BMW Explains Why The X5 Isn't More Off-Road Focused
The X5 is already more capable than most owners require and BMW may still have another car coming to take on the Defender and G-Class.
THE BREAKDOWN
- BMW says off-roading was not a priority for the new X5.
- The previous generation offered more than enough capability.
- BMW may be working on a more off-road-focused vehicle.
Though most people don’t think of it as a rock crawler, the outgoing BMW X5 did have an Off-Road Package that bundled air suspension, a locking rear differential, underbody protection, and all-terrain tires. It was a more capable vehicle than most owners will ever use, which is why BMW didn't focus on making the new 2027 G65 X5 more rugged, BMWBlog reports.
Speaking to journalists at the debut of the new X5, senior vice president of BMW's Luxury Class, Alpina, and Rolls-Royce, Philip Koehn, said that giving the X5 off-road chops wasn't a priority. He notes:
'A further enhancement of the off-road capability was not necessarily in the cards for the X5 because it's not really the first and foremost priority. I think we managed to stretch the envelope in all dimensions. It's probably the most capable X5 we ever had.'
2027 BMW X5 40
Few BMW drivers take their vehicles off-road, but the X5 can handle the task when called upon. BMW's Spartanburg Performance Driving School even features an off-road course that shows off the X5’s capabilities. We have personal experience piloting the X5 Silver Anniversary Edition, which included the $11,900 Off-Road Package, on this course, and it did not disappoint.
There may be another very important reason why BMW did not feel a need to make the new X5 more capable than its predecessor: a more rugged vehicle is coming. BMW is rumored to be working on a new off-road model that will rival vehicles like the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The project code is internally known as G74, but we don't know what name would appear on the production version.
In fact, we still don’t know if this model has been approved for production. If BMW does give it the green light, the off-road SUV could arrive sometime in 2029 with a debut scheduled in late 2028.
Gallery: 2027 BMW X5
Motor1's Take: The BMW X5 is more capable than most owners need, and even the previous Off-Road Package was likely a bit extreme for the average buyer. BMW could get into the off-road market, but it may want to introduce a new model like the G74 with specific bodywork that is designed to tackle rough terrain.
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