BMW just revealed the fifth-generation X5, and on paper, it has everything. Five powertrain options including petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, full electric, and possibly a hydrogen-powered option on the way. A completely redesigned interior. The rather (un)popular Neue Klasse design language. The most advanced tech BMW has ever put in a production SUV. By any objective measure, this is arguably the most capable X5 ever made.
And yet, I don’t know how I feel about it.
This new design just doesn’t sit right with me
Let me start with the outside. The fifth-gen X5 ditches the old and subtle look entirely and adopts BMW’s new Neue Klasse design philosophy. The most interesting bit is the new X-shaped LED headlamps. BMW is calling them “double-X” light icons, and they also function as the indicators. That part is genuinely cool. I like it.
ALSO READ: The New BMW X5 Runs On Petrol, Diesel, Electricity, Or Hydrogen: And It Debuts This Year
But the rest of the update? I’m having a hard time processing. The overall shape and presence feel different in a way I can’t fully convince myself to accept. The kidney grille is now a slim, vertical unit with ambient Iconic Glow illumination. Again, cool tech, but the way it looks doesn’t really scream BMW. This seems to be the beginning of the end for the kidney grille as we know it. BMW has been moving away from the bold, prominent kidney grille of recent years, and this new design pushes it further towards irrelevance.
Even with the ICE version of the BMW X5, the design language will be the same, but the implementation will differ. The combustion version will have a more prominent front end by nature of needing actual airflow. Still, what we’ve seen sets the tone, and I’m not fully convinced.
The interior is a spaceship. That’s not a compliment.
Step inside and it genuinely feels like a luxurious space straight out of a science fiction film. The cabin is premium, the quality of materials is exceptional, and there’s even an option for slate. Yes, actual slate as a decorative surface, which BMW says makes them the first carmaker in the world to offer it. Paired with the ambient lighting strip that wraps from door to door, it all looks stunning.
Also Read: Tata Sierra EV Launched At ₹18.79 Lakh: Range, Features, and Variants Explained
But then again, here also things don’t fully sit well with the BMW purists and people who prefer ergonomics over what looks good.
The steering wheel is a new four-spoke design, and it’s one of the more confusing steering wheels I’ve looked at in recent times. You genuinely cannot tell at a glance what’s straight and what’s upside down. That’s a problem. What’s worse is that the steering wheel now has touchscreen-style touch-sensitive buttons instead of physical ones. I am not a fan of this direction. Touch-sensitive buttons on a steering wheel means you’re now looking at the wheel to make sure you’re pressing the right thing. Even with haptic feedback, as BMW has put in the new X5, it will take some time to get used to.
Then there’s the screen situation. The conventional instrument cluster is gone, replaced by BMW’s Panoramic iDrive display – a massive panel that serves as both your infotainment and your instrument cluster. There’s also an optional 14.6-inch passenger screen, a BMW 3D head-up display, and even a Panoramic Vision projection that stretches across the full width of the windscreen. The central touchscreen alone is 17.9 inches.
I genuinely don’t know how I’ll feel using all of this. Looking at the speedometer on a distant and narrow screen isn’t going to be as easy or as useful as a proper instrument cluster. Some people will love it, I’m not one of them. Too much tech. Too little feel. And that is my biggest issue with the new X5.
The door handles are gone. In their place are what BMW calls “BMW Winglets,” These are flush, electronic handles recessed into the door, requiring just a light touch to open the electronically powered doors. They look clean. They look progressive. But they also add another layer of electronics between you and your car. More sensors, more components, more things that can go wrong. Weren’t we going back to physical levers to open doors?
ALSO READ: Kia Seltos GTX (O) And X-Line (O) Launched In India At ₹21.56 Lakh: Features And Details Explained
The X5 has always straddled the line between luxury SUV and something you’d actually want to drive hard and take on a rough road. Previous generations had that balance. This one, with its electronic doors, its 17.9-inch screens, its touch-sensitive steering controls, it’s super white interiors and the sensor-heavy driver assistance systems, feels like it’s tipping too far into “tech showcase” territory.
It no longer feels like a rugged SUV that wants to go fast and have fun. It feels fragile. Not in terms of build quality, that’s clearly excellent, but in the sense that you’d think twice before doing anything adventurous with it, because it just doesn’t look inviting enough for driving hard. Now, the BMW X5 was never a proper off-roader. But it always felt like it could handle itself. This one just doesn’t look like it.
So, what do I make of it?
The new BMW X5 is technically the most impressive X5 or probably the most impressive BMW ever made, the range of powertrains is vast and unlike anything in the segment. The interior quality and look is world-class. BMW has clearly put enormous effort into making this generation a statement.
But somewhere in that statement, I feel like something has been lost. The X5 used to feel like a driver’s car that also happened to be a luxury SUV. This one feels like a luxury tech product that also happens to be an SUV. Maybe I’ll feel differently once I sit in one and actually drive it. These opinions are based on what I’ve seen so far and what I’ve seen has left me more unsure than excited.
You can follow Smartprix on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google News. Visit smartprix.com for the latest tech and auto news, reviews, and guides.
