A closer look at the fifth-generation X5 from Weatherford BMW of Berkeley
The BMW X5 has long been one of the most popular vehicles on Bay Area roads, and for good reason. It is big enough for the family, composed enough to enjoy on a Sunday run over Highway 24, and premium enough to feel special whether you are crossing the Bay Bridge or pulling into a driveway in Walnut Creek. Now BMW has revealed the next chapter: the fifth-generation X5, known internally as the G65, and it is shaping up to be the most ambitious version yet.
At Weatherford BMW of Berkeley, we have been following the development of this new X5 closely, and there is a lot worth getting excited about. Here is what we know so far, and why we think it will feel right at home on the roads from Richmond to Fremont.
Built in America, Engineered for the World
Like every X5 since 1999, the new G65 is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, BMW’s American manufacturing heartland. The fifth-generation X5 follows in the footsteps of more than three million units sold worldwide across the previous four generations, making it BMW’s best-selling model globally.
What makes this generation special is its breadth. The G65 is the first X5 to ride on a modified version of BMW’s CLAR platform, and the first Neue Klasse vehicle to offer a combustion engine. At launch, it arrives with an unusually wide menu of powertrains: a 48-volt mild-hybrid gas engine, a plug-in hybrid, a diesel, a full battery-electric model, and even a hydrogen fuel cell variant planned for a later release. Few SUVs offer this much choice under one roof.
A Chassis That Feels More Connected
Underneath the familiar X5 silhouette, BMW made meaningful changes that drivers will feel before they can name them. A new integrated chassis management system processes steering, damping, torque distribution, and brake regeneration inputs far faster than the outgoing model. The result is a vehicle that feels more immediate and precise without ever feeling nervous, exactly the kind of confidence you want when you are threading through the Caldecott Tunnel or navigating a busy I-580 interchange.
The suspension was rebuilt to solve a genuine engineering puzzle. Because the lineup spans everything from a light gas model to a heavy full-electric version, BMW separated the spring and damper mounting and fitted larger progressive springs to handle the wide weight range. The front axle also received revised geometry to sharpen steering response right off center. For drivers who appreciate a connected feel on winding roads like those around Mount Tam, this is a welcome change.
Wheels range from 21 to 23 inches, and BMW developed specific tires for the G65 rather than borrowing existing ones, targeting a smooth, quiet ride. Early impressions suggest the new X5 soaks up rough pavement with very little reaching the cabin and stays impressively quiet at highway speed, a real benefit for the daily I-80 commute.
The X5 Plug-In Hybrid: An EV for Most Days, a BMW for All of Them
For many Bay Area buyers, the plug-in hybrid X5 will be the sweet spot, and the new version makes a strong case. It pairs a turbocharged inline-six with an electric motor built into the eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW estimates roughly 60 miles of electric-only range on the European test cycle from its larger battery.
Consider that the average American drives around 32 miles per day. For a typical commute from Oakland to San Francisco and back, or errands around Concord and Pleasanton, much of your daily driving could happen on electric power alone, with the gas engine waiting quietly in reserve for longer trips up to Tahoe or down the coast.
What stands out most is the calibration. BMW spent years refining how the gas and electric systems work together, and the transition between them is designed to be nearly imperceptible. No pulse through the pedal, no vibration, just a subtle change in engine note under load. Earlier plug-in hybrids asked you to watch a display to know what was happening. This one simply behaves like one cohesive vehicle.
There is also a dedicated efficiency mode that does more than its name suggests, trimming climate and lighting loads and coaching you to lift off the throttle earlier using the navigation map. For drivers who want to maximize electric range without fuss, a one-touch electric mode keeps the X5 running on battery power up to highway speeds.
The X5 Gas Model: An Entry Point That Doesn’t Feel Like One
The gas-only X5 serves as the entry point to the range, drawing 400 horsepower from BMW’s well-regarded inline-six with mild-hybrid assistance. What is notable is how complete it feels even without the air suspension and active systems found on higher trims.
The steering is the headline. The previous generation had a small soft spot on center that attentive drivers noticed on a winding road. The new front axle was reworked specifically to address it, and the result is a steering rack that responds immediately and delivers consistent feedback through a corner. Not heavy, not artificial, just accurate. On a large luxury SUV, that kind of connection is not a given, and it makes routes like Highway 24 toward Lafayette genuinely enjoyable.
The eight-speed automatic also shifts more crisply, and the suspension keeps the body composed over rough tarmac even on the larger wheels. In short, this is the most driver-connected base X5 in several years.
The Electric iX5: Heavy on Paper, Light on Its Feet
The all-electric iX5 is the G65 in its most advanced form, built on an 800-volt architecture that supports faster charging and efficient power delivery. Its battery is the largest high-voltage pack BMW has ever fitted to a production model, and two motors combine for 578 horsepower with all-wheel drive standard.
It is also the heaviest X5 ever built, yet it is engineered to disguise that weight remarkably well. Air suspension, adaptive dampers, active rear steering, and active roll stabilization all come standard. The battery sits low in the floor, lowering the center of gravity, and BMW deliberately tuned in a small amount of body lean so the driver still gets useful feedback about what the tires are doing. Early impressions suggest it drives lighter than the numbers would imply.
One feature Bay Area EV drivers will appreciate is the improved one-pedal driving. It now reads navigation data, the forward camera, and traffic conditions to ease off ahead of red lights and junctions, and a refined soft-stop function smooths the final moment of deceleration so the car settles to a stop without the small jerk earlier electrics were known for. In stop-and-go traffic on I-880, that detail changes the whole texture of the drive.
Cabin quiet is another strong suit. Active noise cancellation and redesigned mirrors keep wind and road noise at bay, and BMW describes the G65 as the quietest X5 yet.
Smart Technology, Thoughtfully Done
Inside, the new X5 shares its control logic and layout with the latest BMW iX3, including a new central display and an updated console. The most striking addition is a panoramic head-up display that spreads information across a wide band in the driver’s sightline, reading more like a screen embedded in the view than a traditional reflection. It is fully configurable, and a simplified silent mode can pare it back to just your speed, which is handy for newer drivers who do not want to be overwhelmed.
Parking has also been rethought. Instead of triggering a scan and waiting, pressing the park button now presents several ready options almost instantly because the system has been working in the background. For anyone who has hunted for street parking in Berkeley or San Francisco, a smarter, quicker parking assistant is genuinely useful.
On the highway, BMW’s latest driver assistance suite can handle steering, acceleration, and braking on divided highways with hands-free operation where regulations permit, with gradual speed changes and clearly signaled handovers back to the driver.
What’s Still to Come
Full pricing, complete specifications, and final design details have not yet been confirmed, and the hydrogen fuel cell version is planned for a later release. As always, we will share confirmed details as they become official. What is clear from everything revealed so far is that this is not merely the next X5. It is a thoughtful recalibration of what the X5 is meant to be, with more variants and more choice than any generation before it.
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