2019 BMW X5: We’re Driving it This Week
The Car Guide is heading to Atlanta this week in order to get behind the wheel of the 2019 BMW X5, which has been redesigned for the 2019 model year. The midsize sport-luxury crossover will be offered in Canada with two powertrains and two seating configurations at launch, although more engine options should arrive soon thereafter, such as plug-in hybrid and high-performance X5 M variants.
The X5 xDrive40i, available in five- and seven-passenger seating variants, gets a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six that develops 335 horsepower, while the five-seat xDrive50i boasts a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8, good for 456 horsepower. Both include an eight-speed automatic transmission and, obviously, all-wheel drive.
Among the new features offered on the 2019 BMW X5, there’s a two-axle air suspension, an off-road package with rear locking differential and skid plates, Driving Assistant—a semi-autonomous system that includes traffic jam assist, lane keep assist and active side collision protection—as well as the BMW Live Cockpit Professional instrumentation and infotainment package that relies on two 12.3-inch screens.
According to the manufacturer, we’ll be driving the six-cylinder version of the new X5, with a current-generation model on hand for back-to-back comparisons. Check back with us on October 1st for our full report on the new 2019 BMW X5 crossover, or what the brand calls its SAV for Sports Activity Vehicle, that will once again go head-to-head with the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Acura MDX, Porsche Cayenne and Volvo XC90, among others.