Product Reviews
News
Take Action
About Us
search
Become a Member
Donate
Search
All Products A-Z
    Become a Member
    Donate

    Welcome to Consumer Reports.

    We’re so glad to have you as a member. You now have access to benefits that can help you choose right, be safe and stay informed.
    Get Started
    2016
    New 2019
    Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

    BMW X5 Change Vehicle

    With the X5's redesign, BMW has dialed back the sharp handling and taut ride of previous models, trading some of their sporty feel for a cushier ride that makes it seem, well, less BMW-like. The cabin is now more luxurious, solid, and quiet. Fit and finish are impeccable, and it's loaded with an array of up-to-date electronic features.
    Alerts
    There are 2 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.
    2016
    New 2019
    Used 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

    BMW X5

    Reliability
    See All
    Owner Satisfaction
    See All
    Crash and Rollover Tests
    IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
    IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver NA
    IIHS Side Crash Good
    NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver
    NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
    See All

    Road Test Results

    Performance
    Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
    0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
    Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
    Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
    CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
    CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
    CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
    Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
    Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
    Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit,
    Comfort / Convenience
    Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
    Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
    Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
    Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
    Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
    Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.

    Owner Reports

    Worse Better
    Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
    2000
    NA
    2001
    NA
    2002
    NA
    2003
    NA
    2004
    NA
    2005
    NA
    2006
    NA
    2007
    NA
    2008
    NA
    2009
    NA
    2010
    NA
    2011
    2012
    2013
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    Reliability Trouble Spots
    Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
    Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
    Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
    Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
    View all Reliability
    Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
    2000
    NA
    2001
    NA
    2002
    NA
    2003
    NA
    2004
    NA
    2005
    NA
    2006
    NA
    2007
    NA
    2008
    NA
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2013
    2014
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
    Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
    Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
    Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
    View all Owner Satisfaction
    Safety Equipment
    ABS and ESC standard. Front side and head protection air bags standard; rear side available.
    Road Test

    With the X5's redesign, BMW has dialed back the sharp handling and taut ride of previous models, trading some of their sporty feel for a cushier ride that makes it seem, well, less BMW-like. The cabin is now more luxurious, solid, and quiet. Fit and finish are impeccable, and it's loaded with an array of up-to-date electronic features. The result is a very comfortable, refined, and high-tech SUV, although one that's less engaging to drive than previous X5s.

    The generous list of standard equipment doesn't include a backup camera, which is inexcusable at this price. Our X5 had the optional Driver Assistance Plus package, which includes several active safety systems that can even brake the vehicle when needed to avoid an accident.

    Seating
    2 front, 3 rear, 2 third
    Drive Wheels
    AWD , Rear
    Warranty

    In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

    Read more about extended warranties
    Body Styles
    4-door SUV
    Transmissions Available
    • 8-speed Automatic
    Engines Available
    • 2-liter 4 hybrid (308 hp)
    • 3-liter 6 turbo (300 hp)
    • 3-liter 6 turbodiesel (255 hp)
    • 4.4-liter V8 turbo (445 hp)
    • 4.4-liter V8 turbo (567 hp)

    Owner Reported Trouble Spots

    The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2016 BMW X5 owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

    Body Integrity

    Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

    What Owners Say

    Squeaks or rattles

    “Tailgate rattled”

    Anonymous, NJ (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

    “Rattle in rear storage area. Determined to be tonneau cover assembly - replaced under warranty”

    Anonymous, VA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

    “Service kept car for a week. When returned said it was a faulty bushing that was replaced. Car continued to have the noise/rattle coming from the trunk area. Brought car again and was told that noise was from tailgate and adjusted. No noise for 3-4 weeks. Noise returned again”

    Anonymous, NY (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

    “Coins in cup holder got under center console. They don't just lie there. They continually roll around. It cost $400 or more to remove them. The service people told me they see this all of the time. It seems insane not to fix this”

    Joseph O., MS (2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e 2.0-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

    “Rear hatch rattles and creaks. Repaired once and glass was removed and replaced. Creaks still occurring”

    Anonymous, CA (2016 BMW X5 sDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
    Load more

    In-car Electronics

    CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

    What Owners Say

    Backup or other camera/sensors

    “Sensors do not always beep when close to an object”

    Anonymous, WA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
    Display screen freezes up

    “The right side of the split screen froze up. Had to take to dealer tom have "fixed" it was under warranty so there was no cost, only the time and inconvenience to take to dealer”

    Anonymous, WA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

    “The entire head unit would freeze up and then restart. BMW USA sent in a new head unit and replaced it under warranty”

    Steven W., LA (2016 BMW X5 sDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
    Display screen goes blank

    “Display went dark. Dealer fixed”

    Anonymous, CA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35d 3.0-L 6 Cyl diesel)
    Steering wheel controls

    “Steering lift and telescoping system failed - replaced under warranty”

    Anonymous, VA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)
    Load more

    Paint/Trim

    Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

    What Owners Say

    Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling)

    “Trim on windows turned purple and pink...they told me I went to the wrong car wash. Car was less than 2 months old”

    Anonymous, CA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive50i 4.4-L V8 turbo)

    Body Hardware

    Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

    What Owners Say

    Seat controls - movement

    “Died....they told me I spilled something on box which is under the seat which caused it to corrode...there was no evidence of a spill of anything”

    Anonymous, CA (2016 BMW X5 xDrive50i 4.4-L V8 turbo)

    Electric System

    Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

    What Owners Say

    Headlights

    “Automatic high beam malfunction. Dealer has not been able to fix. Still an issue”

    Anonymous, NH (2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i 3.0-L 6 Cyl turbo)

    Fuel System

    Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

    What Owners Say

    Fuel cap

    “Fuel door wouldn't open due to faulty pressure sensor. System was replace under warranty after 4 days at the dealer repair facility”

    William J., NC (2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e 2.0-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

    Power Equipment

    Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

    What Owners Say

    Hybrid/electric battery replacement

    “dealer took 30 days to replace a short in the hybrid battery”

    Anonymous, NY (2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e 2.0-L 4 Cyl hybrid)

    Engine Minor

    Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

    Engine Major

    Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

    Climate System

    Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

    Transmission Minor

    Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

    Exhaust

    Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

    Drive System

    Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

    Suspension

    Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

    Engine Cooling

    Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

    Brakes

    Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

    Change Vehicle