The Redesigned BMW X5: Day-to-Night Luxury, With Sporty to Spicy Performance

The one thing the redesign of the X5 didn’t do is make it less BMW-esque. It retains its size and proportions which are both what make it good for day—toting the kids and their gear to all the things—and for night, when it can take on a whole new character with ambient lighting, elegant finishes and a soaring drive feel.

With seating for 5, though really, 4, the rear seat is roomy enough for taller passengers or kids in car seats. The cargo area is spacious, too, with plenty of space for gear, from hockey bags and golf clubs to strollers. The ground clearance and xDrive all wheel drive system—standard on all but the 40i, which offers it as a trim upgrade—gives the X5 capability in rough weather and steep, gravelly roads.

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Probably the best news about the redesigned BMW X5 is that there are plenty of trims to choose from, priced starting at $63,300. Four of the five include basic luxuries like the dash-spanning glass panel touch screen that holds the 15″ multimedia system and a 12″ driver display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, leatherette seating and 20″ wheels with run-flat all-season tires. Models include the rear wheel drive sDrive i40, the all wheel drive xDrive i40, the AWD plug-in hybrid xDrive 50e and the M60i.

And then, there’s the M Competition.

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Not long ago BMW expanded the “M” line to include the M Competition at the top end, the most powerful and most luxurious of each trim line. For the X5 series, the M Competition means not only is it powered by a twin turbo V8, but most of the luxury options on other models, like leather upholstery and head up display, are included standard.

And then, there’s all the M stuff: M-tuned suspension, AWD and steering; “Dynamic” is added to the selection of drive modes; the kidney grille is M Competition specific with horizontal bars and M badge, the head up display is M-specific and of course, it has quad tailpipes.

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The M Competition has a starting price of $127,200, and even with all its standard features, there’s still more that can be added: Bowers and Wilkins premium sound with speakers that light up at night, heated rear seats, heated and cooled cupholders and front massaging seats.

And for $2,500 buyers can add the “M Driver’s Package,” which adds a day of M Driving School at a BMW Performance Center—driving their M models on the track. The price of our test model: $141,045, which includes all of the above and a very reasonable $995 destination charge.

Part of the redesign is this new center console featuring a control panel with most of the driver’s functions: drive modes, iDrive multimedia dial and the gear selector. While the M Competition has a lever-style gear shifter, other models have a toggle that is nearly flush with the surface of the control panel.

While the lever feels sportier, I really like the toggle; it opens up the space and gives a cleaner look and feel to the cabin. And to be honest, the lever is almost a gimmick: all gear selectors are electronic, so that large lever is doing the same job as a tiny toggle.

The best part about this screen is you don’t really need it most of the time. That’s because BMW redesigned the multimedia system and added voice activated assistance. From “Hey BWM, turn on the driver’s side massage seat” to changing the radio station, the cabin temperature or finding a Starbucks, almost everything you want or need to do can be done via voice activation.

And, the entire system is standard. The screen, all its features, navigation, Sirius XM radio and the lot are included, though massage seats are an upgrade. The best part is that navigation can be viewed in the driver’s display or if included, on the HUD. So you don’t need the screen for that, either.

Though it is a really nice screen.

If there’s one feature to be grateful for in an SUV, it’s a clamshell, or split, rear gate. The bottom folds down, the top lifts up and this little gem of engineering adds convenience, space and seating. You can dangle your legs over the edge and not brush the dirty (or hot) bumper. You can lay out lunch or change the baby, all without disturbing your masterful Tetris of luggage. It’ll keep your 36 oz. salsa jar from rolling out of the cargo area when you get home from Costco. Cleaning up that mess is painful, I have learned.

Maybe the most thoughtful detail on this liftgate? The electronic buttons. There’s one on the lower liftgate to close just the bottom; tap the one on the top and it closes both.

The dressy new front end of the BMW X5 is simply dazzling. Slender new headlights glow, reflected in the crystaline angled surrounds inside the light frame. It catches the sunlight during the day and glitters and glows at night. And, they nicely frame the new kidney grille, still a dual hecagon shape but now more angular.

Purple ambient light makes the interior of the BMW X5 feel like a club. The premium Bowers and Wilkins sound system makes it sound like one. Notice the swirling, glowy ball next to the window? that’s a speaker. There’s also a backlit speaker in the door panel, both part of this optional system. The ambient lighting, however is standard and can be customized for color and brightness.

And it’s not just a style feature; the ambient lighting adds a fantastic dimension to the interior, allowing you to find your lost air pod on the floor and your passengers to find their seatbelt receptacles.

This one is a pricey option but for those who live in cloudy climates for northern reaches where darkness sets in early, it can be quite the charm: LED light accents surround the panoramic sunroof. It’s part of the Premium package, which also adds head up display, glass-topped controls and rear window shades for $3,600. And totally worth it.

This was a delight: controls on the BMW’s steering wheel are backlit so they’re easy to see. Paired with the customizable driver display—I had it set here for sport driving—and ambient cabin light, the feeling is quite elevated. The lights are easy on the eyes and make finding controls quite easy.

During the day it was effortless to accelerate through the back country roads of Connecticut where I spent the week. The M Competition moves easily, though loudly. Putting it in Dynamic mode only enhances that feeling; hopping on the highway and zipping past the speed limit in a blink of an eye is a little breath-catching. Still, feeling this car rumble to life each time I started was something I enjoyed every time.

Probably the thing that buyers will most appreciate is the solid selection of features and luxuries that each model includes. And there are a limited number of options, including the Executive package, which adds head up display, Harman Kardon sound and gesture control (more of a party trick than a helpful feature, if you ask me) for $1,900; the Premium Package adds the LED panoramic sunroof lighting, glass-topped controls and rear window shades for another $1,700. Other upgrades include leather seating, paint options, M sport details and some trim-specific options. And while the M Competition ads most of these things standard, it comes with its own set of upgrades., too

Here’s how pricing shakes out:

• sDrive 40i rear wheel drive twin turbo 6-cylinder mild hybrid generating 375HP, $63,300
• xDrive 40i AWD twin turbo 6-cylinder mild hybrid generating 375HP, $68,600
• X5 xDrive 50e AWD twin turbo 6-cylinder plug-in electric hybrid that generates 483 HP and 39 miles of electric range, $73,800
• X5 M60i AWD twin turbo V8 mild hybrid system generating 523 HP, $90,850
• X5 M Competition AWD twin turbo V8 with M tuned driving and generating 617 HP, $127,200

At the entry level 40i, the BMW X5 delivers a really great space for families. Standard leatherette will absolve any guilt you might feel installing car seats or sweaty athletes; upgrading to leather will give the cabin a more refined feel—if you can tell the difference. But it’s the price and power options that really define the X5 strata, and price: each increase in power comes with an uptick in price.

Which would I pick? While I loved driving the M Competition, I’d probably go for the X5 50e PHEV. The power, the standard features and the ability to go from day to night without having to stop for gas makes this SUV even more dazzling.