The 2025 BMW X5 is a midsize luxury SUV with a sporty personality. Compare it to the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, the Audi Q7, and the Volvo XC90.
It is an immensely appealing choice that earns a commendable 6.8 out of 10 on the TCC scale. Sure, its basic design is showing its age, but the X5 drives great, has approachable technology, and feels worth every bit of its admittedly high price tag. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
A 25th Anniversary package marks the X5’s silver anniversary. Curiously, it includes some light-duty off-road gear including all-terrain tires. Otherwise, the lineup gets minor tweaks for 2025 after a revamp for 2024.
The X5 is a pleasantly styled choice with a traditional two-box profile and somewhat muscular haunches. It mercifully misses out on the brand’s latest massive grille treatment, a move that likely helps it remain one of BMW’s most popular models.
Inside, the cabin is light on buttons and knobs but high on simple style. There’s luxury in space, and the X5 has a lot of it—including across its dash. The big 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen live under a single pane of glass for a pleasantly modern look. BMW offers a bevy of interior hues, so choose wisely.
Most X5s have a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6, which puts out 375 hp in sDrive40i and xDrive40i guise. It’s plenty peppy for most users, though we’ll admit we’re intrigued by the plug-in hybrid known as the xDrive50e. It supplements the base setup with an upsized electric motor fed by a big battery pack. BMW quotes a quicker acceleration time and the promise of emissions-free commuting in an all-electric mode.
If you’re after a V-8, the M60i is a good starting and stopping point. Its 523-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 makes a melifluous snarl as it vaults this big SUV forward with authority. We like it more than the X5 M Competition, which while faster than any other version is just too stiffly sprung for comfortable real-world use. Other versions toe the line nicely between comfort and performance, particularly those with the available air suspension.
The X5 gets as much as 25 mpg combined for the inline-6 versions. The plug-in hybrid model isn’t quite as fuel-efficient when the gas engine is running, but the ace up its sleeve is its 38-mile all-electric range on a full charge. V-8 models are predictably thirsty.
Inside, the X5 has terrific materials and excellent seating for four or five passengers if needed. The cargo area is a bit tight by midsize SUV standards, but we can overlook that demerit since it has a two-piece tailgate. This is an exceptionally appealing setup.
The X5 doesn’t impress for its standard safety gear given its hefty price, though an adaptive cruise control system that allows for limited stretches of hands-off driving is available at a reasonable price. Disconcertingly, the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ award is canceled out in our ratings by a relatively rare four-star overall rating from the NHTSA.
How much does the 2025 BMW X5 cost?
The base X5 runs $66,875 including the $995 destination charge, while all-wheel drive costs $2,300 more. For that price, you’ll get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless device charging pad, synthetic leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable seats up front, a panoramic sunroof, and 20-inch alloy wheels.
Where is the 2025 BMW X5 made?
In Spartanburg, South Carolina.
