What kind of vehicle is the 2022 BMW X5? What does it compare to?
The X5 is a sport-utility vehicle that can seat up to seven passengers, but five would better appreciate the luxurious ride. It competes with luxury SUV stalwarts such as the Mercedes-Benz GLE and with newcomers such as the Genesis GV80.
Is the 2022 BMW X5 a good SUV?
Review continues below
The X5 has usurped the 5-Series and 3-Series as the best BMW. It balances comfort with agility, technology with sophistication, performance with efficiency, at least with the xDrive45e. Purists might decry the BMW they came up with, but the X5’s features, comfort, and quality satisfy what most shoppers want out of a luxury SUV, earning a TCC Rating of 7.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 BMW X5?
Redesigned for 2019, the 2022 BMW X5 stays relatively the same except for the lack of wireless smartphone charging and touchscreen functionality due to the chip shortage, at least early in the model year cycle. Operators can still use voice commands, the console controller, and steering wheel controls to navigate the infotainment. They’ll also get a $500 credit until the widespread issue is resolved.
A limited edition X5 Black Vermillion colors the X5 xDrive40i in inky black and red accents on the grille, brake calipers, and interior accent stitching. It rides on 22-inch gray alloy wheels.
Otherwise, the X5 blends into the luxury SUV landscape, neither bodacious nor bland. That’s not a bad thing compared to the caricatures other automakers—and BMW—are designing to stand out. The classic window kink, twin kidney grille, and rectangular exhaust finishers remain, and air intakes suggest the sportiness belied by its conservative body. That tone gets lifted inside, with warm leathers and grades of wood trim befitting a whiskey-tinged den.
The hardest part about shopping for an X5 is deciding on the engine, if it should be a turbo-6 mild-hybrid, an inline-6 paired with a motor, or a twin-turbo V-8 tuned three ways. They’re all good and at the least, the base 335-hp sDrive40i goes from 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds, same as the 389-hp xDrive45e plug-in hybrid that has a 30-mile electric range. At best, the 617-hp M Competition launches to 60 in 3.8 seconds. Yet, the X5 can be as graceful as nasty, and with all-wheel drive on all but the base model, it grips in all the right corners.
In most models, i.e. not the Ms, the X5 balances comfort and sport equally. Standard sport bucket seats with power adjustment come heated and supported on the sides and thighs. The rear seat has plenty of leg room, but the optional third row is best left for cargo instead of people. The split power liftgate never gets old.
The comfort is balanced with assurances such as standard automatic emergency braking, but the NHTSA found frontal crash protection to be lacking, whereas the IIHS rated it a Top Safety Pick.
How much does the 2022 BMW X5 cost?
Sold in five ways, the X5 SUV ranges in price from $60,000 to nearly $120,000 with the blistering X5 M Competition. At $65,000, the X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid might be the best value, costing only $2,000 more than the xDrive40i and having the same feature set, more horsepower, and better efficiency.
Where is the 2022 BMW X5 made?
In Spartanburg, South Carolina, along with BMW’s other crossover SUVs.