I dig how the 2027 X5 looks, mostly because the entire Neue Klasse design language really speaks to me. Hell, I think it even looks good when grafted onto cars that didn’t originally have it, like the facelifted 7 Series. Before we get into exact details, I do need to point out that the new X5’s X-shaped running lights look like the eyes of a cartoon character when animators try to convey that they’re dead by putting X’s over them. I guess the headlights are sort of fun and goofy and may be paying homage to the BMW 328 Hommage Concept, but I can’t help but think the straight lines of the iX3’s headlights would look better. Someone at BMW thankfully agrees with me though, because the “double-X icons,” as the company calls them, can be switched off to reveal a look closer to the iX3.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
Aside from the headlights, the X5’s front end looks a hell of a lot like the iX3, just embiggened. It has the same narrow, upright kidney grilles that harken back to BMWs from almost 100 years ago, with the X5’s kidneys being a bit bigger and more squared-off than those of the iX3. They’re flanked by a larger black space on either side, with illuminated contours and the trapezoidal headlights pushed to the very edges of the fascia. BMW says the front end is even taller than before, which is sure to anger the pedestrian-conscious folks reading this, and I’ve gotta say, it certainly looks imposing. I wouldn’t want it in my rearview mirror on the highway, that’s for sure.
If it was in my rearview mirror, though, I’d have a hard time distinguishing the gas car from the iX5, because other than the gas model having a few extra air intakes in the lower bumper, the two SUVs look identical — the base six-cylinder X5 (the green one above) doesn’t even have exhaust tips. The X5’s horizontal air intakes are meant to emphasize the “sportiness and stability” of gas models, while the iX5 has a continuous apron design that’s meant to look a bit more “elegant.”
BMW
The X5’s side view is also in keeping with BMW’s current Neue Klasse looks. Monolithic is the word I’d use; it’s fairly slab-sided and awfully similar in terms of surfacing to the now-dead iX. There are still some funky details, like the squared-off scoop-outs above the wheel arches that make them look more aggressive than they really are, the wide side skirts you’ll definitely knock your shin into (as I did multiple times), and BMW’s signature Hofmeister kink in the D-pillar. Other neat features include hidden window seals that make a flush transition between the paint and glass, and the new “BMW Winglet” touch-sensitive door handles on the B- and C-pillars that are used to open and close the car’s four passenger doors. There’s a fully electrical power option that’ll swing the doors all the way open with a light touch, and soft closing comes standard.
You might also notice the wheels have been pushed out to the corners a bit more than before, thanks to 2.4 inches in added wheelbase, though BMW has yet to say exactly how long the new X5 is. Similarly to the front end, the rear is reminiscent of the iX3 with long, intricate taillights that make the X5 look even wider than it really is. It certainly has a good stance that is aided by a gloss black lower bumper and diffuser section, and what almost looks to be a shelf above the taillights.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
As with all BMWs at this point, buyers can add on an M Sport package that makes the X5 and iX5 look just that bit more aggressive with more sculpted bumpers, wider side skirts, active M suspension, special wheels and a few other odds and ends. The M Sport Professional package turns that up to 11, adding in 22-inch wheels, red M Sport brakes and some more black trim on the exterior.
To ring in the new X5, BMW is offering up 10 wheel designs between 21 and 23 inches, and there are 11 exterior colors. Hell, five of them are actually new for 2027, though three of them are different shades of gray. (No, I’m not kidding.)
