BMW's fifth-gen X5 swaps its signature look for retro-inspired X-shaped headlights

BMW released a teaser of the fifth-generation X5 on Monday, a day before the SUV’s official debut. The teaser reveals a front-end design that breaks sharply from recent BMW styling: slender vertical kidney grilles inspired by the 2002 and 1600 sedans from the 1960s and 70s, flanked by horizontal LED light bars that stretch across the full width. The most dramatic change sits below the light bars — a pair of X-shaped daytime running lights.

The new DRLs replace the sharp, angular lights found on the iX3. These crisscross X-shaped units will split opinions. Some will see them as a bold directional shift; others, as design theater. BMW seems intentional about giving each model its own visual identity, moving away from the uniform grille-and-light layouts that dominated its lineup for years. The full car arrives Tuesday, so the real verdict is hours away.

Under the retro-accented sheet metal sits an entirely new foundation. The 2027 X5 is the first non-electric vehicle to ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse platform — a flexible architecture engineered for multiple powertrains from the start. Tuesday’s debut will also include the iX5, an all-electric version expected to use BMW’s sixth-generation battery pack. The switch from prismatic to cylindrical cells allows tighter cell packing and higher energy density. The accompanying sixth-generation motor runs on 800-volt externally excited synchronous technology and eliminates rare-earth magnets, improving both efficiency and supply-chain security.

Gas-powered X5 variants get meaningful upgrades too. The mild-hybrid system will assist across a wider range of driving conditions, and plug-in hybrid versions are on the way. The approach parallels the 2027 7 Series update: deeper electrification within familiar fuel formats.

Full specifications land Tuesday, when BMW reveals the complete lineup. The X5 is one of BMW’s global volume leaders, and while the redesign will likely spark debate, the company isn’t expected to make changes that would risk the SUV’s commercial momentum.