On June 30, the BMW fifth-generation X5 (codename G65) made its world premiere at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, USA.
For the first time, the new car adopts a single chassis compatible with five powertrain forms: combustion, plug-in hybrid, pure electric, and future hydrogen fuel. According to plan, the combustion version will go on sale overseas in late November 2026, the plug-in hybrid and pure electric versions will be launched in early 2027, and the domestically produced long-wheelbase version is expected to be introduced to the market around the same time.
Exterior: Farewell to the classic Angel Eyes, Neue Klasse design takes over
The all-new X5 fully adopts the Neue Klasse design language. The front face features horizontally stretched slim headlight clusters, with dual "X"-shaped daytime running lights inside the housings, replacing the Angel Eyes design that had been used for many years.
The kidney grille has been significantly narrowed, changed to a vertical layout with added illuminated light strips. The upper half of the front face of the combustion version and the pure electric version is basically identical, with differences concentrated in the lower bumper: the combustion version has a larger air intake area, while the pure electric version has more enclosed areas.
The side profile continues the burly stance of a mid-to-large SUV, with newly added character lines at the wheel arches to reinforce a muscular feel.
The door handles adopt a hidden sensing design, integrated below the B-pillar and C-pillar. The rear features slim near-through taillights, internally integrating zigzag lines and dot-matrix LED light sources.
Interior: Panoramic Vision Bridge + angled dual screens, physical iDrive knob removed
The cabin adopts the minimalist Neue Klasse style, extensively using light-colored leather and silver metal trim. The new car is equipped with the Panoramic iDrive system, combining the Panoramic Vision Bridge with a 3D head-up display, capable of projecting large-size 4K images onto the windshield. The center console area adopts an angled dual-screen layout, corresponding respectively to the central control screen and the front passenger entertainment screen, with the central control screen tilted 17.5 degrees toward the driver. The steering wheel is changed to the Neue Klasse-exclusive cross-shaped four-spoke design.
Powertrain: Three powertrains online simultaneously, hydrogen fuel to enter mass production in 2028
The combustion version X5 40 xDrive is equipped with a 3.0T inline-six engine + 48V mild hybrid, with a maximum power of 294kW (400 hp) and peak torque of 540N·m. The plug-in hybrid version X5 50e xDrive consists of a 3.0T engine (230kW) and an electric motor (145kW), paired with a 29.48kWh battery, with a WLTP pure electric range of 102km; the high-performance plug-in hybrid M60e xDrive engine power is increased to 313kW, with a pure electric range of 98km. The pure electric version iX5 60 xDrive is equipped with front and rear dual-motor four-wheel drive, with a peak power of 425kW (578 hp), equipped with a 141kWh (European version)/144kWh (US version) battery, with a WLTP range of up to 845km, supporting 350kW fast charging.
The hydrogen fuel cell version iX5 Hydrogen is planned for mass production in 2028.
Domestic production plan: Long-wheelbase version to go on sale in early 2027
The domestically produced long-wheelbase version (codename G78) is expected to debut in the fourth quarter of 2026, with official deliveries in the first quarter of 2027. The current domestically produced X5 is priced at 598,000-748,000 yuan.
Dada's commentary:
The biggest highlight of the all-new X5 is not how outstanding any particular specification is, but that one chassis accommodates five powertrains—combustion, plug-in hybrid, pure electric, diesel, and hydrogen fuel are all compatible. This "one fish, five meals" platform approach not only reduces development costs but also provides ample choice for different markets. The exterior says goodbye to Angel Eyes, and the interior cuts the iDrive knob—BMW has made no small changes in this generation. But the pure electric iX5's 845km range and 460kW fast charging power are indeed impressive. The domestically produced long-wheelbase version will not arrive until early 2027, which means a considerable wait for domestic users.
