BMW’s fifth-generation X5 SUV will arrive in Australia before year’s end with a bold new look, six-cylinder petrol and diesel mild-hybrid engines and big changes to its interior and digital systems, with prices starting from $143,900 before on-roads.

The new 40 xDrive’s petrol motor and the 40d xDrive’s diesel version both combine with 48V mild-hybrid tech. The petrol version makes 294kW and 540Nm, which propels it to a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds, with its sibling coming in at 230kW and 670Nm and a time of 6.1 seconds for the sprint. 

Teal SUV parked on a dirt road with rugged mountains and a blue sky in the background.
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Come next year, the X5 range will expand to include the all-electric BMW iX5 and BMW X5 50e xDrive plug-in hybrid.

The most striking change is the exterior, which has been given a radical overhaul. BMW’s Neue Klasse design language has been given full rein here, resulting in what the manufacturer accurately calls a “monolithic” effect.

It’s a far more audacious look for the X5, featuring an eye-catching double-X effect on the new adaptive LED headlights, brutish wheel arches, a very upright front end and a new interpretation of the brand’s famous grille. It all combines to give off a far more modern effect while still carrying on the X5’s signature look.

The digital experience has been given a significant boost with the debut of BMW’s Panoramic iDrive, which is powered by Operating System X – the brand’s “most advanced human-machine interface to date”.

Panoramic Vision projects information across the lower windscreen, there’s a 3D head-up display, and a 17.9-inch central display with a friendly interface that allows functions to be selected with a single tap instead of fussing with menus. The front-seat passenger also gets a screen of their own, and it’s all supported by haptic and voice interaction thanks to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

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The maximum towing capacity comes in at 3500kg, and the standard specs list is a mile long. It includes adaptive M suspension, 21-inch wheels, M Sport brakes, a panoramic glass sunroof, soft-close doors, heating for the front seats and steering wheel, a wireless charging tray and Driving Assistant Plus.

Pricing is set at $143,900 for the diesel version and $145,900 for the petrol, with models set to arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year. The options list is extensive, featuring nine exterior paint finishes, a range of wheels up to 23 inches in size, Comfort and M Sport packages, and leather finishes for the interior.