The new BMW X5 is now in its fifth generation, combining five different powertrain technologies with the design language and innovations of the Neue Klasse for the first time.
The brand’s first model with five different powertrain technologies
As the brand’s first Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and forerunner to the successful BMW X family, the trend-setting BMW X5 has been shaping the future with innovative styling since its launch in 1999. Embodying that same ambition, the new BMW X5 is the brand’s first model to be launched with a choice of five different types of powertrain.
In addition to variants with petrol or diesel combustion engines – including 48-volt mild-hybrid technology – and plug-in hybrid models, the fifth generation of this successful model not only features the first all-electric BMW iX5. The BMW iX5 Hydrogen is also set to make its market debut – at a later stage – as BMW’s first series-production vehicle powered by hydrogen. The powertrain comprises the fuel cell system, on-board hydrogen storage featuring the new BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage technology, and an innovative high-voltage battery. The third-generation fuel cell system enables a particularly compact design within an efficient, high-performance powertrain, offering a range of up to 750 kilometres.
The new BMW iX5 — the first all-electric BMW X5 — features the sixth generation of BMW’s eDrive technology. This translates into longer ranges of up to 845 kilometres in the BMW iX5 60 xDrive, fast charging, 800V technology and a practical bidirectional charging function. This is made possible by the new 120-millimetre-high cylindrical cells, which are installed in the high-voltage battery and are being used for the first time in the new BMW iX5.
“With its imposing presence and perfect blend of comfort and driving pleasure, the BMW X5 has become a global sales success,” says Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “And now, the latest generation also benefits from the technologies of the Neue Klasse and the widest possible range of powertrains. I am therefore confident that the new BMW X5 will once again set the benchmark in its segment and write the next chapter in its success story.”
New design: an unmistakable presence from every angle
The new BMW X5 also takes a giant leap forward in terms of design. Viewed from any angle, the car’s clear, monolithic and powerful appearance embodies the confident presence that underlines its leading position in the segment, making it one of the brand’s key icons. This is largely due to the seamless fusion of the classic proportions of an SAV with the avant-garde design language of BMW’s Neue Klasse, achieving a harmonious and distinctive end result.
The next generation of the distinctive X exterior is defined by the vertical design of the front end, the vertically aligned BMW Iconic Glow grille and the new ‘double X’ light icons, which are making their debut on a BMW. The clearly structured side profile of the BMW X5 is particularly striking, largely thanks to the innovative door handles, the BMW Winglets. These combine a progressive design with functional convenience: the flush-fitting handles require only the slightest touch to open the electrically operated doors.
Naturally, all models offer ample scope for personalising the design, including eleven exterior paint colours and a carefully selected range of wheels that now features 23-inch rims. The new BMW X5 M60e xDrive features striking visual elements that emphasise its role as the sporty flagship, whilst the M Sport package and the M Sport Pro package provide a range of distinctive features.
Spacious, natural and innovative: the redesigned interior combines an atmosphere of well-being with a digital user experience
A glance at the redesigned interior immediately reveals the exceptionally high quality of the new BMW X5. The cabin impresses with its clear structures and uncluttered surfaces, creating a harmonious sense of space and calmly underpinning BMW’s classic driver-oriented design.
The interior’s extraordinary visual and tactile quality is also emphasised by the new decorative surfaces crafted from materials such as slate and glass, which create an atmosphere of understated sophistication. BMW is the world’s first car manufacturer to offer slate as an optional decorative surface.
The BMW X5 incorporates key technologies from the Neue Klasse through the new BMW Panoramic iDrive operating and display system, powered by the BMW Operating System X. This includes the free-form central display, the BMW 3D Head-Up Display, the BMW Passenger Screen – available for the first time as an option in the BMW X5 – BMW Panoramic Vision with a projection surface spanning the entire width of the windscreen, and the new multifunction steering wheel. The result is a comprehensive digital user experience centred on both the driver and their passengers.
The BMW X5 combines a high level of comfort with BMW’s signature driving dynamics and intelligent driver assistance systems
As the sportiest SUV in its segment, the BMW X5 has long set the standard in terms of driving dynamics, and the latest generation of the BMW X5 is equally impressive in this respect. This is largely due to the adaptive suspension fitted as standard and an axle load distribution of around 50:50. Additional options include Adaptive Chassis Control, as well as Adaptive Chassis Control Professional with roll stabilisation, initially available for all fully electric and plug-in hybrid models. This system is unrivalled in combining BMW’s characteristic driving dynamism with maximum ride comfort.
The BMW Symbiotic Drive system provides intelligent support tailored to individual driving behaviour. The advanced Level 2 driver assistance systems and active safety features are designed down to the smallest detail to achieve perfect interaction between the assistance systems and the driver. In the BMW iX5 models, and in the upcoming BMW iX5 Hydrogen, the ‘Heart of Joy’ also enables a very special experience: the BMW Soft-Stop, which delivers the smoothest braking action ever offered by BMW.
Production at the BMW plant in Spartanburg
The market launch of the first variants of the new BMW X5 is scheduled for late November 2026, whilst the all-electric and plug-in hybrid versions will arrive in early 2027. Production of the new models will ramp up a few months earlier; the BMW Group’s plant in Spartanburg (USA) will commence series production of the fifth generation of the BMW X5 in August 2026.
The Spartanburg plant has been manufacturing the X5 since its launch in 1999, when it established a new market segment. Now, the facility is celebrating another first: the new BMW iX5 will be the first all-electric vehicle to be manufactured there. The new sixth-generation high-voltage battery plant, built for this model variant alongside the BMW Group’s Spartanburg plant, requires no fossil fuels for its normal operations. This is just one of many examples of the BMW Group’s rigorous approach to minimising CO2e emissions during production.
Source: BMW GROUP Press Club