Mild reform is tied to the popular SUV

BMW has been spotted testing prototypes of the updated X5, which is set to hit the market soon.

The updates, tied to the popular mid-size SUV, will be a mid-cycle update for the current fourth-generation X5, which appeared in 2018 as the 2019 model. Look for an updated version that will appear in 2022 as a 2023 model. It should come along with an updated version corresponding to X6it is also testing.

Judging by the prototypes, changes in the exterior will be mild. Look for new interior elements for lanterns and revised front and rear facades. The interior will also likely have some upgrades, including perhaps a more advanced infotainment system with a large screen similar to what we see in iX electric SUV.

It is not yet clear what is planned for the powertrains, but more power and the addition of standard soft-hybrid technology is expected. In the US, the X5 is available with a choice of a 3.0-liter turbocharged in-line 6 or a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8. The Inline-6 ​​is available in plug-in hybrid form, while the V-8 may be in the form X5 M spitting out 600 hp in standard form and 617 hp in the X5 M Competition model. Look for the V-8 to be replaced by the newly developed S68 unit, also a 4.4-liter twin-turbine mill that was announced for the upgraded 2023 X7 and recycled 2023 7-Series.

Don’t expect a battery electric transmission, at least with this generation. BMW performs this role with the aforementioned iX. A electric version on fuel cells should be in 2022, but only for demonstration purposes.

Production of the X5 for sale worldwide is carried out at the BMW Group plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Sales in the US last year reached 60,725 units, the best result in the history of signage.