2024 BMW X5 M First Look Review: Upstaging The Competition
The performance SUV segment is an interesting one that caters to those who want something out of the ordinary: a family hauler that can thrill the driver without sacrificing on its practicality. BMW's X5 M has historically done well in this niche against rivals like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63, with both SUVs becoming known for their superior handling. But the freshly updated X5 lineup has big shoes to fill, as the X5 M has become a benchmark in the segment. For 2024, the X5 M comes as a Competition model exclusively, powered by a new V8 engine with mild hybrid assistance. This is the first time a BMW M car features mild-hybrid technology, and it gives the high-revving V8 an additional boost of up to 12 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque, although the maximum outputs of 617 hp and 553 lb-ft remain unchanged from the pre-facelift version. Coupled with a substantial facelift, the X5 M Competition is even more likely to turn heads now while getting your heart racing from behind the wheel.
When Is The 2024 BMW X5 M Competition Coming Out?
An exact release date for the BMW X5 M Competition hasn't been set, but the automaker has said the X5 M and its X6 M Competition sibling will be revealed at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in March. Production will kick off at the Spartanburg plant in April, and we expect to see the new BMW X5 M Competition on dealership floors in the USA by the second half of the year.
2024 BMW X5 M Price And Competition
The price of the 2024 BMW X5 M Competition starts at $122,300, excluding a $995 destination and handling fee. This is almost double the MSRP of the base 2024 X and $13,400 more expensive than the base 2023 X5 M. But, it's only $4,100 more than the pre-facelift version in Competition spec.
Competitors to the BMW X5 M Competition include the freshly-facelifted AMG GLE 63 S SUV and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. We don't have information on what the former will cost yet, and the 2023 Porsche Cayenne Turbo is down on power in comparison, with just 541 hp. It's priced over $135k, though, but the related 670-hp E-Hybrid asks $35k over and above that.
New BMW X5 M Competition Exterior And Colors
Along with the rest of the X5 lineup, the X5 M Competition gets a substantial facelift for the new model year, which includes a whole new design up front. BMW uses words like "crisp" and "muscular" to describe the updated bumpers, which host a blacked-out twin-kidney grille and lower air intake in an X-shaped motif. The lower air intakes are larger, but they provide more than just an aggressive aesthetic as they also promote optimum air flow to cool the engine and braking system.
The 2024 X5 M Competition gets updated headlights, courtesy of M Shadowline units that are narrower than before and draw the eye outwards with twin arrow-shaped daytime running lights-these double as DRLs and turn signal indicators. The exterior mirror caps and model badging are blacked-out as standard, too, and the taillights carry over the X-motif from the front end. The vertical reflectors at the rear end are mounted lower down in the rear apron than before, giving the impression that the SUV hugs the road a little tighter. An assertive diffuser is flanked by twin four-inch exhaust pipes in black chrome.
Staggered wheels are standard, with 21-inch rims on the front and 22-inch wheels filling the rear arches. These are wrapped in performance non-runflat tires. Naturally, the exterior lighting is full-LED, and BMW's panoramic Sky Lounge LED roof is available as an optional extra, although a moonroof is standard.
Exterior colors for the 2024 BMW X5 M Competition include some new shades of Brooklyn Grey, Isle of Man Green, and Frozen Pure Grey metallic. There will also be 50 BMW Individual shades available at launch with metallic, non-metallic, and Frozen finishes.
Standard palette options include the expected Alpine White and Carbon Black, with more excitement in Black Sapphire, Dravit Grey, Toronto Red, and Mineral White. The brake calipers can be finished in standard blue or optional red or black.
BMW X5 M Competition Dimensions
The dimensions of the BMW X5 M Competition are not too different from the outgoing model, but given that it's a facelift, this was to be expected. A wheelbase of 117 inches underpins a length of 194.8 inches, just a smidge off the outgoing model, while width and height are 79.3 inches and 69.4 inches, respectively. Ground clearance is 8.4 inches - a tenth of an inch more than the pre-LCI version.
The curb weight of the sporty SUV is 5,498 pounds, with the extra 40-odd lbs over the 2023 X5 M likely to be because of the added hybrid components and extra equipment.
BMW X5 M Competition Engine And Performance
Under the hood of the X5 M Competition you'll find the new S68 4.4-liter V8 engine. This unit was first seen in the X7 M60i and now comes with mild-hybrid assistance from a 48V battery. The enhancements include a reinforced crankshaft drive, enhanced turbocharging, a new air intake duct, a fresh vane-type oil pump, and a plastic oil sump that saves weight. The entire package combines to put out power seamlessly and deliver 553 lb-ft between 1,800 and 5,800 rpm. 617 hp reach a peak at 6,000 rpm, which is enough for the X5 M Competition to clear 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 155 mph, but it can be increased to 177 mph with the M Driver's Package equipped.
An electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission housing provides torquefill capability. While it boasts 12 hp and 147 lb-ft on its own, the electric motor does not increase the total outputs. Instead, power delivery is made quicker, and the engine's startup is much smoother, even during auto start-stop in traffic, thanks to the electric motor doubling as a crankshaft-mounted starter generator.
BMW says that the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission has also been tweaked with new gear ratios and sharper shifts. Hard acceleration off the line is a breeze, thanks to shorter ratios in the first three gears, and efficiency is prioritized after that with wider ratios. Of course, power goes to all four wheels via M xDrive AWD and an active M differential in the rear helps to put power down effectively.
Improvements have been made to the chassis design to make handling even more precise, provide sharper turn-in, and allow for confident corner exits. The dampers have also been updated to ensure you'll get the most out of your drive, and can be customized, along with just about every other conceivable setting, through various menus.
To bring the enthusiastic X5 M Competition to a halt, there are six-piston, fixed-caliper brakes up front measuring 15.6 inches in diameter. The rear gets 15-inch discs and single-piston floating calipers. The M-specific brake system can be configured in one of two settings for either a comfort-oriented drive or a harsher, more direct response when driving a little more spiritedly.
New near-actuator wheel slip limitation enhances the ability of the DTC systems to act quicker, resulting in smoother intervention from the stability control systems. The end result is greater performance being more easily accessible.
Gas Mileage
Power delivery in the X5 M Competition may be smoother than ever thanks to the mild hybrid assistance, but the new setup is also intended to supplement the engine under load to increase efficiency. We don't have official gas mileage figures yet, but it will hopefully be an improvement over the outgoing model's ratings of 13/18/15 mpg city/highway/combined. In the heavier, albeit less powerful X7 M60i, this motor returns 16/21/18 mpg, so expect the 2024 X5 M to land between these two.
A 21.9-gallon gas tank is the standard fare, so expect a range of at least 320 miles.
BMW X5 M Competition Interior And Cargo
Like the exterior, the interior of the BMW X5 M Competition gets a substantial revamp too, and the new-look cabin revolves around the BMW Curved Display. It's a single glass surface that merges the 12.3-inch information cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen and angles it toward the driver to minimize time spent with eyes off the road. The dashboard on which it rests is leather-trimmed as standard, and now features new central air vents that are narrower to fit more seamlessly into the instrument panel.
The interior space is accentuated by standard carbon fiber trim, but there are wood trims among the available options. An ambient light bar with crystalline surface structure and LEDs with the M logo sit up front ahead of the passenger and doesn't just look ultra modern but also doubles as an alert or notification for calls, messages, or the like, and can be personalized on the iDrive menu. Plush Merino leather is used throughout the inside of the X5 M Competition, available in six colors, including a new Individual Ivory White/Atlas Grey combination.
Already laden with features and tech, the 2024 BMW X5 M Competition also gets more safety features than before, with reverse assistant and advanced maneuver assist added to the parking assistant. The latter allows you to control maneuvers into tight parking spaces via smartphone. Live Cockpit Professional is standard, and comes with an M-specific iDrive interface, a 3D surround-view camera, and a head-up display. All that premiumness gets a premium soundtrack, too, with a Harman Kardon surround sound setup installed from the factory. Available options will up the luxury feel even more - consider the panoramic sky lounge LED roof, front-seat ventilation and massage function, or rear heated seats from the options list.
As far as cargo space in the BMW X5 M Competition goes, there's nothing new here. Behind the rear seats, there is 33.9 cubic feet of space for cargo, and if you want to load even more into the trunk, folding the back row avails 72.3 cubes of volume. The BMW X5 M Competition still seats five occupants in two rows.