BMW has given its X5 SUV range in New Zealand a mid-life makeover, adding cosmetic touches and driver assistance technology roughly two years out from the expected appearance of the all-new model.
The next-generation X5 has being spied testing in Europe and the UK and is due to be officially unveiled in 2018, when the bigger X7 will also break cover.
Both the new X5 and X7 will share platforms with the 7-Series saloon and will bring to the SUV market a new range of four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines, some with hybrid powertrains.
The new X5 is expected to be lighter than the current model, because the 7-Series platform has been designed to support steel, aluminium, carbonfibre and magnesium construction.
A clue to a possible mix of materials in the new model was a test mule spied in Europe with heavy weights on its roof, a procedure pretty much standard practice on models that can be fitted with racks.
Meantime, the updated X5 for NZ comes three years after the current model was launched. All X5 variants get a new bundle of vehicle information/infotainment technology borrowed from the 7-Series saloon and available on the SUV’s 26cm touchscreen.
The entry-level xDrive25d ($109,000) picks up driver aids in the form of lane-change warning and a 360deg camera system, along with cosmetic changes that include 19-inch alloys, chrome window surrounds, aluminium roof rails, and body-coloured highlights.
One up from the 25d is the 30d ($129,900), which adds active cruise control and stop-start to its technology package. The xDrive40d ($139,900), 40e ($149,900), 50i ($161,000), M50d ($164,900) also get similar upgrades, adding traffic sign recognition to the head-up display.
“The X5 now has the highest level of drive assistance, providing greater levels of safety and convenience across all models,” said the carmaker’s NZ managing director Florian Renndorfer.
The top-range X5 M ($202,900) gets all of the above but adds as standard the previously optional multifunctional sports seats.