will be the new iX5 with its fully electric powertrain. Using BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, it has a claimed driving range of up to 845 kms which is partly due to an advanced battery with 120 mm tall cylindrical cells, which replace the old prismatic layout.

800V electrical architecture significantly reduces charging times, and there’s also bidirectional charging capability which allows the X5 to be a mobile power station capable of feeding energy into a smart home grid.

As a SAV, the X5 has driving dynamics that are worthy of the BMW badge – and the latest generation of the BMW X5 is said to be equally impressive in this area. Adaptive suspension is fitted as standard and axle load distribution close to 50:50. Adaptive Chassis Control, as well as the Adaptive Chassis Control Professional with roll stabilisation will be initially available for every electrified model.

Totally new cabin environment
Inside the cabin, the new X5 has a completely new environment which introduces an elemental sophistication that feels less like a car and more like a high-end luxury sanctuary. BMW is the first mainstream automaker to utilize genuine slate as a structural decorative surface, presenting a beautiful sensory contrast between the cool, geological texture of natural stone and the warmth of a wraparound ambient light strip.

This environment is further enhanced by a dedicated passenger screen and a complex 3D Head-Up Display running the brand’s next-generation Operating System X. BMW Panoramic Vision system, a key feature in the Neue Klasse, is also present in the X5. This projects driving data directly onto a coated strip across the entire width of the base of the windscreen, making the digital information look like it is floating in the physical world outside.

Still recognisable as a BMW
For its fifth generation, the X5 has been given a heavily chiseled, monolithic appearance that feels solid, imposing, and recognisably a BMW. The visual transition from the interior’s warm ambient glow to the outside world is anchored by a vertically aligned, illuminated kidney grille.

The front end has a distinctive appearance with the ‘double-X’ light signatures that give the X5 a predatory, highly futuristic look. Also new and unique are the ‘Winglet’ door handles – recessed, touch-sensitive tabs maintain the efficient aerodynamic profile, allowing the electrically actuated doors to swing open with a mere fingertip contact.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell
While the petrol and turbodiesel versions, as well as the PHEV, have advanced powertrains, the iX5 Hydrogen that will join the range in due course is the German automaker’s first-ever hydrogen-powered production vehicle. Its flat storage tank has enough fuel to provide a 740-km range and takes just 3 minutes to refuel.

Central to both the hydrogen and pure battery-electric models is an advanced central computing brain known internally as the ‘Heart of Joy’. This ultra-fast processor manages all chassis dynamics and introduces BMW Soft-Stop, an intelligent, AI-managed braking sequence that entirely eliminates the jerky, low-speed lurch common to aggressive regenerative braking systems.

M Performance options
As with most other models, M Performance Parts will also be available for the X5. These will include custom-designed exterior items such as the front splitter carbonfibre, roof spoiler, rear diffuser and exterior mirror caps in aramid. The cabin can likewise be given an even sportier look with M Performance items.

With first deliveries in Europe beginning at the end of the year, expect to see the X5 in Malaysia sometime in 2027. As the price of the iX5 would be well above the new condition of RM200,000 CIF and its power output too, BMW Malaysia would most likely be bringing it in, along with the PHEV to continue its long association with electrified SUVs.

BMW M Concept Neue Klasse