Tested: 2025 BMW X5 xDrive40i Exhibits Mild Midlife-Crisis Behavior

When luxury mid-size SUVs were still finding their place in the world, the path of discovery involved manufacturers throwing everything but the kitchen sink at their budding sport-utility vehicles. For the first-generation Porsche Cayenne, that meant a torque-multiplying low-range gear ratio and locking center and rear differentials. For early Mercedes-Benz M-class models, it meant full-time four-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case. And for the first-generation BMW X5, it meant hill-descent control and an Automatic Differential Brake feature. Now, a quarter-century on, the 2025 BMW X5 xDrive40i is throwing it back to those off-roading roots with a a 25th anniversary model equipped with a special xOffroad package. And that’s where the X5 Silver Anniversary Edition’s problems start. Over the last two and a half decades, the X5 has all but abandoned that mud-splattered heritage in favor of sporting aspirations and more than a little grandeur. Trying to channel the early X5’s off-road readiness, the anniversary edition feels like a half-hearted attempt at fusion cuisine that doesn’t quite work. It’s not a bad meal, but it doesn’t elevate the individual cultures the way you may have hoped. The biggest offender is the set of 275/45R-20 General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tires that hinder the typically sporting BMW handling. Aggressive turn-in leans on the Generals’ soft tread before giving way to stiff sidewall. The result is a slightly wobbly feeling, which isn’t improved by switching the drive mode from Comfort to Sport. The disjointed steering shows up in the skidpad figures, where we recorded a disappointing 0.80 g and enough understeer to have managing testing editor David Beard call the anniversary edition “the squirrelliest damn X5 we’ve ever lapped around this place!”HIGHS: Luxe interior dressings, bevy of tech features, more than enough power.Fortunately, get the X5 Silver Anniversary Edition pointed straight again, and you’re quickly reminded that you’re in a BMW. The mid-size SUV was given an update for 2024 that added 40 horsepower and a 48-volt hybrid system to the equation. Sure, the output figures of 375 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque from the X5’s turbocharged inline-six may not look that impressive in the age of high-powered luxury barges, but they’re enough to shoot the 5023-pound SUV to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. That puts it 0.4 second ahead of a pre-facelift 2019 X5’s 4.8-second sprint. The advantage sticks around through the quarter-mile, which the 2025 car hits in 13.1 seconds at 104 mph—again, four-tenths ahead of the earlier version. The eight-speed automatic transmission snaps off shifts in a flash, and you’re never left wanting for power. You’ll need to keep your eyes up, because stops from 70 mph require 189 feet, and braking from 100 mph takes 407 feet. From 70 mph, that lands this X5 14 feet beyond the slightly heavier Genesis GV80 Coupe’s stopping point; from 100 mph, the BMW needs an additional 54 feet. Fuel economy exceeds expectations, though, with the X5 earning 28 mpg on our 75-mph highway test loop, 1 mpg ahead of EPA estimates.LOWS: Overreliance on screens, tire noise, squirrelly handling.Sadly, the General Grabbers continue to annoy from inside the cabin. Despite recording 65 decibels at 70 mph—the same as in the aforementioned X5 xDrive40i—the tire noise was considerably higher. The good news is that, apart from louder tires, the new X5 continues to excel from a luxury perspective. The seats are comfortable, and the interior looks appropriately expensive. We’ve complained about BMW’s gesture control system before, but we love the new iDrive software. Along with more power, the X5’s 2024 refresh added a new display setup that combines the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.9-inch center touchscreen behind a continuous piece of curved glass. The downside of this setup is that it moves all climate functions to the screen. Plus, the huge screens and abundance of ambient lighting lead to a cabin that is tough to dim while driving at night—it’s not a problem exclusive to the X5, but it is worth pointing out. More on the X5As with the rest of the X5 lineup, our test car’s ride was plenty comfortable. The all-terrains’ stiff sidewalls send a bit of resonance through the cabin on harsh bumps, but the air springs do a good job absorbing most of the blows. We didn’t have the chance to really put the X5 through the wringer off-road, but we did cycle through the new (and annoyingly named) xGravel, xSand, xSnow, and xRocks drive modes on the dirt roads around our Ann Arbor office, which we think is a pretty good representation of how most X5 Silver Anniversary Editions will be driven. The xOffroad package adds a mechanical rear differential lock, two-axle air suspension, underbody protection, roof rails, and a tow hitch, along with minor badging changes. A proper Moab rig this is not.Pricing for our test model started at $69,775 before tacking on $900 for the Parking Assistance package and $11,000 for the anniversary and off-road packages combined, bringing it to $81,675 out the door. That’s still a fair shout from the X5 M60i’s $92,025 starting price, but our X5 is down two cylinders and nearly 150 horsepower compared with that model. The solution is simple: Buy the regular 2025 BMW X5 xDrive40i instead. It’ll have more cohesive handling and a quieter ride—and it will save you thousands. Plus, it won’t look like it’s riding around wearing a pair of moon shoes. Many of us are guilty of making occasionally ludicrous decisions during birthday celebrations, and it appears the X5 is no different.VERDICT: Avoiding the Silver Anniversary Edition’s problems is as easy as buying the standard xDrive40i.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 BMW X5 xDrive40i Silver Anniversary Edition
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE

Base/As Tested: $69,775/$81,675
Options: Off-road package (2-axle air suspension, M Sport differential, trailer hitch, heated front seats, remote engine start, Harman/Kardon surround sound, head-up display, Shadowline trim, carbon-fiber trim, illuminated kidney grille, roof rails), $10,000; special edition, $1000; Parking Assistance package, $900
ENGINE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-6, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 183 in3, 2998 cm3
Power: 375 hp @ 6250 rpm
Torque: 398 lb-ft @ 1850 rpm
TRANSMISSION

8-speed automatic
CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.7-in vented disc/13.6-in vented disc
Tires: General Grabber AT3
275/45R-20 110H M+S
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 117.1 in
Length: 194.2 in
Width: 78.9 in
Height: 69.1 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 56/50 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 72/34 ft3
Curb Weight: 5023 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 4.4 sec
100 mph: 11.9 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.1 sec @ 104 mph
130 mph: 23.7 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.6 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.8 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 189 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 407 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 21 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 28 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 610 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 25/23/27 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: caranddriver.com