BMW's New iX5 vs. the Old X5: A Side-by-Side Look at the Electric Era's First SUV

BMW has pulled the wraps back a little further on its incoming electric SUV, and the first comparison shots against the outgoing X5 make one thing clear: the new iX5 is a serious visual departure, not a subtle refresh.

The fifth-generation X5 will be BMW’s first X5 sold with a battery-electric powertrain. In the US it arrives with gas, plug-in hybrid and pure EV options, while other regions get diesel and even hydrogen fuel-cell versions.

The Design Break From the Old X5

Parked next to the current G05 X5 in images circulating from BMW-focused outlet Bimmertoday, the iX5 wears the brand’s Neue Klasse styling language. The most obvious change is up front: the tall, slim kidney grille replaces the wide, heavy-set unit that has defined X5s for years.

Then there are the headlights. BMW’s new “double-X” light signature bundles the headlamps, daytime running lights, side lights and indicators into a single element. It’s standard kit, though buyers who prefer a cleaner face can switch the pattern off and leave simple diagonal stripes instead.

Dimension-wise, the iX5 measures 197.2 inches long, 78.7 inches wide and 68.9 inches tall — roughly the footprint of the Porsche Cayenne Electric.

What’s Under the Skin

The US launch model is the iX5 60 xDrive, a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup good for a combined 578 hp (425 kW) and 593 lb-ft of torque. BMW quotes a 0-60 mph run of 4.4 seconds and a 6,000-lb towing capacity.

Key Specs: 144 kWh battery · Up to 435 miles of range · 578 hp (425 kW) dual-motor AWD · 0-60 mph in 4.4 s · 6,000 lbs towing · From $79,800

The headline figure, though, is charging. At a media event in Southern California held with IONNA and Alpitronic, the iX5 60 xDrive peaked at 464 kW, a number BMW says translates to roughly 170 miles of range added in ten minutes.

• Battery: 144 kWh pack
• Range: up to 435 miles
• Peak DC charge rate: 464 kW observed
• Charging gain: ~170 miles in 10 minutes
• Drivetrain: dual-motor AWD
• Output: 578 hp / 593 lb-ft

Inside, the cabin follows the Neue Klasse blueprint. There’s a 17.9-inch central touchscreen, the Panoramic Vision display running along the base of the windshield, and an optional 14.6-inch screen for the front passenger — three displays in total if you tick that box.

Price and Timing

Order books for the iX5 60 xDrive open in November at a starting price of **$79,800**. For context, the gas-powered 2027 X5 40 xDrive is already on sale from $72,100.

Just as significant as the car itself: this will be BMW’s first electric vehicle built in the United States. Production is slated to kick off at Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina before the year is out.

That’s a meaningful shift for a brand that has assembled SUVs in South Carolina for decades but never an EV there. Whether the iX5 can translate BMW’s engineering reputation into showroom wins against a crowded electric SUV field is the question November will begin to answer.