The New BMW X5 Will Officially Land in Mzansi

All-Electric Luxury SUV Revealed: What to Expect from BMW’s New X5 

BMW’s June Press Release covered some exciting news for the luxury SUV lineup.

Mzansi’s local division revealed that the first ever all-electric X5 will soon join their X5 SUV lineup with several powertrain options to choose from. This is the innovative era where BMW SUV lovers, and electric vehicle owners, can continue to rely on the X series and still enjoy new offerings that come with the latest updates. Hence the first electric Sports Activity Vehicle [SAV] in the X series family. 

While America and Europe can expect their first taste of the model at the end of the year, South Africa may have to wait (slightly) longer. 

Local media companies have already given their two cents and reviews on the latest “monolithic” design. For one, TopGear South Africa recently commented, “The new BMW X5 does seem like a carefully managed transition that balances heritage and necessity.” 

So, ever since its introduction in 1999, BMW have managed to not only hone in on what they’ve always done well, but embrace modern styling and 21st century practicality.
 
From the recent press release, Member of the Board of Management of BMW development, Dr. Joachim Post added, “With its imposing presence and flawless symbiosis of comfort and driving pleasure, BMW X5 became a global bestseller.” 

“As a result of technologies and new drive systems, the new BMW X5 will set a benchmark in its class once again and write its next success story.” 

With a few powertrain options on the cards, it’s exciting to see what the X5 will offer in the way of everyday comfort, driving style, and price. 

First things first, BMWs highlighted the following models that will officially be landing across our showrooms from its market introduction: 

• BMW X5 xDrive40d xDrive.
• BMW X5 50e xDrive PHEV.
• Electric BMW iX5 60 xDrive.

Based on the driving dynamics and available spec sheets from the South African division, here’s some highlights fans can expect in 2027.

Exterior Highlights

The exterior of the car says a lot about its owner, especially on our roads. You’ll often hear terms like “confidence” and “powerful” to describe luxury vehicles, and this is no exception.  

• The design keeps it real with its striking signature kidney grille, combined with BMW’s dynamic light feature.
• Welcome and goodbye sequences are part of the show, from morning to evening. 
• LED headlights and daytime running lights are interlinked with the X5's new double X light icons. 
• Models come in eleven available exterior colours along with the standard 21-inch to 23-inch wheels. 

Interior Highlights

• Take comfort in knowing that BMW’s X5 interior focuses on generous, spacious styling, which includes and is not limited to stitching in doors, on the dashboard trim, and a redesigned cockpit that’s been fitted with a backlit ambient strip to enhance the sporty drive and deluxe status within the cabin. 
• Enjoy entertainment and information through the BMW Passenger screen 
• Open the space and play with light using the large panoramic sunroof which has been included as standard in the line-up.
• Use an effortless feature thanks to the convenient automatic doors, included as standard.

User Experience and Technology 

• Thanks to the BMW Panoramic iDrive, drivers and passengers can integrate all types of control within the cabin, using physical controls, digital displays, and software as one intuitive, ‘cohesive’ system. 
• The 3D Head-Up Display projects content exclusively for the driver into their line of sight, which includes navigation and driver assistance information. This feature also links up with the Panoramic Vision Content display.
• The passenger can enjoy their own 14.6-inch HD-display on the journey. From music, video calls, and streaming, there’s no limit to full entertainment.
• The BMW Operating System X is responsible for programmmes, such as the Panoramic iDrive and AOSP stack. This allows the driver to constantly keep up to date and upgrade the vehicle’s software capabilities. 

Driving Highlights

• The fifth generation iX5 will offer all-new electric drivetrain management technology.
• Increased safety and stability when towing.
• Adaptive Chassis Control and roll stabilisation makes any chassis option for BEVs and PHEV models a winning choice. 
• Entry-level variants offer: 21-inch wheels, a 22-inch wheel standard on some BMW Performance models, and 23-inch wheels with low-rolling resistance.

Engine and Performance  

The three variants destined for SA’s local market include the following specs: 

1. The X5 xDrive40d xDrive:  Under the bonnet, expect BMW’s 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbodiesel powertrain, delivering 230 kW and 670 Nm to its all-wheel drive system.
2. The X5 50e xDrive: A plug-in hybrid electric car (PHEV) powertrain with a 3.0-litre inline 6-petrol engine and a 26.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, delivering an output of 360 kW and 700 NM, similar when compared to the outgoing X5 xDrive50e.
3. The iX5 60 xDrive:  The first battery-electric X5 is one of the first to arrive with an electric motor “on each axle”, capable of delivering 425 kW and 805 Nm. The EV power up from 0-100 kph has been timed in at 4.6 seconds with a top speed limit to 210 kph.  

The price of luxury SUVs like the BMW is (unsurprisingly) unreachable for a lot of drivers, but a lot of us can dream. However, pipe dream or not, a sports “SAV” like the X5 is still worth boasting about, even if the price tag sits out of reach.

The official price of BMW's X5 in South Africa has not been announced as of yet. But as far as international markets are concerned, prices can range from standard models at $69,800 at this current time (R1.27 million), up to the higher trims that could cost as much as R2.4 million. "

Based on BMW South Africa’s website (under Car Financing): 

• The most expensive option is BMW’s X5 Competition vehicle, retailing for over R2 Million under BMW financing. 
• The BMW X5 xDrive M60i retails from R2,374 014 under BMW financing.
• The BMW X5 xDrive 50e retails from R2,091,190 under BMW financing. 

Rest assured, even if you’re not in the price range for a car like the X5, you can still find the most affordable luxury SUVs in the country if you know where to look and how to shop. 
 
These kinds of prices don’t deter buyers, even in an economy where South Africans are carrying the second-hand car market forward. That said, if you are looking at luxury vehicles, whether before or after interest is considered, don’t forget to factor in the total cost of car ownership. 

Plus, if you’re in the market for buying a brand-new car, there are ways to find the best deals on new cars without compromising on budget. Don’t forget to use MotorHappy’s finance calculator feature.  

Talk about an unforgettable journey, considering that the first-generation X5 was presented to the world over 25 years ago, and South Africans could enjoy the German spirit of a Sports Activity Vehicle “made” in America. 

From the signature styling of BMW’s Neue Klasse design to the upgraded chassis and driving dynamic systems, the innovation continues. As far as the future of luxury electric vehicles goes, locals on the waitlist will just have to hang onto the idea of driving one or more of the three very special variants at a later stage.