German auto-making titan BMW is one of the biggest and most well-known brands across the globe. Over a century of making cars, the marque has cemented itself as one of the best luxury vehicle manufacturers in the world. Today, BMW's hatchbacks, sedans, and SUVs are all met with excitement. As the market grows progressively fonder of SUVs and crossovers, every major manufacturer has been focusing more on their bigger vehicles than ever before. BMW, too, recently redesigned their premium SUV, the X5, and the mid-size luxury SUV has been quite the winner in the market.
For the 2022 model year, the BMW X5 is in its fourth generation, and BMW has continued sticking to its winning formula with the X5. Updated and modern, the 2022 BMW X5 has a huge fan base, us included. We're also quite glad that none of the recent experiments the German brand has been doing with their design language and grille have made it to one of their best and most popular SUVs. That said, let's take a look at 10 reasons why gearheads should consider bringing home a 2022 BMW X5.
10 Three Powertrains In The 2022 BMW X5 Spoil Gearheads For Choice
BMW offers the 2022 X5 in three different powertrain options. The sDrive40i X5 comes with a turbocharged inline-six engine, churning out 335 horsepower. This model is followed by the xDrive45e, which is the most popular of the lot, owing to its plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The PHEV xDrive45e houses an inline-six turbo engine with an electric model, which combine to make 389 horsepower and take the SUV from 0 to 60 in just 4.7 seconds. The most powerful of the lot is the X5 M50i, which comes with a powerful twin-turbo V8, making 523 horsepower. The 2022 BMW X5 M50i is capable of reaching the 60 mph mark in under four seconds.
9 The Plush Cabin Of The 2022 BMW X5 Exudes Luxury
Of course, being a BMW, the 2022 X5 is one of the most luxurious vehicles in its segment, and on the market. When it comes to its vehicles’ cabins, BMW has created its own design language, which remains similar throughout its lineup, but each vehicle gets its own unique flair.
Materials used throughout the cabin of the 2022 BMW X5 are premium and top-notch, with the fitments being faultless. The SUV is a large one, and its panoramic sunroof makes the cabin feel even more spacious and airy. The front seats on the BMW X5 are heated and power-adjustable, along with charging ports all over the vehicle.
8 The BMW X5 Still Turns Heads Wherever It Goes
In a market as saturated as the automotive world, it’s quite a tough task to make your vehicle stand out, but BMW achieves that with the 2022 X5. The current design of the X5 remains largely unchanged since the beginning of the fourth generation in 2019, but hey, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
With an elegant exterior but daunting size and road presence, the 2022 BMW X5 is certainly a looker. The angles on the body aren’t too sharp or too dull, treading the middle ground between powerful and luxurious looks perfectly. It’s over at the tires where the most is going on, and the rims offered on the 2022 BMW X5 are some of the most beautiful on the market. Plus, any BMW vehicle that doesn’t come with the god-awful kidney grilles is one we’re thankful for.
7 The 2022 BMW X5 Comes With A Monstrous V8 Engine
While the base sDrive40i and the xDrive45e ride on great engines that have remarkable power and performance, for the gearheads, there is only the M50i that is the viable option. For those with the need for speed, the BMW X5 M50i comes with a V8 engine that makes a massive 523 horsepower.
In an era when V8-powered vehicles are rapidly becoming a thing of the past, the 2022 BMW X5 M50i retains the feeling of being behind the wheel of a V8 monster. It isn’t just cylinders either, as the M50i X5 proves its V8 chops with a phenomenal 308 seconds.
6 An Optional Third Row Keeps The 2022 BMW X5 Versatile
A large SUV like the BMW X5, with its plush and luxurious cabin, is great for small families that want the best. Not only would the X5 easily appease the gearhead inside you, but it would also prove to be a great family car for short vacations with the family or friends.
However, there’s no reason to lose heart or interest in the X5 if you have an even bigger family, as the 2022 BMW X5 does come with an optional third row of seating. This third row is best used for toddlers and kids, however, but it’s still a great optional feature to have.
5 Gearheads Will Appreciate The Physical Buttons On The 2022 BMW X5's Infotainment
BMW makes some great driver-focused cars, and the BMW X5 SUV is no exception. Lately, luxury SUVs have been hopping onto the trend of making their entire control and infotainment systems touchscreen, replacing traditional buttons and knobs with nothing but a bigger flat panel of the screen.
While that makes for a sleeker and cleaner dashboard to look at, drivers often complain about this setup as touch-screen controls require a lot more attention to be diverted from the road. Well, the 2022 BMW X5 retains physical buttons and knobs on its infotainment system and steering wheel, in order to ensure you can easily browse through and use the vehicle’s many functions.
4 The Hybrid BMW X5 Has Great Gas Mileage
A large, luxurious, and powerful SUV like the BMW X5 could easily be mistaken to be a gas-guzzler, but BMW ensures that their xDrive45e variant of the X5 is frugal with fuel. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid powertrain, the BMW X5 xDrive45e is capable of reaching a stellar mileage of 50 miles to the gallon.
In fact, without the hybrid powertrain, the same engine can only return around 20 miles to the gallon, showing just how integral the electric motor is in making the 2022 X5 a better deal in the long run. The hybrid X5 is also good for 31 miles of all-electric driving should you wish to make a small grocery run without burning a drop of fuel.
3 BMW Has Decked Out The 2022 X5 With High-Tech Features
The 2022 BMW X5’s luxury isn’t limited to the quality of the cabin alone; it's also evident in all the features that the SUV provides. Loaded with charging ports, the X5 comes with heated and power-adjustable front seats, with the driver’s seat having memory as standard.
The big and crisp 12.3-inch infotainment display is one of the best in the business, with BMW’s iDrive system proving itself to be a great connectivity system. For media playback, a 16-speaker audio system is quite phenomenal for turning your X5 into a concert hall, and owners can enhance the experience with an optional sound system from Harman Kardon.
2 The 2022 BMW X5 Remains An Extremely Safe SUV
A powerful, expensive, and state-of-the-art SUV like the BMW X5 should also be one of the safest vehicles on the market. Thankfully, the BMW X5 ensures that its occupants are always safe and sound, with a plethora of safety and driver-assistance features as standard.
These features include automated emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, forward collision monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert system, and many more. Furthermore, the proof of the 2022 BMW X5’s safety is its 4-out-of-five safety rating from the NHTSA, and the SUV being a Top Safety Pick for the IIHS.
1 Every Gearhead Will Fall In Love With The 2022 BMW X5 M Competition
While the BMW X5 M50i is one of the fastest and most powerful luxury SUVs in the market today, there are always those customers and enthusiasts who want a little more out of their vehicles. Thus, BMW M, the marque’s motorsport division, made the BMW X5 M and the M Competition.
The two SUVs perfectly encapsulated BMW’s legendary motorsport pedigree, riding on a powerful M TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. While the BMW X5 M makes 600 horsepower, the M Competition model ramps it all the way up to 617 hp, propelling the big SUV from 0 to 60 in a blistering 3.7 seconds. Decked with some of the best interiors, ergonomics, and ride behavior, the BMW X5 M Competition is one series Sports Activity Vehicle. HotCars contributor Nicholas Pillay drove the BMW X5 M and certainly loved the vehicle for what it brought to the table for every gearhead.