Although the Range Rover can certainly lay claim to being the first luxury SUV, the BMW X5 is the car that taught us luxury SUVs could be just as capable on the road as off it. Making its name with the performance and handling of an estate car, as well as all-terrain capability, it has been at the top of its game for more than 20 years. And now there's a new model that's looking to continue where the old one left off, albeit with the aid of some new tech and a refreshed design. The question is, will such mild updates be enough to fend off increasingly competent rivals?
In the metal
While BMW hasn't made wholesale changes to the X5, there are a few noticeable upgrades - particularly on the exterior. First of all, there's a new nose, with tweaked bumpers, a revamped (and happily not oversized) grille and new headlights to boot. BMW has popped new taillights into the mix, too, and there's a relatively predictable selection of paint, trim and alloy wheel options.
Inside, meanwhile, BMW has made fewer changes, but those that have made the grade are somewhat more prominent. Chief among these is the new Curved Display, which has been lifted from the iX, the 3 Series and numerous other new BMWs. It's essentially two screens in one housing, with the main touchscreen joined by a digital instrument display. Both screens are pin-sharp and smartly styled, with plenty of configuration options and logical menus. Thankfully, the central touchscreen is still paired with BMW's iDrive controller. This rotary control allows you to navigate the screen without taking your eyes off the road - assuming you've learned your way around the menus first, of course.
Mixing the sharp touchscreen with the iDrive controller was an inspired move by BMW, but somewhat less inspired was the decision to move the climate control panel into the screen. Admittedly, the execution is much better than in some similar systems, but a simple button was a much easier and more intuitive way of changing the temperature or turning the air conditioning on. Trawling through a sub-menu, albeit one that's only ever one screen press away, might be the modern way, but it's hardly ergonomic.
But the removal of the climate control switches has allowed BMW to clean up the X5's cabin quite noticeably, with just a few air vents and the steering wheel punctuating a solid mass of premium materials and craftsmanship. Or at least the robot equivalent of craftsmanship, whatever that is. BMW has also taken the opportunity to fit a clever new ambient lighting system in the dashboard trim, with differing light patterns to signify incoming phone calls or locking and unlocking the vehicle. Gimmicky? Perhaps, but it's still something to show off to your mates.
And you'll certainly have plenty of room to carry all those friends, because the X5's interior is just as capacious as before. Rear headroom is more than ample, and legroom is really generous, too. BMW will offer customers a choice of five- or seven-seat layouts, and though the seven-seaters might be a bit cramped in the back, the five-seaters provide plenty of space for passengers. The petrol and diesel versions of the X5 offer 650 litres of cargo capacity with all five seats in place, although the plug-in hybrid limits that practicality slightly to make room for the hybrid system. Still, a 500-litre boot is not to be sniffed at.
Driving it
The new BMW X5 is available with a wide range of powertrains, from the least powerful xDrive30d 3.0-litre diesel to the 625hp, 4.4-litre V8 X5 M Competition, but the vast majority of customers will opt for this xDrive50e plug-in hybrid. Replacing the already commendable 45e in the X5 line-up, the hybrid system combines an electric motor and a battery pack with a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, providing maximum outputs of 490hp and 700Nm of torque. That's more than enough in anybody's book, even if you're trying to propel a big, heavy 4x4, and it allows this particular big, heavy 4x4 to get from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds.
More importantly, it also allows this big, heavy 4x4 to be relatively efficient. BMW has given the electric motor more power than before, with 197hp on its own, and that means there's less need to use the petrol engine when you accelerate. That's paired with a new, larger battery that offers around 100km of electric range on the official economy test, and around 90km in the real world, so most short journeys can be completed without troubling the petrol engine. Top up the battery regularly, as you might with an electric car, and you might even get somewhere near the 50e's official fuel consumption figure of around a litre every 100km.
In truth, though, you aren't likely to manage that very often, and nor would you want to, because the big 3.0-litre engine is a peach. It's silky smooth at idle, and it makes a lovely growl when you put your foot down, giving it a gravelly, brawny character. The exhausts will even snort derisively at you during gear changes. And the performance provided by the combination of petrol and electric power makes motorway cruising and overtaking both feel effortless - something that really contributes to the sensation of luxury.
Not as much as the ride comfort, though. Admittedly, the 50e is not necessarily the most comfortable car in the X5 range - the weight of the body and the batteries combine to spoil the low-speed ride slightly - but at motorway speeds it almost glides over the road surface, gently absorbing any undulations or cat's eyes. Even around town it never feels too uncomfortable, it just rides slightly heavily from time to time, particularly over sharper bumps.
For all that comfort, however, the X5 still handles really well. It doesn't quite have the control of a Porsche Cayenne and there's no hiding the immense size of the car, but the body lean isn't too dramatic and BMW has managed to carry over the trademark steering feel from its saloon cars, while the brakes manage to balance the needs of efficient regenerative braking and conventional hydraulic braking better than most. It still feels a bit hesitant and inconsistent just before the car comes to a stop, but otherwise it's smooth and predictable.
What you get for your money
With prices starting at just under €100,000, this 50e model is by far the cheapest X5 on sale in Ireland. In fact, thanks to the VRT system, it's more than €30,000 cheaper than anything else in the line-up. It stacks up well alongside its rivals, too, matching the Porsche Cayenne and easily undercutting the Range Rover Sport, which starts at more than €116,000. And you get plenty for your money, as well. Leather upholstery, the Curved Display screens and climate control are all thrown in, along with big alloy wheels and a navigation system with the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay tech. It has everything you really need.
Summary
Tried and tested interior tech aside, the new BMW X5 isn't all that different from its predecessor. Maybe it's a little better looking, but it's the same high-quality, comfortable and luxurious SUV with remarkable road manners for something so big. For Irish customers, this xDrive50e version makes the most sense thanks to its combination of price and performance, while the smoothness of its six-cylinder engine ensures you'll never feel as though you have shopped in the bargain bucket. If you can charge the battery regularly, it'll probably be the cheapest X5 to run, too.
