BMW X5

Registered from 1998 to 2026.

BMW X5
Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

About this model

The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by BMW. The X5 made its debut in 1999 as the E53 model. It was BMW's first SUV. At launch, it featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. The second generation was launched in 2006, and was known internally as the E70. The E70 featured the torque-split capable xDrive all-wheel drive system mated to an automatic gearbox. In 2009, the X5 M performance variant was released as a 2010 model.

From the Wikipedia article BMW X5, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Do not drive

The manufacturer has told owners of one of these to stop driving until the repair is done.

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2019 3.0 diesel. 892 of 8,420 tests failed, 11%.

Better than 31% of 2019 cars. The typical one fails 9%, across 908 models with enough tests behind them to say.

WhereShare of failuresFailed tests
Tyres and wheels72%643
Lights and electrics9%84
Brakes9%78
Visibility6%54
Exhaust and emissions5%47
Plates and identity4%36

The defects inspectors cite

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

When it starts failing

At 100–120k miles this one fails 8% of its inspections, against the 16% an ordinary car of the same age fails.

OdometerFailure rateRateIts ageTests
0–20k miles6%5%782
20–40k miles10%9%4,437
40–60k miles11%12%2,430
60–80k miles13%14%563
80–100k miles16%14%142
100–120k miles8%16%38

8,392 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.

Half of these have more than 20k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.

Specification

YearMeasured
20214.4 petrol · 617 hp · 2406 kg · 2972 mm wheelbase · 12.9 L/100km (WLTP)
20204.4 petrol · 617 hp · 2385 kg · 2972 mm wheelbase · 12.4 L/100km (WLTP)
20183.0 diesel · 2185 kg · 2933 mm wheelbase · 8.5 L/100km (WLTP)
20173.0 diesel · 382 hp · 2185 kg · 2714 mm wheelbase · 6.2 L/100km (NEDC)
20162.0 diesel · 225 hp · 2070 kg · 2933 mm wheelbase · 5.3 L/100km (NEDC)
20152.0 diesel · 217 hp · 2070 kg · 2933 mm wheelbase · 5.6 L/100km (NEDC)
20142.0 diesel · 198 hp · 2070 kg · 2933 mm wheelbase · 5.7 L/100km (NEDC)
20123.0 diesel · 302 hp · 2185 kg · 2926 mm wheelbase · 7.5 L/100km (NEDC)
20113.0 diesel · 2185 kg · 2934 mm wheelbase · 7.5 L/100km (NEDC)
20103.0 diesel · 2185 kg · 2933 mm wheelbase · 7.5 L/100km (NEDC)

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

17 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.