2020 BMW X5 Consumer Reviews

I had, as it turned out, the misfortune of spending several days in one of these things recently as a rental. I've driven some lousy vehicles over the years, but this one ranks near the top of the worst list. First off, it's just plain hideous to look at. I really want to like BMWs; I and my immediate family have owned four over the years; some liked, some not. But, BMW hasn't made a decent looking, nevermind an attractive vehicle in at least 30 years. In fact, they keep getting uglier; the absurdly exaggerated kidney grills plastered to the latest offerings exemplify the utter absence of any understanding of aesthetics. Yes, such things are subjective, but that argument goes only so far. So... Moving past appearance, let's take a look inside. Well, good luck getting in at all. The running boards slapped to the side of the car are too narrow to be of any use. Yet, they are so wide it is a full 12 in. (I measured it) from the outside edge of it to the side of the seat. That means one's butt crack ends up square on the edge of the seat bottom while trying to climb into the car. One is then forced to grab the steering wheel to hoist oneself the rest of the way into the seat. Once into the seat, despite the zillion-way adjustability, finding a comfortable position is simply not possible; the seat bottom shape and cushioning don't allow it. Fire up the car and one is presented with a child's video game. I know of no other way to describe it. Without question, the instrument cluster is the worst I have ever seen in a vehicle. Perhaps it's because there are no instruments; just a video screen surrounded by two angled bars that I guess are supposed to be the speedometer and tachometer. To add insult to injury, the shape of the bars neither matches nor compliments ANYTHING else in or outside the car. I have nothing against electronic instrument clusters; both of my current vehicles have them. But, I seem to have an unreasonable expectation that those displays actually show recognizable instruments. Not so in this thing. There is a head-up display, oversized and complete with flappy wings (yes, they animate...how quaint). It displays too much information (to the point of being distracting) and the characters are too large. For example, I don't need three difference icons telling me the cruise control is engaged; one is quite sufficient thank you. Moving to the right, one is met with an overly expansive infotainment display. While integration with Apple Carplay worked reasonably well, once I figured out how to connect the phone, navigating the rest of the infotainment system was far from intuitive or enjoyable. Menu structures are too deep and trying to find a particular feature or setting is a frustrating exercise in trial and error. Using the knob thing on the center console is even worse. Oh, and did I mention the touchscreen can't be reached while sitting in a driving position? Admittedly, it is better than what was in the i3 we had, but that's not really much of a compliment as words alone cannot begin to describe how atrocious a vehicle that abomination was. BMW could really benefit from a lesson in good human-machine-interface design by a study of the Volvo Sensus (pre-Google) system. While not perfect, as far as I'm concerned it is outstanding and remains the benchmark infotainment design. Fit and finish of the interior overall was very good, as were material choices in most places. The audio system was also good. Taking into account switch placement and functionality, seat and driving position, infotainment interface and center console layout, the overall ergonomics, at best are lacking. Driving the vehicle, however, revealed the worst of the car. Just as the seat couldn't be adjusted properly, neither could a comfortable driving position be found. The seat-steering wheel-pedals relationships are all wrong. The best one can hope for is getting two of the three to an acceptable position. Side mirrors are tiny and so oddly shaped as to be nearly useless. The PARK button for the gear-shift is BEHIND the R-N-D switch, not in front of it where it should, and one would naturally expect it to be (who's the genius that thought that was a good idea?). While the powertrain is very nice (one of the few positives of this car), the ride quality is spine-jarring on anything but the smoothest roads and interior road noise is high. Our Honda Ridgeline is far superior in both regards. Steering effort is excessively high at speed which adversely affects directional stability. From the driver's perspective, the car looks and drives like a much larger vehicle than it is, both to its detriment; it feels cumbersome. BMW bills itself as "the ultimate driving machine". That implies a reasonable expectation of the vehicle being driver-centric. Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing about this car that is so. It doesn't say, "come drive me!". One derives no pleasure in its operation, at least not until getting out of it (which actually comes as a sense of relief). It genuinely begs the question why anyone would buy one. BMW once made great cars. Sadly, it seems as if everyone there who knew how to build a great car either left or retired and didn't pass on that hard-earned knowledge to the folks left behind. The result is this horrid example of the garbage now being peddled onto the public.

I have been buying BMWs for many years. This is my 7th BMW. Normally I only keep them 4 or less years. I am keeping my current one a little longer as the mileage is very low. After 4 years BMW cuts off several free digital features (traffic information for navigation, voice enabled directions, etc.) and wants you to pay for them. This is very petty and brand damaging. I am now reconsidering buying BMWs in the future. Also, now being forced to use Apple CarPlay for convenience, I realize how much better it is.

Just purchased a 2025 BMW X3. LOVE THE INTERIOR! So many bells and whistles to learn. I was leary of the driver assistance when cruising, but it's great. Negative point, which is a safety feature, slowing so much so not to get too close to car in front. Another negative, exterior is kinda plain. Needs a little more sexyness...

Not a single issue or recall. Nothing but compliments from friends, family and strangers. Manhattan Green w/full leather interior. Just a b4autiful car. More power & room than I need and about 25-28 mpg. Will buy a new one when I hit a 100,000 miles.

For some time now my X5 has been "waiting for a replacement part" after it was struck while parked. After almost a month of offering no timeline on when the part would arrive, was told by BMW customer service rep my vehicle was first in line for the part ten days ago and that he would call me back in three days to tell me a more specific date. He never called as promised, and I have left two messages for him this week but he has not called back. I called leasing department to complain about paying on a lease for a car I cannot drive because BMW claims it does not have the part (a harness). The rep on that call told me too bad and advised me that the contract requires I still pay. What an annoying experience. Expected much more (or even something!) from BMW but they totally dropped the ball and don't seem to care based on their actions.

We now have over 18k miles on our 2022 X5. We have the SDrive 4.0. It is a pleasure to drive with no mechanical or other problems at all. We recently took a long road trip driving over 700 miles one way, mostly highway miles. The BMW X5 averaged over 29 miles per gallon for the trip. Around town we average 28.1 mpg. Very impressive fuel mileage. The vehicle has great acceleration and handles great. It is a fun vehicle to drive.

This is my 4th BMW. The one was a 2013 BMW X5. I bought the 2022 after over 9 great years with the 2013 E70. So far the 2022 has been trouble free and has amazing fuel economy; it was also something of a relative bargain (I ordered it with several options for $70K) considering today's prices and the quality of the car. Shortcomings with respect to the 2013 X5 (E70): 1. No Soft Close doors. In my view, this was a big mistake on BMW's part and resulted in my trying out an Audi Q7 but that was like driving an iPhone. I really liked the soft close doors on my 2013. 2. No direction indication in rear view mirror. Yes, this is redundant with the navigation system but it was a very quick check. 3. No rubber side strips. My 2013 had rubber side strips that helped when opening doors in tight places. This is a stupid cost saving measure. 4. Wider than the 2013. Makes reversing out of my garage at an angle tricky. 5. Steering feel inferior to the 2013; that was the last year they had hydraulic steering. The 2022's steering is precise but numb. Improvements over the 2013: 1. Head-up display. Nice reminder of speed while keeping eyes on the road. 2. Much quieter and hard to tell what speed one is travelling at (see point above). 3. Better ride, more absorbent, less bounce. 4. More power at high speeds. No difference around town. 5. Amazing gas mileage; 24.5 mpg so far (mostly Nor Cal freeway). 6. Blind Spot Monitor, an excellent safety feature. Finally, I have to mention that for me the iDrive controlled by the knob on the console is a superb safety feature allowing me to use my phone, change radio stations, change car settings etc. without having to to take my eyes off the road. Once you get used to this touchscreen usage seems risky.

I have owned a few x5's and this one by far by passes all expectations. I am a proud owner and will continue to purchase the bmw brand in the future