A smooth powertrain combo sets the X5 40e apart from the crowd
Done well, a hybrid can be a joy to drive; the X5 40e is done exceptionally well. Remember to plug it in and you can motor home (as long as home is relatively close) on pure electric power…and plenty of it. Run out of juice? The X5 reserves just enough to help jet you away from stops before handing invisibly to the turbo four. The smoothness is impressive, sure, but what’s truly spectacular is how the engine/electric drive works together to make this bloated 5,200-lb SUV feel like it weighs half that amount.
The rest of the plug-in X5 is pure BMW…the current brand, which is finding its mojo again after a decade of nice cars that weren’t quite the “ultimate driving machine.” Handling is better than the specs would indicate possible, with commensurate steering and brakes. It’s as good as a big five-passenger SUV gets.
Yes, the eDrive slots in above the diesel and below the V8 model, pricewise; I’m a fan of diesel SUVs, and I’m a fan of turbo V8s; having driven X5s powered by both, I’d choose the eDrive — for commuting, shopping and suburban puttering (what most X5s are engaged in) it represents the best combination of efficiency and entertainment.
— Andrew Stoy, digital editor
2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e
OTHER VOICES:
Yeah this BMW hybrid has everything going for it but the price. For starters, this thing is gorgeous. The dark brown metallic paint, black wheels, it all looks great together. I hope one could get that color combo on a non-hybrid version.
The interior is standard BMW fare, not as nice as Mercedes, but only a tick lower in the luxury quotient. I don’t love the white interior, and the seats aren’t as comfortable as they could be, but the matte woodgrain and the rest of the accents look great. BMW seats are always nicely adjustable as well. Visibility, like any X5, is also good.
Power from the electric-gasoline combination is perfectly smooth, even when the gas engine kicks in. Like the Panamera hybrid, this car will sail at 60 mph, silently. Creeping out of the house at an ungodly hour is also smoothed and hidden by the quiet powertrain. And it doesn’t feel slow either! The electrics get you off the line quickly and the four-banger keeps you going without a problem. It doesn’t seem to take any effort to keep or reach expressway speeds. The eight-speed just clicks off gears without a complaint.
This car is pricey. Like Stoy says, it falls between the diesel and the V8, personally I’d spring for the diesel, or even the X5 with the I6, which is a perfect engine for this size of car. Prices are up all over, so I suppose this sticker isn’t out of the range of possibilities, it just seems like that’s a ton, a ton of money for 24 mpg. But maybe I’m way off.
— Jake Lingeman, road test editor
2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e
I can see the appeal of a vehicle you can operate on electric power most of the time and fuel up for long-distance trips. That’s the whole point of the Chevy Volt, right?
This X5 xDrive40e (that’s a whopper of a name) isn’t quite there range-wise, though. With enough juice for 19 miles of electric-only driving on a full charge, you can cover half, or maybe two thirds, of your commute before the 2.0-liter kicks in. Fortunately, when you do switch over to gasoline, you’re still getting some of the benefits of the hybrid system, from better fuel economy to that extra electric shove from a stop.
Promise of real-world utility aside, there’s something about plug-in hybrids that doesn’t sit right with me — it strikes me as such a complex, inelegant way to move down the road (and toward regulatory goals). Electric or ICE-powered: just pick a damn side.
Of course, the world is messy and pays no heed to my dreams of powertrain purity. And all that said, this implementation doesn’t demand drivers make any sacrifices for great overall fuel economy except for sticker price. Save for the need to track down a functional charging port wherever you go, the only time the average driver might ever take notice is when they realize how much they’re saving at the pump.
Whether or not this vehicle makes any sense for you really depends on how much driving you do outside of that 19-mile radius. If you spend most of your time scooting around in your own little bubble, you could conceivably beat the estimates; if you’re routinely doing long-distance hauls, get the diesel.
— Graham Kozak, associate editor
2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e
Options: Premium package with comfort access key, four-zone climate control, satellite radio ($ 2,550); xLine package with 20-inch wheels ($ 950), roof rails, aluminum exterior trim ($ 2,000); leather dashboard ($ 1,200); premium sound ($ 875); surround view ($ 750); ceramic controls ($ 650); cold weather package with heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, retractable headlight washers ($ 550); sparkling brown metallic ($ 550)
