A luxury crossover with broad appeal, the X5 delivers satisfying performance while coddling its occupants in quiet comfort. We consider it the well-rounded athlete in a class populated by plenty of high achievers.
What's New for 2016
V8 models receive some extra standard equipment, and all versions get connectivity updates.
Choosing Your BMW X5
In terms of size, the X5 falls smack in the middle of the crossover segment. You get room for five and up to 66 cubic feet of cargo space. The optional third row provides space for two more, provided both are children.
- The standard 3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine develops 300 horsepower and can be paired with rear- or all-wheel drive.
- Next up is a 255-horsepower 3-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder that achieves a sensational 27 mpg in combined driving.
- The top choice is turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with no less than 445 horsepower.
All-wheel drive comes standard with the turbodiesel and V8, and all engines are matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Trim levels correspond to engine and drivetrain:
sDrive 35i
Comes with the base six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive, plus heated front seats with driver memory, leather-like vinyl upholstery, wood interior trim, automatic wipers, a power liftgate, and front and rear parking sensors. On the technology front, you get a navigation system, Bluetooth, integrated smartphone apps, and a nine-speaker sound system with HD radio and 20GB of audio storage. The available Premium package tacks on genuine leather seating, keyless ignition, four-zone automatic climate control, and satellite radio. Adding the Luxury Seating package gets you ventilated front seats with additional adjustments. For safety, there's the Driver Assistance package with a rearview camera and a head-up display.
xDrive 35d
Gets the efficient turbodiesel engine. All other equipment and options continue unchanged.
xDrive 50i
Carries the V8 engine, plus a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system, standard 19-inch wheels, and most of the options already mentioned. Available on the xDrive 50i only is the Executive package with soft-close doors, leather dashboard trim, and ceramic-finish controls. The 50i is also eligible for a high-end Bang & Olufsen sound system
Any X5 can be outfitted with your choice of design packages: Luxury Line, xLine, and M Sport. All come with line-specific 19-inch wheels and trim throughout. The M Sport also gets sport seats and some extra performance options.
Beyond all that are several specialized option packages. The Cold Weather package gets you a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats. Adaptive LED headlamps with automatic high-beam control come with the Lighting package. The Dynamic Handling package adds an adaptive suspension and revised steering.
Finally, the Driver Assistance Plus package carries all the regular Driver Assistance features, plus adaptive cruise control with automatic braking, a collision mitigation system with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and a surround-view camera system.
As usual, there are some interesting standalone options, including an adjustable rear air suspension (standard on seven-passenger models), an automated parallel parking system, infrared night vision, and a rear entertainment system with dual screens.
As you can see, the X6 can be dressed up in plethora of ways, which means the price can get away from you quickly. We consider the Premium and Driver Assistance packages (which are already standard on the V8 model) to be most essential n a luxury crossover.
Read our review on the BMW X5 »