Our Opinion - 2026 BMW X5 Review The 2026 X5 SUV is a nice car to drive, but it’s not as sporty as smaller models. BMW is famous for being a great car to drive. The standard turbocharged inline-six engine gives you smooth, steady power. A twin-turbo V-8 engine gives you a lot more power and a rumbling sound that the six doesn’t have. A plug-in hybrid is also available, but we’ll talk about that model individually. The X5’s luxurious cabin has room for four people, but five could fit in an emergency. The bigger X7 is the only one with a third row, but the cargo room is big and has all the latest technology for communication. What's New? No big changes were made to the 2026 X5 from the model that came out the previous year. Pros and Cons Pros It’s great to drive. The longer range of a plug-in hybrid. The inside is absolutely beautiful. Cons Conservative style. It’s tight in the second row. The X5 M’s rough ride. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The X5 comes with three different powertrains, and each one is only available in one type. The 375-hp turbocharged inline-six engine in X5s with the sDrive40i or xDrive40i badges is more powerful than any other BMW engine. The plug-in hybrid xDrive50e has an electric motor and a turbocharged inline-six engine that makes 483 horsepower. We will talk about that model individually. Finally, the M60i has a twin-turbo V-8 engine that makes 523 hp. There is an eight-speed automatic gearbox that works with all three powertrains. In almost all driving situations, none of them will be lacking power. It’s easy to drive, stays stable, and has direct, connected steering that makes the X5 stand out among this age of BMW SUVs. The Audi Q7 still beats the X5 even though the race was close. When going around a fast turn, the X5 keeps its grip and gives the driver a sense of security that the Mercedes-Benz GLE-class doesn’t have. Safety BMWs come with basic driver aids like automatic emergency braking and other basic features. More advanced features, like hands-free driving, can be added as an extra. The following are important safety features: Most automatic emergency braking systems are capable of detecting pedestrians and other road users. Normal warning for leaving your lane. Both hands-free drive mode and adaptive cruise control are available for use. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The front and back seats are big enough for people. When passengers walk inside, they’ll find a room decorated with high-quality materials, lots of charging stations for their devices, and, based on the upgrades they choose, a lot of fancy features. Memory for the driver and power-adjustable front seats come as standard. All models come with heated front seats, a power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a panoramic sunroof, a power-adjustable steering column, and lighting that can be set to different levels. The X5 may look like a high-end luxury SUV because it has choices like heated steering and front armrests, soft-close doors, remote start, massaging seats, and soundproof glass. Nevertheless, these additional features come with a steep price. People can also buy an expensive Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound stereo system with diamond-domed tweeters. The X5’s cabin has a lot of room for goods. We were able to hide eleven of our carry-on bags under the back seats when no one was sitting there. If you fold the back seats down, you can fit 26 cases inside. You can do this from the back or any side of the SUV. The GLE-class did about the same in this test as the X5, but it’s harder to fold down the back seats. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The EPA has not released numbers for the 2026 X5 yet. However, the 2025 model gets up to 23 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg overall. Infotainment and Connectivity Two-thirds of the dashboard is covered by a curvy screen when you first get inside the X5. The BMW iDrive entertainment system can be accessed through a bigger 14.9-inch touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel shows the gauges. A rotary knob on the middle console can also be used to control the system. A 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, a wireless charging pad for smartphones, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all standard features. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The more powerful xDrive40i, with 375 horsepower, should have a little more zip. The last time we tried one, it only had 335 horsepower but still managed to go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. In the same test, the 523-hp M60i went from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. Towing and Payload Capacity It is impressive that the X5 can pull up to 7200 pounds. The most weight that the M60i type can hold is 1193 pounds. Price and How to Choose The 2026 BMW X5 can cost anywhere from $67,475 to $92,025, depending on the choices and specs. Only the xDrive40i and xDrive M60i types come with all-wheel drive. The sDrive40i, on the other hand, has rear-wheel drive only. Because we value cost savings almost as much as good performance, the xDrive40i is the best X5 to buy. It has all-wheel drive, is quick like a sports car, and is priced fairly for this high-end class. The Premium version is our top pick because it comes with a Harman/Kardon sound system, remote engine start, LED exterior lighting, and a head-up display.
