BMW X5 xDrive50e 2023 review

author: FutureCar Staff    

While the modifications to this updated X5 are minor, BMW didn't need to make wholesale changes. The German company has simply modernised the existing recipe, adding fresh technology and an improved hybrid system for more electric range, to a car that was already comfortable, luxurious and good to drive. As a result, the X5 is still among the front-runners in this increasingly competitive premium SUV market.

To quote the legendary England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, if you stand still, there's only one way to go – and that's backwards. Nowhere is that truer than in the auto industry, where resting on laurels is a surefire method of falling behind the times. That's why BMW felt the need to revamp its X5 SUV (and the car's closely related coupe-styled stablemate, the X6). Both models have been fettled rather than completely reimagined, with tweaks to the styling, interior, tech and the engine ranges.

We're driving the bigger-selling X5 here, and the most immediately obvious upgrades are to the front end, where the brand has fitted narrower headlights and reworked bumpers, plus a grille that can be illuminated assuming you opt for the right option pack. There are new tail-lights, too. Inside, meanwhile, BMW has installed its latest, gently curved infotainment set-up common to many of the brand's most recent products. Housing the instrument cluster and touchscreen in one wide binnacle, it gives the X5's interior a much more modern feel. That's partly because the new touchscreen includes all the heating and ventilation controls, allowing BMW to remove the buttons previously found on the dash.

The big news, however, is this latest plug-in hybrid, dubbed xDrive50e. Available solely in the X5, the new system replaces the old 45e and uses the same combination of a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor. The two now combine to produce 483bhp – a 95bhp increase – and offer a 0-62mph time of less than five seconds. Just as importantly, the 25.7kWh battery is much larger than that of the old 45e, which means the electric range has increased. BMW reckons the X5 xDrive50e will cover more than 60 miles on electric power alone, and our drive suggested 50 miles should be easily achievable if you avoid motorways.

Naturally, the system is very refined in electric mode, but the petrol engine is also exceptionally smooth – although it will growl and snort in an amusingly sporty manner if you encourage it to. In a way, that's something of a metaphor for the way the X5 drives in general. It's a big, heavy car – there's no getting away from that – but it rides with composure and compliance that makes it feel as refined as a luxury saloon.

Admittedly, the plug-in hybrid version loses some of that compliance around town, where the extra weight seems to affect the ride comfort slightly, but across the range the ride at high speed is excellent. Normally, such comfort might result in some slackness to the handling, but that really isn't true of the updated car. The X5 manages its size and bulk well, with trademark great BMW steering response and precision, as well as plenty of grip and remarkable body control. The X5 PHEV remains impressively composed for a big, heavy SUV, and can still compete with the likes of the new Range Rover Sport – although it's similarly pricey, too.

Model: BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport
Price: £79,265
Powertrain: 3.0-litre 6cyl petrol/1x e-motor
Power/torque: 483bhp/700Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Economy/CO2: 313.9mpg/20g/km
Size (L/W/H): 4,935/2,218/1,755mm
On sale: Now

FutureCar Staff