BMW has fully revealed the fourth-generation X5, codenamed G65, marking the most substantial overhaul of its best-selling luxury SUV in years. Unveiled at the end of June 2026, the new car adopts BMW''s calmer Neue Klasse design language, a radically simplified cabin and a five-strong powertrain line-up that stretches from a mild-hybrid diesel to a 612hp plug-in hybrid and a long-range electric iX5. It also drops the optional third row entirely, becoming a two-row-only SUV for the first time in the nameplate''s history.
Context & Background
The X5 has been BMW''s commercial backbone since 1999, defining the mid-size luxury SUV segment and consistently ranking among the brand''s top sellers worldwide. The outgoing model had grown visually aggressive over its life, and the G65 answers years of criticism about grille inflation with a cleaner face: a double-X lighting signature that can be toggled on or off, a vertical kidney grille with illuminated strips, and BMW''s Winglets worked into the beltline. The historic split tailgate is gone in favour of a single-piece unit and wide full-width tail lights, and automatic doors appear on a BMW SUV for the first time. The car has grown to 4.99 metres long on a 3.03-metre wheelbase, both up six centimetres, yet the reworking is more evolution of proportion than reinvention of silhouette.
Key Details
The powertrain strategy is a deliberate hedge across every fuel type. The combustion range opens with a 400hp turbocharged petrol straight-six and a 313hp diesel, both carrying mild-hybrid assistance. Above them sit two plug-in hybrids: the 50e xDrive with 489hp and the M60e xDrive with 612hp, the latter serving as the performance flagship until a full M model arrives. A hydrogen fuel-cell iX5, co-developed with Toyota, is due later with a claimed 750km range and sub-five-minute refuelling, likely in 2028. Inside, the transformation is dramatic: the rotary iDrive controller is gone, replaced by a 17.9-inch central touchscreen, an optional 14.6-inch passenger display and BMW''s pillar-to-pillar Panoramic Vision projection across the base of the windscreen.
The headline act is the all-electric iX5 60 xDrive. It pairs a dual-motor setup producing 578hp with a 141kWh usable battery on an 800-volt architecture, good for up to 845km of WLTP range and 0-100 km/h in around 4.6 seconds. Charging peaks at 460kW, taking the pack from 10 to 80 percent in just 22 minutes and adding roughly 274km in ten. The trade-off is mass: at about 2,825kg in European specification, the iX5 is the heaviest production BMW ever built. Boot space measures 650 litres, dropping to 525 litres in the plug-in hybrids that carry a battery under the floor.
| Variant | Output | Powertrain | Price (Germany) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40d xDrive | 313 hp | Diesel mild-hybrid | €94,800 |
| 40 xDrive | 400 hp | Petrol straight-six mild-hybrid | €98,800 |
| 50e xDrive | 489 hp | Plug-in hybrid | €102,800 |
| iX5 60 xDrive | 578 hp | Electric, 141 kWh | €102,800 |
| M60e xDrive | 612 hp | Plug-in hybrid | €125,000 |
What It Means for Buyers
For buyers, the G65 X5 is a bet that flexibility beats commitment. By offering diesel, petrol, plug-in hybrid, full-electric and eventually hydrogen versions in a single body, BMW lets customers choose their own transition pace rather than forcing an EV-only decision, a stance that looks shrewd in a market where electric adoption has cooled from its earlier pace. The iX5''s 845km range and 460kW charging genuinely move the segment forward and undercut range anxiety in a way rivals like the Mercedes EQE SUV and Audi Q6 e-tron struggle to match. The cost is practicality: the two-row-only layout will frustrate the large families that historically chose the X5 for its seven-seat option, and the electric model''s near-2,825kg kerb weight raises real questions about tyre wear, efficiency and road manners.
- ✓Class-leading 845km WLTP range and 460kW charging on the iX5
- ✓Five powertrains let buyers pick petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric in one body
- ✓Calmer Neue Klasse design tones down years of grille growth
- ✓Overhauled cabin with 17.9-inch display and Panoramic Vision
- ✕Third-row seating dropped entirely, hurting large-family appeal
- ✕Electric iX5 is the heaviest production BMW ever at roughly 2,825kg
- ✕US pricing and range figures not yet confirmed at launch
- ✕Digitally controlled climate vents replace some physical controls
Production of the new X5 begins in August 2026, with petrol and diesel models reaching European showrooms from 28 November 2026 and the plug-in hybrids and electric iX5 following on 6 March 2027. BMW has confirmed German pricing from €94,800, though US pricing and EPA range figures remain unannounced. The hydrogen fuel-cell iX5 is expected to close out the range around 2028. Full details will appear on BMW''s regional configurators as each variant goes on sale.
