When BMW dropped the first X5 in 1999, the idea of the sport-sedan company building a two-ton SUV sounded close to rebellion. It turned out to be the smartest bet the brand ever made.
The X5 has been the best-seller built in Spartanburg ever since, and now the 2027 fifth-generation model comes with the biggest shake-up the nameplate has ever seen. That marks the first all-electric X5 in its 27-year history.
Double-X lights and Winglet Door handles
The new X5 wears BMW’s Neue Klasse design language. And the headliner on the front is a set of double-X light icons that wrap low lights, active lights, and turn signals into one tiny little thing.
At the side, the traditional door handles are gone, and have been replaced with touch-sensitive wings mounted on the pillars for a clean profile. The dimensions still feel like the X5, it’s just longer, wider, and a good deal sharper than before.
Five Powertrains, One Big Debut
The X5 now includes ignition, plug-in hybrid, and full electric. There’s even an M Performance model with V8 power and a hydrogen iX5 that’s guaranteed to stay later.
The star is the iX5 60 xDrive, the first X5 to use electrons alone. The two motors put out 570 horsepower and 593 lb-ft, good for a 4.4-second run to 60, but the wild number is range. BMW estimates 435 miles from a 144-kWh pack, with 800-volt hardware that goes back about 170 miles in 10 minutes of quick charging.
Enthusiasts worried about gas cars can relax. The trusty turbo inline-six carries over from the X5 40, now rolling out 394 horsepower, while the 50e plug-in hybrid stacks six with a 483-horsepower engine and 44 miles of electric-only range. And yes, the V8 is still coming.
Screens, Slate, and Two-Spoke Wheel
Inside, BMW is everywhere on screens that are everywhere. A 17.9-inch central display anchors the dash, paired with a pillar-to-pillar Panoramic Vision strip that appears below the windshield instead of the usual gauge cluster.
The vertical split steering wheel carries over from the iX3, and Amazon’s Alexa+ now enables the voice assistant. The real show is the original X5, though: a thin layer of real slate on the center console, because obviously wood and aluminum would have been boring.
Specification Sheet
Model:2027 BMW X5 / iX5 (Fifth Generation)
Integration:Spartanburg, South Carolina
X5 40 / 40 xDrive:Turbo 3.0L inline-six, 48V mild hybrid, 394 HP / 428 lb-ft
X5 50e xDrive (PHEV):Inline-six plus e-motor, 483 HP / 516 lb-ft, EV range of 44 miles
iX5 60 xDrive (EV):Dual-motor AWD, 570 HP / 593 lb-ft, 435-mile est.
iX5 Battery:144 kWh net, 800V, 460 kW DC charger (10-80% in 22 minutes)
0-60 (iX5 60):4.4 seconds
Transfer:8-speed Steptronic (X5 40 / 50e)
Coming Later:M performance with V8 power, the iX5 Hydrogen
Pricing and Availability
US prices start at $69,800 for the rear-drive X5 40 and $72,100 for the X5 40 xDrive, rising to $77,500 for the 50e plug-in hybrid and $79,800 for the electric iX5 60 xDrive. Add $1,450 for all terrain. The gas X5 40 xDrive is the first to be released in October, with the rest following in the first quarter of 2027.
2027 BMW X5 / iX5
BMW’s segment-defining SUV returns for a fifth generation with Neue Klasse styling, five powertrains, and the first-ever all-electric iX5 with an estimated range of 435 kilometers, all built in Spartanburg.
