Finding the point of the BMW X5 xDrive45e

The very first time I went to visit BMW’s headquarters in northern New Jersey ten years ago, I was soooo excited. I’d finally infiltrated! I was going to see secret things! The reality was much less glamorous – I had to ensure the badging on some cars were correct for a brochure. But then, a surprise – they pulled out a brand new hybrid F15, the predecessor to this BMW X5 xDrive45e. I remember thinking it felt like being in a spaceship.

But the novelty of the powertrain has worn off. What’s left is this SUV that might belong in the hall of fame. Or a museum.

The 2023 BMW X5 xDrive45e Overview

Hybrids remain difficult to figure out. They cost more, are more complex, and weigh more than their solely ICE-powered counterparts. These are all bad things for cars.

Right away, I can tell you that in a lab, this BMW X5 xDrive45e gets worse mileage than a regular X5 xDrive40i. But perhaps you live close to your life and travel less than 30 miles per day. If so, you drive solely on electric power – this X5 will get up to 84 miles per hour without turning on the flame. Another four MPH, and you could time travel.

In either case, you drive a BMW that is a compromise. I suppose every car is. Yet when you actually drive this hybrid BMW, you might understand. I get my wonderful B58 (though it’s detuned here). I get seamless electric thrust. And I get an X5, which remains my favorite BMW SUV. Feels like I get it all.

But do I really?

Performance Score: 7. Alphabet soup

X. M. e. xDrive. 40. 50. No wonder people get confused with BMW’s nomenclature. And if you do happen to get it, you sound like a dork. Like me.

Date night conversation is a thrill. Just ask Mrs. Machines. I can’t wait to say the full name of the car to her over and over as I strike a Superman pose.

“Come on babe, let’s take the BMW X5 xDrive45e!”

Engine

Every hybrid I’ve ever driven has combined a four-cylinder engine with a battery, and that makes it all a bit pointless because I don’t like four cylinders. They are rough and course, and only serve to highlight how smooth electric power is when the car is running on that alone.

But with the X5, BMW wisely thought that the big boy would simply be too heavy for a four-banger (and premium buyers expect more), so they took a B58 and detuned it to 282 horsepower, then added a single battery sandwiched between the motor and the transmission that adds 111 horsepower. Total: 389. With 443 lb-ft of torque.

Now, instead of grunting and groaning through acceleration, this X5 sings the song of the sirens. The entire powertrain is seamlessly integrated, so nothing every sputters or coughs. It just works as expected, making the inline-six feel as smooth as one without the battery bolted in. Fast too – gets to sixty in about the same time as an E92 M3 with a manual.

Around town when you don’t need all that juice, the electric-only mode works just like any other electric car – you’d never know. But I must also admit that, even with the engines from the Millennium Falcon, this X5 is no faster than the base model.

Transmission

I am amazed at how much I do not notice the ZF eight-speed in this car. But then, like all BMWs, it just works.

Place the car in sport mode, and it eagerly kicks down to pass the dummy in the left lane. There’s even paddle shifters to give your fingers something to do. Otherwise it stays out of the way and assumes the role of comfortable commuter, with nary a hint of the millions of calculations per second happening next to your right knee.

Steering and Chassis

If there was one (well two) disappointments with this X5 in particular, it’s with the chassis and steering.

The feedback you get from behind the wheel is non-existent, and it’s so light to turn that you might think you’re in something with a Huffy label. This is no doubt a nod to the soccer moms and dads who will be driving this thing – they want minimal effort. Yawn.

The suspension too. I realize that with a curb weight of 5,627 pounds, wraith-like handling isn’t in the cards, but the X5 xDrive45e isn’t available with the optional two-axle air suspension that you can get on other versions of the car. Even a firmer M Sport suspension would be nice, because as it sits now, this X5 wallows and dives too much to be considered fun. About the only thing you can do it spec larger wheels with summer tires that offer less sidewall.

But I must also say that if you avoid pushing this thing, it’s very comfortable and always composed. Hard to be totally mad about that – sometimes I do simply want to be left alone in comfort. And if you really push this Ultimate Driving Machine, it will behave like one.

Brakes

The brakes on this X5 work will, with a firm pedal that gives confidence on twisty backroads. But with its heft, fade is a concern – they aren’t that big.

You can spec M Sport brakes that BMW says offer bigger discs, though the calipers look like the same four-pot units to me, simply painted. If you want them, you’ll need to spend over $5,000 on other options you might not want. Choose wisely.

Overall, the X5 xDrive45e can be viewed as simply an X5 40i with more horsepower. Hard to be mad at that, even if it comes with a big weight penalty that can dull its handling prowess.

Lifestyle Score: 10. The Ultimate Package

I love this X5. Whether base model or full-on M, it’s got room and practicality in spades.

Let’s sit in the front seat, which feels more like a sofa and is oh-so-comfy to sit in for long drives. Though they aren’t quite the thrones from the X5 M, they put what’s in an X3 to shame, and that can easily cost more than this X5.

Though this generation ditches the third row seat (that’s what the X7 is for), you can easily fit three people in the back here, so if you have a family of four, the X5 is perfect. And in back, the most perfect clam shell hatch, powered of course. It’s my go-to for shooting at the Performance Center, because you can keep the bottom door closed. And if no one hangs out the back of your X5, don’t worry, it works just as well at the local Acme.

Fuel Economy: 5. Hopes and dreams

Five? But this is a hybrid Mike!

Deep breath. First, the BMW X5 xDrive45e actually gets worse fuel economy than a regular ol’ 40i (19 mpg city and 22 highway, vs 21 mpg city and 25 highway). Second, with a base price some $3,700 more expensive than than an xDrive40i model, you’d better get to cuttin’ that engine in order to make back the money you spent on the hybrid model.

There are tax credits that essentially lower the base price, but this being a 2023 model, you won’t see it second-hand. Nor will the tax credits last forever on new cars.

Now, you can get better overall mileage than the 40i if you only use the electric motor – up to 50 MPGe. I’ve known people to fill these up five times a year, and there’s even an indicator in the dash to tell you how many of the total miles you’ve driven electric-only. But if that’s your thing, why are you getting a BMW with a motor? Just get an iX and be done with it. Not like this particular B58 is a Corvette V-8, where you will feel the urge to hear it scream.

Features and Comfort: 6. Spend more, get more

Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by years of press cars, but the heart always sinks when I gotta get a loaner from the dealer and it looks like this.

It’s not terrible, but this is a $70,000 car. If you want a nicer one, you best bring a big check.

Spoiled

I guess it’s pretty rude of me. This X5 has everything you might need. But there’s a wiff of cheapness.

Start with the seat coverings. Called Sensafin, I’m not sure if it’s leather, and though it’s better than the fake stuff BMW uses on lesser models, I still say it’s too rubbery. I’ll give a pass, because it’s comfy and durable.

Next is the trim – what fake forest of plastic trees did BMW raid to get this? I’ve seen it on so many of them, and it always looks ridiculous. So old man too, just give me aluminum. Carbon fiber trim isn’t even an option.

Other things are less obvious – you won’t miss what you never spec’d the car with. What is here is good, like iDrive 7 with its excellent interface, a gigantic sunroof, and one of BMW’s better attempts at ambient lighting.

On the flip side, this is a cheaper BMW X5. Go nuts with options like an Alcantara headliner and massaging seats, and you can spend close to $100k on yours – X5 M60 money.

Don’t let them fool you

BMW, that is. They always make their LCI cars look better, and the X5 is no exception. This original example doesn’t get the cool headlights like newer models do, and this one lacks the optional laser units. But the looks remain fresh and relevant.

This Jet Black X5 has no frills, so no M Sport kit, and basic 19-inch wheels that probably ride better than the optional 21s but are not even available anymore. Your only hint as to the specific model is blue trim around the BMW badges, and an “i Electrified” badge on the charge door.

How will anyone know you’re saving the planet?

Others SUVs to consider

• Volvo XC60
• BMW X5 M
• Rivian R1S
• AMG Mercedes GLE 53

The 2023 BMW X5 xDrive45e should just be the X5, period

You might not think a hybrid is for us, the enthusiast, or the environmentalist. In some ways it isn’t. Why is it so heavy, and how are we saving the world with two motors in a car?

But maybe BMW is to blame. Unlike Tesla, who simply went for it, BMW is stuck with one foot in the past and the other in the future. I’d totally be okay with this hybrid powertrain replacing the 40i, even if it doesn’t always make the most sense. From the driver’s seat, you can’t tell. But you can tell when you just plug it in at night and for the most part no longer need gas. If you do, you have your best friend, Mr. B58,  ready to go.

The parts that matter, like the squishy suspension, aren’t really hybrid-specific. If BMW can reduce the weight even by 500 pounds, I think we have one of the best daily options they produce. If I’m honest, the X5 makes much more sense as this 45e than it does in full M costume, and if you asked me to pick just one to take home, I’d go with this one.

The exotic feel of hybrid power is gone, but what remains is now ready for mainstream use.