Here’s a little food for thought. This fourth-generation G05 BMW X5 went on sale back in November of 2018 and an updated version is due to arrive sometime this year as a 2023 model year vehicle. Now, if I had to guess, I’d say that a next-generation version is already in its early stages of development, and it might look completely unlike any previous iterations.
This would make the upcoming facelifted variant of the G05 X5, potentially, the last-ever conventional-looking X5 to ever roll off the carmaker’s Spartanburg assembly line in South Carolina.
Of course, this all depends on whether or not the next-gen X5 will be fully electric, or whether it will still be available with a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines, not to mention a plug-in hybrid offering.
My hope is that BMW will be able to follow the G05 with something that looks evolutionary, instead of using the iX as some sort of blueprint.
As for what the facelifted version of the G05 might look like, this rendering by Kolesa is probably as accurate as they can get at this point, judging from everything we’ve seen recently courtesy of our spy photographers.
The headlights are slimmer than before, and the front bumper looks different as well. As for the taillights, the graphics will obviously differ from today’s model, but it’s hard to draw any hard conclusions just yet. If anything, maybe the headlights on the rendered vehicle aren’t slim enough – and we’re not sure if they run all the way to the grille or not.
They actually might, just like on the X7 or the iX, which isn’t necessarily bad. The iX, for one, has way bigger issues than its headlight design.
In terms of sales, the X5 did quite well in the United States last year, compared to main rivals such as the Mercedes GLE, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne or the Range Rover Sport.
Of course, this all depends on whether or not the next-gen X5 will be fully electric, or whether it will still be available with a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines, not to mention a plug-in hybrid offering.
My hope is that BMW will be able to follow the G05 with something that looks evolutionary, instead of using the iX as some sort of blueprint.
As for what the facelifted version of the G05 might look like, this rendering by Kolesa is probably as accurate as they can get at this point, judging from everything we’ve seen recently courtesy of our spy photographers.
The headlights are slimmer than before, and the front bumper looks different as well. As for the taillights, the graphics will obviously differ from today’s model, but it’s hard to draw any hard conclusions just yet. If anything, maybe the headlights on the rendered vehicle aren’t slim enough – and we’re not sure if they run all the way to the grille or not.
They actually might, just like on the X7 or the iX, which isn’t necessarily bad. The iX, for one, has way bigger issues than its headlight design.
In terms of sales, the X5 did quite well in the United States last year, compared to main rivals such as the Mercedes GLE, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne or the Range Rover Sport.