William Stopford
Multiple BMW models recalled
BMW is recalling 2009-12 1 Series, 3 Series, 5 Series, X3, X5 and Z4 models due to an issue with the bolts connecting the camshaft timing unit.
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About the BMW X5
Last updated Dec 18, 2024The BMW X5 is one of the original luxury SUVs. Debuted in 1999, the car is now into its fourth generation, and goes head-to-head with everything from the Mercedes-Benz GLE to the Audi Q5.
Petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid power are offered, and an electric take on the X5 is expected in the near future.
Pros
- Smooth, torquey engines
- Refined interior
- Feels good to drive
Cons
- Some confusing cabin bits
- BMW warranty isn't good enough
- Some rivals are better equipped
BMW X5 Rating
BMW X5 News
2023 BMW X5 Price
M Sport
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $134,900 |
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $138,900 |
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Electric, 4x4 | $139,900 |
M
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 4.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $172,900 |
M Competition
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 4.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $227,900 |
X Line
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | $134,900 |
M Pure
| Configuration | Price From* |
|---|---|
| 4.4L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | $149,900 |
*excl. on-roads
All BMW X5 Pricing
New BMW X5 deals
2023 BMW X5 Dimensions
1745mm
2004mm
4922mm
The dimensions shown above are for the base model.
See all 2023 BMW X5 Dimensions2023 BMW X5 Boot Space
There’s 650L of boot space, and you can pull a couple of levers to drop the second row and increase that to 1870L. There’s also a 12V outlet back there.
2023 BMW X5 Gallery
CarExpert High Resolution Photos of the BMW X5
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2023 BMW X5 Exterior
Most BMW X5 models in Australia come with the M Sport package, which brings body-coloured bumpers and sportier air intakes up front.
Wheels up to 22 inches are offered, but the base 20-inch wheels aren't exactly small.
2023 BMW X5 Interior
There’s a big step up in cabin ambience when you go from an X3 to an X5.
Every surface is covered in leather, leatherette or soft-touch plastic, right down to the farthest reaches of the dashboard and doors, while the pillars are upholstered in cloth. You grip a nice, chunky leather-wrapped wheel and sit in plush, supportive seats.
The switchgear looks and feels nice, particularly the weighty, knurled metal iDrive controller. Piano black trim is mercifully limited to a few buttons around the shifter, including the buttons for the different drive modes.
These buttons all kind of blur together, and we’d like to see a more prominent drive mode selector. The use of piano black also suggests these buttons are touch-capacitive, but they’re not.
In contrast, the steering wheel buttons are large and clearly labelled. Behind the wheel are the paddle shifters, which have a shiny metal look on the front but a matte feel at the rear.
There’s plenty of storage up front, including an easy-to-miss cubby on the right-hand side of the steering wheel, a fairly spacious centre console bin with a rubberised floor, and bottle holders that can easily swallow the likes of a Voss bottle.
You’ll find a single USB-A outlet at the base of the centre stack near a 12V outlet, with a USB-C outlet in the centre console bin. A couple more outlets wouldn’t go astray.
In terms of technology, the X5 stacks up well. The digital instrument cluster is attractive and easy to read, while the 12.3-inch infotainment system is quick and responsive. It’s controlled via touch inputs or the iDrive controller on the centre console.
Parking is a doddle in the X5. There’s a semi-autonomous parking assist system, while the standard parking view has numerous active guides. You can change camera angles and there’s also a surround-view camera. All the footage has a high resolution.
Even the simple act of unlocking the X5 is effortless. It features Comfort Access keyless entry, which means it unlocks as you approach it if you have the key in your pocket or purse, and locks as you walk away.
Step into the back and there’s a comfortable rear bench with ample legroom and toe room. There’s also plenty of headroom despite the presence of the massive panoramic sunroof.
Rear-seat passengers have USB-C outlets on the front seatbacks, plus air vents, a 12V outlet, and a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders and a shallow storage cubby.
The bottle holders in the doors are a touch smaller than those up front but still accommodate large drink bottles. Other storage includes a couple of small shelves at the rear of the centre console, plus seatback map pockets.
The X5 has a clever split tailgate, which provides you with a handy ledge that can double as a seat at a tailgate party or an emergency changing table.
There’s 650L of boot space, and you can pull a couple of levers to drop the second row and increase that to 1870L. There’s also a 12V outlet back here.
2023 BMW X5 Infotainment
You’ll find a single USB-A outlet at the base of the centre stack near a 12V outlet, with a USB-C outlet in the centre console bin. A couple more outlets wouldn’t go astray.
In terms of technology, the X5 stacks up well. The digital instrument cluster is attractive and easy to read, while the 12.3-inch infotainment system is quick and responsive. It’s controlled via touch inputs or the iDrive controller on the centre console.
Voice inputs work well, too – you can press the voice prompt button on the steering wheel and say an address and the navigation system will instantly search for it. The ‘clicks’ the infotainment system makes are also less annoying than the tinny sounds that come from the GLE’s touchscreen.
Our only complaint about the infotainment is regarding the map graphics. They can look a bit cluttered, and when you’re navigating somewhere your route is partially highlighted in white instead of being given a different colour.
2023 BMW X5 Safety Rating
The BMW X5 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2018 – though the rating only applies to six-cylinder diesel models.
It received a score of 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 75 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 71 per cent for safety assist.
All BMW X5 models come standard with the following safety equipment:
- Autonomous emergency braking (low/high-speed) with pedestrian/cyclist detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Front and rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keep assist
- Reversing camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Surround-view camera
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Front and front-side airbags
- Curtain airbags for the first and second rows
- Driver’s knee airbag
2023 BMW X5 Fuel Economy
The BMW X5 uses 6.7L/100km in the xDrive25d on the combined cycle, the xDrive30d uses 7.2L/100km, the xDrive40i uses 9.2L/100km, the M50i models use 11.5L/100km, and the M Competition uses 12.5L/100km.
The xDrive45e uses 2.3L/100km and has an electric-only range of 87km on the stricter WLTP cycle.
| BMW X5 | Fuel Type | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Petrol, 4x4 | Premium Unleaded | 9.9 L/100km |
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Diesel, 4x4 | Diesel | 8.2 L/100km |
| 3.0L, 8-speed auto, 5-door SUV, Electric, 4x4 | Electric | 2.3 L/100km |
Cost of ownership
What are the running and servicing costs of a BMW X5?
BMW offers a five-year/80,000km servicing plan for X5 models priced at $2250. It covers the replacement of fluids and filters, though the replacement of brake pads and discs and wiper blades is covered only under a more expensive Plus plan, priced at $5950.
How does the 2023 BMW X5 drive?
Our expert take on BMW X5 drivability.
Road noise is nicely muffled, with tyre roar only really present on coarse-chip, high-speed rural roads.
The X5 can’t completely disguise its size but it never feels ungainly. It’s surprisingly easy to pilot even in tighter urban confines, with the steering lightening up at lower speeds. While it doesn’t quite feel like a sports sedan on a set of tight curves, the X5 responds quickly to inputs.
The X5 has a firm ride but there’s enough suspension travel to make long-distance touring comfortable, and the car feels neither too harsh nor too floaty. It soaks up the bumps and ruts of inner-city road work zones and poorly surfaced suburban streets, though it occasionally felt a little jostled about on a couple of rural roads.
The lane-keeping assist aids long-distance touring, and was only ever tripped up by particularly sharp curves.
The adaptive cruise control set-up in the X5 is particularly noteworthy. If you have it activated and drive past a speed sign, the traffic sign recognition system will display the new speed and you’ll be given the option to press a single button to adjust the adaptive cruise control speed accordingly.
The Caring Car function, accessible via the iDrive system, proved to be more than just a gimmick. On a lengthy jaunt out of Melbourne, we activated the Vitalize mode which changed the ambient lighting colour, played some dramatic music, and pumped continuous strong bursts of cold air into the cabin.
It’s actually a pretty clever idea if you’re feeling a little worn from hours of driving but aren’t quite tired enough to need to pull over.
While many X5s will only do duty in big cities, BMW offers a towing package that bumps up braked towing capacity from 1900kg to 3500kg.
Speaking of options, we wouldn’t bother with the Enhancement Package, which adds 22-inch alloy wheels and a sports exhaust. The larger wheels will surely impact ride quality, while the xDrive30d sounds good enough already.
2023 BMW X5 Colours
What colours are available for the BMW X5
The BMW X5 is available in the following colours:
- Alpine White
- M Carbon Black metallic
- Black Sapphire metallic
- Mineral White metallic
- Phytonic Blue
- Arctic Grey
- Dravit Grey metallic
- Tanzanite Blue metallic
- Ametrine metallic
2023 BMW X5 Warranty
The X5 is covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. That’s pretty dismal, considering several luxury brands have moved to five-year warranties.
2023 BMW X5 vs other SUVs to consider
The BMW X5 is the classic large luxury SUV benchmark. It goes head-to-head with the Audi Q7, which packs a bit more space inside and a more confident seven-seat option, and the Mercedes-Benz GLE with its high-tech cabin.
The Genesis GV80 and Volkswagen Touareg offer more equipment for less money, but don't have the allure of a BMW badge.
Should you buy the 2023 BMW X5
Is this the right car for you? Out experts buy or not guide.
It’s pretty clear to see why the BMW X5 remains so popular.
Its handling is relatively nimble for such a large SUV, its cabin is classy, comfortable and spacious, while its torquey inline-six turbo-diesel deftly combines performance and fuel economy.
BMW X5 FAQs
The cheapest BMW X5 is the xDRIVE25d that starts from $103,000.
The most expensive BMW X5 is the M COMPETITION MHEV that starts from $236,900.
The best towing capacity of a BMW X5 is 3500 kg offered by the following variants: xDRIVE25d, xDRIVE30d M SPORT, xDRIVE25d M SPORT, xDRIVE40i M SPORT, xDRIVE45e M SPORT PHEV, M50i PURE and M50i.
The largest BMW X5 is the M COMPETITION MHEV which measures 2105mm wide, 4948mm in length and sits 1762mm tall.
The most powerful BMW X5 is the M COMPETITION MHEV which has 460kW of power from its 4.4L TWIN TURBO DIR F/INJ engine.
The {modelTitle} is manufactured in different countries, depending on the variant, then shipped to Australia. The BMW X5 may be manufactured in .
The heaviest BMW X5 is the xDRIVE50e M SPORT PHEV which weighs 3200 kg (kerb weight).
The BMW X5 may use different fuel/energy types based on the variant which includes Unleaded Petrol-Electric Hybrid, Premium Unleaded Petrol, Diesel or Premium Unleaded-Electric Hybrid.