Test drove the new 2027 X5 in prep for iX5...
Our 2025 iX50 lease is up in August, so getting a bit ahead of ourselves. BMW of Bellevue got one 2027 X5 in Vancouver Green so we drove up to spend 30 minutes with it.
First impression...not too bad. Vancouver Green was really nice in the sun, looking dark with a lot of metal flake to really shine. Even the steering wheel wasn't as bad in person as the internet wants you to think. Seats were super comfy and massage is better than the terrible iX "massage".
Started the test drive and began pressing buttons. Our iX is pretty high-spec with almost every option except for leather interior. The B&W system in the iX blows the 2027 X5 out of the water. Seemed so week in comparison and those seat rumblers in the iX make a big difference.
We also have an i4 M50 and are used a tighter fit. Coming from the iX and an interior that feels like you're in a living room, the X5 feels more cramped. Comfy yes, but more of a chair instead of the couch. Not sure how I feel about the screen situation. The panoramic display is kinda cool, but it seemed like we had to raise our seats higher than normal to see the hood. Might be because we are very short peoples though.
Little things like no switch in the back to put the rear seats down and lack of physical vent controls was annoying, but not as infuriating as the decision to remove the tailgate. Come on BMW! Oh, and no iDrive controller. Boooooo.
The iX5 will still be an option, but now we are thinking about just purchasing our iX when the time comes. Residual will be $52K and it will have close to 50k miles on it. Not sure that will make sense though. We also might extend our lease and see if the iX7 is better when it releases closer to 2028. After looking at this new X5, we spent some time pushing buttons in an X7 on the showroom floor. We actually liked that much better than the new X5. I know they are going to implement most of the new interior look and feel with the iX7, but if it retains the tailgate and premium feel, it could be an option.