2024 BMW X5 First Drive: The Lineup’s Now Entirely Electrified
Elevated standard equipment pairs with some of the smoothest hybrid powertrains on the market.
The midcycle refresh of the 2024 BMW X5 brings some serious updates. While the midsize BMW SUV's exterior and interior receive meaningful revisions, the most notable changes belong to the three reengineered powertrains across the lineup, with the xDrive50e's plug-in hybrid setup gaining more EV-only range and efficiency and drivability improvements for the rest. Between the new engines and newly available tech, the X5 experience is more refined than ever before.
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Electrified, if Not Electrifying
Now that the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 benefits from 48-volt mild hybrid technology, all three available engines, including the entry-level I-6 and the aforementioned plug-in hybrid, have some form of electrification. The mild hybrid setup makes the automatic start/stop feature virtually imperceptible, and that's a big win. The electric motor engages instantly for initial take-off, and it's hard to tell when the engine has restarted after winking off at low speed or when stopped at a light. Inching forward at a traffic stop is as natural as if the engine never shut down. Having the motor mounted in-line with the engine and eight-speed transmission gives the X5 noticeably smoother operation than competitive belt-driven systems like those in Mercedes-Benz and Genesis products.
The six-cylinder xDrive40i, plug-in xDrive50e, and V-8-powered M60i have distinct characteristics that suit different customers, but all deliver the sporty BMW driving experience we expect. The only X5 we didn't get to drive during BMW's Test Fest media event was the rear-wheel-drive sDrive40i, but it has the same options available as the (more common) all-wheel-drive xDrive40i.
The interior has been updated and now enjoys cleverly hidden center air vents, but it all fits with the quality and design language BMW has been rolling out. The increase to a 14.9-inch center display makes good use of the improved layout of iDrive 8.5. Early 2024 X5s on the road would have shipped with iDrive 8.0, but an over-the-air update can bring them up to the latest-and-greatest with that extra 0.5. The biggest change in the new software involves the home screen, where the formerly horizontal scrolling tiles are consolidated on the left side and now scroll vertically, leaving room for a large, full-time map that doubles as a direct shortcut to a paired phone.
Lane centering is finally standard on the X5, but adaptive cruise must be added to the upgraded Driving Assistance Professional package. Now available with Highway Assistant, drivers can experience hands-free driving up to 85 mph on approved expressways. After using it in the X5, and extensively through our time with various members of the 7 Series, we can say that Highway Assistant is every bit as good as, if not better than, more recognizable names like Blue Cruise, Super Cruise, and Autopilot.
xDrive40i
Compared to the PHEV and performance-oriented XDriveM60i variants, the xDrive40i delivers decidedly average performance, but that is its charm. Even with the M Sport exhaust and an increase to 375 hp, the I-6 isn't going to offend anyone. With the performance exhaust turned off, the engine is quiet and unobtrusive. With it on, the engine is embellished just enough to let occupants appreciate the triumphant sound of a boosted BMW straight-six. The xDrive40i has a balanced mix of luxury and power that allows you to drive in comfort without getting into trouble.
xDrive50e
With power and acceleration that rivals the M60i and sophisticated aural tuning provided by composer Hans Zimmer, the xDrive50e is a bit of a sonic shapeshifter. Under normal driving, Zimmer's curated sounds for the new electric motor complement and blend with the Miller-cycle turbo I-6 in a symphony of efficiency that makes it hard to tell if gas, electric, or both are running.
A distraction-free experience like this is what we expect from a luxury hybrid SUV. The only obvious cue is the blue color scheme on the gauge cluster during electric-only driving in hybrid mode, or up to 39 miles on the battery alone. On the flip side, the expected zero-to-60-mph time is a not-exactly-slow 4.6 seconds. That's a big improvement over the outgoing xDrive45e, and comes thanks to a power increase that raises output to a combined 483 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
M60i
The M60i has all the excitement of a powerful V-8 but none of the harsh ride quality that M and M Performance models have been criticized for. (Speaking of, there is no regular-grade 2024 X5 M anymore, just the hardcore X5 M Competition). In Sport Plus mode, the feather-light steering gets a welcome tightening, and the M Sport suspension gives the M60i a sense of authority on the road without being rough. The exhaust note has so much presence in the cabin that we forgot all about the premium Harmon-Kardon stereo upgrade. Shifting is as smooth as ever, but the strategy is aggressive, favoring the lowest gear possible and letting engine revs stalk redline unrelentingly.
Driving 45 mph through the winding roads of South Carolina's Paris Mountain felt like a triple-digit run up Pike's Peak, proving that the "Ultimate Driving Machine" doesn't have to be the ultimate speeding machine; you'll be checking the rearview mirror for red-and-blue flashers only to realize you're having the time of your life at the recommended speeds.
Options, Options, Options …
All variants of the X5 fit different needs to a degree, but the sweet spot is the PHEV xDrive50e. Its starting price sits between those of the xDrive 40i and M60i, it's the most fuel-efficient, has impressive performance, and has the highest gross vehicle weight rating of the group. The adaptive air suspension comes standard, and although it may not be quite as sporty as the M Sport, it is more versatile, with adjustable ride height and load leveling. But if we were forced to choose, it would be tough to turn away a twin-turbo V-8 in a luxury SUV.
Cars should look cool and go fast. At least, that was Matthew’s general view of the world growing up in Metro Detroit in the early ’90s, and there was no exception. Raised in the household of a Ford engineer and car enthusiast, NASCAR races monopolized the television every Sunday and asking, “what car is this?” at every car show his dad took him too before he could read taught him that his favorite car was specifically, the 1971 Chevelle SS. (1970 can keep its double headlights, it’s a better look for the rear!) He learned the name of every part of a car by means of a seemingly endless supply of model car kits from his dad’s collection and could never figure out why his parents would drive a Ford Taurus Wagon and F-150 to work every day when a perfectly good 1967 Chevy Impala sat in the garage. Somewhere between professional hockey player, guitar player, journalist, mechanic, and automotive designer, he settled on the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) with the hopes of joining a NASCAR pit crew after high school. While there, learning about electronics and the near-forgotten art of carburetor tuning (give him a call before you ditch your “over complicated” Rochester Qudarajet) were equally appealing, and the thrill of racing stock cars and modifieds weekly on the school’s dirt oval team was second to none at the time. And then sometime late in 2009, Matthew caught wind of the Tesla Roadster on YouTube and everything changed. Before it, electric cars we not cool, and they were not fast. A budding and borderline unhealthy obsession with technology would underpin a 12-year career at Roush Industries that would take him from a powertrain technician for the Roush Mustang, to building rollercoasters, NVH engineering, and finally to a state-of-the-art simulated durability lab working with nearly every EV startup you’ve ever heard of, and some you never will. And then it was time to go, and by a stroke of luck Nikola Tesla himself couldn’t have predicted, MotorTrend’s test team was looking for the exact kind of vehicle testing background he had to offer. And with it, his love of cars, art, engineering, and writing all suddenly had a home together. At this point in life, Matthew has developed a love and appreciation for all cars and methods of propulsion. He loves reviewing minivans as much as luxury cars and everything in-between, because the cars people need to haul their kids around are just as important as the ones we hang on our bedroom walls.
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