BMW's 2019 X5 Proves It Is Just As Good Off Road As It Is On, But Will It Matter?

In a world where BMW’s range takes in every X-number from 1 to 7, the X5 barely raises a remark. Why wouldn’t Munich (well, Spartanburg) build a new version of its big smart crossover? Yet in its day the X5 was a revolution. Just before the last century ended, the original X5 became the first ever ‘off-roader’ that behaved like a car on the road.

We’re here to review the fourth generation. Where that primordial X5 went, the Range Rover Sport, Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, et al have followed.* This is busy territory.

It’s worth remembering that the X5 is now a big car, with optional third-row seats. The real replacement for the early X5 is today’s X3.

Enough history. What’s new news? Pretty well everything. Only the engines and transmissions are old friends, though they’ve had a going-over. The X5, like the X3 and X4, has switched onto BMW’s modular longitudinal platform.

Deutschland - 9/27/2018 2:15:24 PM

+5 Boost

It will sell.. I just wish BMW would take more risks with exterior styling

ilovecar2015 - 9/27/2018 2:25:34 PM

+3 Boost

Never heard of X5 as a true "off-roader", did you just made this up? It is a great handling CUV but it is still a cross-over. Ranger Rover and Lexus LX are really the only 2 luxury name plates that can do real off road and in the price proximity of X5.

TomM - 9/27/2018 2:46:55 PM

+2 Boost

Actually - the title of the article - does not say that the Bmw is good off road

WHat it does say is that it is just as good on the road as off the road - but it does not Imply that it is good at either!

At some point in time - someone at BMW will figure out that they need something EVERY GENERATION that clearly separates the old models from the new ones - and until they do that - these cars just seem OLD the moment that they hit the showrooms.

qwertyfla1 - 9/27/2018 3:56:12 PM

+1 Boost

As if any X5 owners take these things off road. Urban myth.

scenicbyway12 - 9/27/2018 4:04:23 PM

+8 Boost

Off roading, is considered backing over the landscaping.

skytop - 9/27/2018 6:14:30 PM

+1 Boost

The grocery getter crowd doesn't care a whit about off road ability. All they care about it the prestige value of the BMW logo on their shoe box on wheels.