2021 BMW X5

With its massive air intakes, wide grille, and LED headlights, the X5 doesn’t shy away from attention. It’s a statement piece that somehow manages to look understated, thanks to a roofline that’s been repeated over a few generations of X5s, a gentle and noncontroversial uptick in its shoulder line at the rear, and the neat and regular appearance of just about every detail from the LED taillights forward. There’s a slight pinch over the rear wheels that reminds drivers they’re in a BMW—a little. Some versions get metallic trim and blacked-out wheel arches, while others get body-color bits and a deeper front spoiler.

The X5 surrounds front passengers with plenty of wood to settle any ruffled feathers. As it’s been restyled the X5 has matured and gained some lovely interior finishes. It’s more a luxury-car interior than ever, with options for big high-definition touchscreen displays, glass-tipped controls, metallic or high-gloss trim bits, even open-pore wood. BMW stitches black synthetic leather into base models, but it’s picked up some tailoring skills and a wider color palette: The X5 offers foodie-themed upholstery in tasty colors ranging from coffee to cognac to truffle to orange.

All but the base sDrive40i come with all-wheel drive.

How fast is the BMW X5?

It ranges from merely fast to obscenely fast.

BMW fits one of its best engines in the X5 s40i and xDrive40i, and teams it to an unflappable 8-speed automatic. The 3.0-liter turbo-6 spools out some 335 hp and 330 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds and a dose of aural mechanical pleasure that’s unmatched in base luxury SUVs. This year it’s fitted with a mild-hybrid system that powers its accessories but doesn’t contribute extra horsepower or higher fuel economy.

A new xDrive45e teams the inline-6 with batteries and an electric motor for identical acceleration times and 31 miles of electric driving range. We’ll report back when we get to drive one.

Tap into models powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, and the X5 catapults into sport-sedan territory. The M50i orders up a 523-hp version of the engine, good for a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds, with the same effortlessly quick shifts from the 8-speed automatic. Then there’s the X5 M, with 600 hp and a 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds—or 617 hp in Competition spec. Each comes with all-wheel drive that scrabbles to maintain traction in the face of that heroic output, and each comes with a sport differential that can split power across the rear wheels for even better grip and cornering response.

X5 ride and handling

Standard-issue X5 SUVs have independent suspensions and adaptive dampers, but an available air suspension softens the otherwise firm and well-controlled ride. We’d opt for it since it doesn’t alter the X5’s smart handling much, and since it can lower the X5 for better efficiency when cruising or raise it to 8.7 inches of ground clearance for the occasional rock hop. The X5 can tow up to 7,209 pounds on its trailer hitch, but the former off-road package has been dropped.

Regardless of suspension, the non-M X5 is smooth-riding and comfortable on long hauls, though the biggest wheels would be a no for us—as would the M Sport suspension, neither of which does much for the X5’s utility duties. If a performance machine is what you have in mind, the X5 M fits the description. With adjustable dampers, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, the X5 M has a stiff and unforgiving ride that sings out when it crosses pockmarks and potholes. There’s little body lean thanks to active roll bars, and plenty of cornering poise—not to mention lots of custom drive-mode programs for shifting and throttle response—but it turns driving the X5 into more of a chore.

In front, the X5 sports power heated seats with a wide range of adjustments and synthetic leather upholstery. They’re great—until you’ve sat in the upgraded multi-contour seats with real leather, even better support, and cooling. The X5 also surrounds front passengers with lots of space and storage options for smartphones and water bottles.

The back seat doesn’t follow far behind, with more than 37 inches of leg room and a relatively upright seating position with good head room. Three adults can share the space without violating too much personal space. A third-row seat can be added to X5 40i SUVs, but if you really need three rows, ante up to the more spacious X7; this one’s not very practical.

The flat, low floor of the X5’s cargo hold can tote 33.9 cubic feet of stuff behind the second-row seat, or 72.3 cubic feet behind the front seats—and the X5 still has a split tailgate, with fold-down and pop-up sections.

That pulls its score here down to a 6.

Outward vision can be a challenge in the X5. Like most big SUVs it has big blind spots toward the rear quarters. It can be equipped with a surround-view camera system and parking sensors, which help greatly. An automatic parking system is also offered, but it’s tough to find, buried in BMW’s camera menus.

We like the base model’s excellent value. With standard 19-inch wheels, navigation, synthetic leather upholstery, satellite radio, and heated power front seats, the base $60,395 X5 also offers a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. All-wheel drive costs $1,700, and we’d add it with leather upholstery, a convenience package that bundles wireless smartphone charging with satellite radio and wireless CarPlay, and an active driving-assistance package for another $1,700. The plug-in hybrid costs $66,395, with similar equipment.

How much is a fully loaded BMW X5?

The $83,795 X5 M50i gains remote start, a sport differential, better brakes, an adaptive suspension, premium audio, multi-contour seats, wireless smartphone charging, and 20-inch wheels. It can reach $100,000—just about where the $106,095 X5 M begins.

With the rorty V-8 in the M540i, the X5 sinks to 16/22/18 mpg; it’s even lower in the X5 M, at 13/18/15 mpg. But with the new plug-in hybrid system, the X5 xDrive45e gets 31 miles of EPA-rated electric driving range, a 50-MPGe efficiency rating, and 20 mpg combined when its battery is discharged.