Even after the facelift, buyers of the BMW X5 xDrive50e have to pack smaller bread rolls when transporting people. Due to the space that the battery and electronics take up, the plug-in hybrid version of the Mercedes GLE competitor does not have a third row of seats, unlike the versions with a combustion engine. For the same reason, the trunk with a volume of 500 to 1,720 liters offers 150 liters less space than the luggage compartment of the pure combustion engine versions, which fans of the BMW part-time electric vehicle can certainly get over. After all, the X5 now exudes even more prestige with an illuminated kidney grille and headlights that are 35 millimeters narrower. Some supporters of the Munich SUV will note with satisfaction that the goblet of the monster kidney including LED slots has so far passed the crossover.
A lot has also happened in the interior. The X5 now gets the curved display, which consists of a 12.9-inch monitor for the digital instruments and a 14.9-inch touchscreen and looks much fresher and more modern than before. The new screens also come with the current version of the BMW operating system, which now has an eight before the decimal point. So far, operation has been a strength of Munich automobiles, and that hasn’t changed with the facelifted X5 xDrive50e either. The Munich technicians are so clever and (still) stick to the iDrive controller including the direct selection buttons, which makes handling the infotainment easier compared to a pure touchscreen concept (keyword: driver distraction). Nevertheless, the Bavarian operating logicians get bogged down a bit with the new system and the nested menus.
When we board the BMW X5 xDrive50e, we immediately notice the high seating position and that there is still enough air above the head. The first look is at the range indicator. The battery is fully charged and the on-board computer spits out 111 kilometers as a purely electric route, which is even more than the 94 to 110 kilometers postulated by BMW. So range anxiety is no longer a big issue with this plug-in hybrid. So we activate the hybrid driving mode and leave the baton to the system. Due to the purely electric top speed of 140 km/h and the usable battery capacity of 25.7 kilowatt hours (gross 29.5 kWh), most of the time you are driving electrically. Good: BMW didn’t miss the opportunity with the model upgrade and increased the energy content of the batteries: Previously it was 21.6 kWh net and 24 kWh gross.
The Munich-based carmaker states consumption of 1.1 l/100 km and 22.9 to 27.0 kWh/100 km. During our test drive, during which we were sometimes sportier, we achieved 21.9 kW/h or 3.9 l/100 km. If the batteries are empty, they are fully charged again after four hours and 30 minutes. After all, BMW has now managed to give the PHEV a 7.4 KW onboard charger, which sucks energy almost twice as fast as the previous 3.6 kW version, which was not appropriate for a vehicle in this price range.
There is an abundance of power in the Munich PHEV SUV. The BMW X5 xDrive50e has a system output of at least 360 kW / 489 hp (70 kW / 96 hp more than before) with a maximum torque of 700 Newton meters (plus 100 Nm). Despite the impressive weight of 2,420 kilograms, you can be on the road with the part-time electric vehicle quite quickly. It helps that BMW uses a six-cylinder combustion engine with 230 kW / 313 hp as the basic engine, and not an asthmatic four-cylinder that is overwhelmed with the heavy load, has to compensate for the power deficit with speeds and constantly yodels at high speed. Nevertheless, the nominal power of 145 kW / 197 hp and above all the torque of 280 Newton meters, which the electric motor (5th generation) brings to the propulsion, are good for the BMW X5 xDrive50e.
Especially since the interaction between the eight-speed automatic transmission and the drive module is almost jerk-free and therefore supremely smooth, which also ensures relaxation behind the steering wheel and for the passengers. The in-line six-cylinder only speaks up acoustically as soon as it takes part in the raffle. This is especially the case when things are to be pushed to the point. Then you reach the 100 km/h mark from a standing start in 4.8 seconds and are up to 250 km/h fast. When sprinting, the BMW X5 xDrive50e hardly shows any weaknesses and never seems strained, and the all-wheel drive helps with traction in the corners. So the PHEV crossover is also a pleasure dynamically. The same applies to comfort. The chassis combination of air springs and adaptive dampers is tuned tighter than the pure combustion versions due to the weight, but this is never uncomfortable. Seen in this way, the BMW X5 xDrive50e is a well-rounded affair, which, however, also has its price. Nothing goes below 95,000 euros.
