When the door handle matters more than the engine: the new BMW X5

© press.bmwgroup.com

The fifth-generation BMW X5 (G65) is not just another update to a big crossover — it’s a test of how ready buyers are to accept technology that used to live in show cars and flagships. The G65 has lost its familiar door handles, gained real slate inside, and stretched its powertrain lineup from gasoline and diesel to the electric iX5 and a hydrogen variant planned for 2028.

The most controversial detail is BMW Winglets: glossy elements in the pillars instead of classic handles. The door opens with a touch of the sensor, a light pull backed by a servo, or mechanically if the electronics fail. Crucially, Soft Close is standard, and with the optional automatic doors the X5 can shut them after you press the brake pedal — a trick already familiar from the 7 Series.

The double-X headlights are more than decoration too. BMW ties the graphic to the first X5, the E53 of 1999, and to the Spartanburg plant, but left an escape route for traditionalists: the pattern can be switched off through iDrive, leaving a calmer diagonal light signature. Inside, the bet is on expensive texture — a thin layer of natural slate covers the panel on the center console, and the touch zones for the parking brake, hazard lights and rear-window defroster are built right into the stone.

Another marker of the new generation is the first passenger screen on a BMW SUV, measuring 14.6 inches. It works independently of the 17.9-inch central display and supports video, AirConsole games and video calls, but on the move the system dims the screen if the camera detects the driver getting distracted.

The main engineering move is neither the screen nor the stone, but a universal platform that takes five types of powertrain. The X5 will come in gasoline and diesel versions (both mild hybrids), a plug-in hybrid, the fully electric iX5 and a hydrogen variant. Officially, the iX5 60 xDrive gets 578 hp, a battery of around 141 kWh and a preliminary EPA range of up to 435 miles — roughly 700 km; the US price is quoted from $81,250. The regular X5 in the US should start at about $71,250.

With its new electronics, automatic doors and rare materials, the G65 lands squarely among rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7 and Range Rover Sport, along with fresh Chinese premium SUVs such as the Tank 700 and the larger Exeed models.

The new X5 has become a car where the door handle may matter more than the engine: it’s exactly these details that later decide whether the owner praises the technology or tallies up the cost of repairs.