BMW X5

The BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport on sale in Malaysia comes standard with an all-black Vernasca leather upholstery, complemented by Fineline Stripe high gloss brown fine-wood trim across the dashboard and door panels. The added presence of gloss black and satin silver inserts further lift the ambience of the cabin and make it feel luxurious.

The BMW X5 gets a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel with satin silver inserts on its spokes and a full-TFT instrument console behind it. The free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, which is compatible with the latest-generation iDrive system, is slightly tilted towards the driver and has an angular outer edge. The lower layers of the dashboard have an angular look, which along with the large-sized AC vents on the dashboard corners and centre console, make the cabin look wide and large.

The AC vents and the sleek layer of buttons for the multi-zone automatic climate control do get the premium-looking satin silver finish. The spacious cabin of the BMW X5 is further equipped with more features like a panoramic sunroof, a glass-like design for the transmission lever and other elements of the lower centre console, powered front seats, a wireless charger, a premium Harman Kardon sound system and more.

Compared to the boxy-looking iterations of the previous-generation models of the BMW X5, this fourth-generation model is sleeker, with smooth curves and more dynamic design elements at places. Adding to the overall dynamism of the BMW X5 are the most up-to-date lights on offer, which adds to the majestic road presence of the SUV.

The front profile of the BMW X5 has the traditional kidney design for the grille, which here features a larger and slightly hexagonal design than the grille designs offered in the previous-generation models. BMW has equipped this version of X5 with all-LED headlamps, with the option of more premium laser light with blue X elements. The air intakes placed on the front bumper of the BMW X5, including the central air dam and air vents below the fog lamps, have also become bolder in appearance.

While the side profile of the BMW X5 has a crossover-ish stance with a slightly tapered bonnet and smooth layers over the front and rear fenders, the overall height, high road presence and size of the X5 do give it a proper SUV-like appearance. This particular variant of the X5 has 20-inch M light alloy wheels with a star spoke design and blue-coloured callipers behind them.

The rear profile of the BMW X5 also looks premium and wide, with a huge-looking boot lid complemented by the presence of sleek-looking all-LED tail lamps which are laid out horizontally with tapered inner edges. With side curtains on the sides of the rear windscreen, roof spoiler and shark fin antenna, the BMW X5 also has an electronically-operated split tailgate, which can be opened and closed in two parts at the press of a button.

The highly advanced chassis setup of the BMW X5 includes a slightly stiffer suspension for a dynamic driving experience which is further complemented by four drive modes on offer – Eco, Comfort, Sport and Adaptive. All these drive modes have their personalized suspension, throttle and steering weight setups for an individualistic driving experience. For suppleness in ride quality, the BMW X5 has air suspension for all four wheels.

The BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport is the only variant in the lineup of X5 to get a petrol-electric full-hybrid powertrain. Here, a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine is paired with an 82kW electric motor and a 24kWh battery pack for an added boost in performance and impressive fuel efficiency with pure electric mode for driving too. The X5 claims a combined 290 PS of maximum power, 450 Nm of torque, 230 kmph top speed (135 kmph in pure electric mode) and 5.6 seconds for the 0-100 km run.

Being one of the most premium and expensive SUVs from BMW, the X5 doesn’t make any compromise on safety features, with it having six airbags, cornering brake control, dynamic stability control, ABS with EBD, 360-degree parking camera, active protection system, reversing assistant, hill descent control, hill start assist and a full suite of ADAS features, which includes lane departure warning, driver attention functions and collision avoidance system.

The BMW X5 feels top-notch in every possible parameter – be it the road presence, sense of luxury on the inside, high-tech powertrain which is both powerful and fuel-efficient and a fantastic balance of ride and handling, which doesn’t compromise on the traditional BMW ethos of being a fun-to-drive vehicle.