Quick take
- Gone: split tailgate, third-row seating — X5 is now two-row only
- New: 17.9" Panoramic iDrive, optional passenger screen, up to 435 mi range on the electric iX5
- Pricing starts at $69,800, up to $79,800 for the iX5, plus $1,450 destination
- Best fit: buyers who never used the tailgate as a bench or needed 6-7 seats
BMW hasn't touched the X5's basic formula much since it created the segment in 1999. For 2027, that changes — this is being called the biggest redesign since the original, and it comes with a genuinely controversial cut: the split tailgate that's defined every X5 generation is gone.
This part is mixed.
The tech and interior gains are real and substantial. So are the losses — this isn't a case of nostalgia getting in the way of progress, it's a genuine trade-off some buyers will feel every week.
The change that's actually going to upset people
Every previous X5 generation featured a split-opening tailgate, and BMW has now deleted it in favor of a one-piece setup like most other SUVs. BMW hasn't given a clear reason for the switch — outlets have speculated it's about improving aerodynamics and interior packaging, but if you're someone who actually used the split tailgate as a seat at tailgates or job sites, this is a real, tangible loss, not just a styling change.
There's also no third-row option anymore — the X5 is exclusively a two-row SUV going forward, so buyers who need six or seven seats will have to step up to the X7.
What you get in exchange
The interior is a clean-sheet redesign built around BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system — a 17.9-inch central touchscreen paired with a display that spans the base of the windshield, plus a 3D head-up display. Physical buttons remain on the steering wheel, the driver's door, and between the seats, so it's not a fully touchscreen-only cabin. An available 14.6-inch front-passenger screen lets the passenger stream video or join video calls while the car is moving — a genuinely new feature for this segment.
More tech. More power. Fewer compromises — if the losses don't matter to you.
Every model gets a standard panoramic glass sunroof covering about 28 square feet, plus 2.5-zone climate control as standard, upgradeable to four zones. An optional Bowers & Wilkins system with Dolby Atmos scales up to 775 watts and 18 speakers.
Is it worth it?
If you're cross-shopping the outgoing X5 against the redesign, the honest tradeoff is: you gain a genuinely modern interior and tech stack, and you lose the split tailgate and third-row seating. For buyers who never used the tailgate as a bench or never needed the extra row, this is close to a pure upgrade. For anyone who specifically bought an X5 for those two things, this generation is a harder sell — and the X7 becomes the real alternative if you need more seats.
Direct competitor to watch: the recently updated Mercedes-AMG GLE, which one outlet already called "far less exciting" by comparison — worth an actual side-by-side once both are out.