Revamped BMW X5 Crossover Spied Trying To Hide Its Hybrid Powertrain

The revamped BMW X5 should be nearing its debut. The mid-cycle refresh will give the model new front and rear fascias and other changes to keep the crossover competitive. Very little camouflage covers the tweaked design details.

The latest photos show BMW still covering the styling changes at the front and rear. The new images show the model wearing a “Hybrid Test Vehicle” sticker on the passenger’s door, revealing the powertrain underneath. We know the M60i will have such a setup, but this doesn’t look like that high-powered model. The wheels are smaller, and it doesn’t look as if it rides as low as the M60i test vehicles our spy photographers have spotted.

This example could be the replacement for the X5 xDrive45e, which combines the brand’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine with an electric motor. This setup reduces 389 horsepower (290 kilowatts) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque.

The M60i is rumored to pair the much larger twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which produces 530 hp (389 kW) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque in the larger X7. Sitting at the top of the X5 lineup will be the X5 M, which should return with 617 hp (560 kW) in the Competition model.

The X5 will receive new styling, with slimmer headlights up front, redesigned kidney grille, and a sportier bumper design. At the rear, BMW will tweak the bumper and restyle the taillights. Inside, the BMW will receive a fairly sizable update for the cabin, replacing the old dashboard with the company’s new dual-screen iDrive 8 system that’s proliferating throughout the BMW lineup. Interiors are often left alone during mid-cycle updates, but this automaker is bucking that trend.

The updated X5 is expected to arrive in US showrooms for the 2024 model year. The automaker hasn’t announced when it plans to reveal the revamped model, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it happened early next year. However, we will likely have to wait for the X5 M to debut at a later date, as BMW often staggers its launches.