2024 BMW X5 LCI Configurator Goes Live, Feel Free to Be Inspired by Our Pricy Design

You’d believe that after driving almost all versions of this popular SUV (or SAV, if you speak BMW lingo and like replacing the “Utility” part with “Activity”), watching this vehicle go through a slight makeover wouldn’t be such a confusing experience. However, it was.

I woke up expecting not much to happen today, washed my face, cleaned my teeth, drank a glass of water, poured a cup of coffee, sat at my desk, and intended to start looking at my emails. But my hand slipped and somehow Instagram got opened first.

Lo and behold, another photo of the recently updated X3 M popped up on my feed… But something didn’t feel right. “What did they do to this car this time?” I began asking myself. Instead of starting a scrolling session while waiting for my coffee to get colder, I zoomed in on the picture (available at the end of this piece) and realized – wait, this is not an X3 M, nor is it an X3 M40i. This is the brand-new BMW X5. “Oh boy, they did a number on this one as well,” immediately popped into my mind. Then I saw the caption. It was indeed the brand-new X5 M60i LCI.

Look, I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t feel a little bit ashamed at first. Considering that I’ve been following the LCI’s journey and tried to find out everything ahead of schedule to share it with you… BMW got me. And it did so right as my eyes were clearing up and my neurons were attempting some new synapses. That was an interesting way to start the day.

I couldn’t immediately figure out that this was, in fact, the new X5. Yes, the same one I’ve been writing about since last year. Plus, it is one of the vehicles I truly like. I know others are head over heels in love with supercars, hypercars, or mega-posh SUVs like what Bentley, Aston Martin, or Lamborghini make, but my favorite high-riding vehicle is the X5 xDrive45e, which has now been transformed into the xDrive50e and, as anticipated, has almost 500 hp! It’s just great.

I won’t get into too many details because we’ll keep that for the test drive, but the total output of 490 hp (497 ps) is available only temporarily. Even so, I still love the idea that under the hood sits a spanking-new six-cylinder 313-hp (317-ps) gas-powered engine. It also has a new battery with a usable capacity of 25.7 kWh that feeds the 197-hp (200 ps) electric motor. The energy storage unit is almost as big as the one found in the GLE 350 e, which can store 27 kWh of usable energy. Unfortunately, the X5 xDrive50e still misses the DC fast-charging option its Stuttgart-based competitor had from the get-go.

One simple theory

Enough about powertrains. We’re here to take a better look at the refreshed X5. We know from previous iterations of many other vehicles that BMW’s facelifts aren’t just some boring redesigns. The brand doesn’t just slap a slightly modified bumper on one of its cars and calls it a day.

However, the fact that I could not instantly tell apart the new X5 from its smaller family member made me think something must be off or plain wrong. So, I looked again, checked out other photos, and, eventually, figured out why I felt deceived by my eyes – it was the headlights. They look like they belong on an entry-level X3, not even X5. These units almost scream to me “You didn’t have enough money for the Laserlight option.” I know they’re slimmer and probably a little bit better than what was on the previous generation, but to me, it seems that BMW is attempting a shot at some kind of minimalism and it’s not working in its favor.

I sure hope we’ll be able to tell the all-new X5 apart from the refreshed X1 at night. Otherwise, it’ll be pretty weird for some buyers that spend more for the bigger SAV and get no recognition for their effort.

The headlamp design truly seems like an uninspired move because it also reminds me of BMW slowly giving up on the “angel eyes” design which many customers and fans still have fond memories of.

When looking at the recently replaced X5 and then at the new one, it almost tells us that the imposing look is a thing of the past. Now, a restrained light signature is what dominates the front side view.

However, the taillights look better and hint at proper progress. There are no weird or out-of-place shapes, the housing isn’t some crazy minimalistic thing, and the overall aspect is truly saying “Hey, look. I’m something new!” The first true leak we’ve seen was a tad bit worrying because it was made at a weird angle. Now we know that these new units look nice and even intriguing. As you move from one corner of the SAV to another, the perception changes and the taillights look different based on the watcher’s perspective. It’s truly an interesting and quirky design, one that fits the X5.

This questionable evolution, dare I say it, proves that my theory about BMW having two design teams that do not speak to each other stands. Of course, until we learn otherwise. The X5’s overall shape and aspect make me think about the double-sided tape – both parts are useful, but most people only rely on one side to stick to a certain surface.

Just look at the iX or the X7.

The headlamps have a weird, almost out-of-place design, while the taillights look great and complement the overall proportions of both vehicles. It’s certainly a strategy because we’ve seen BMW doing similar experimental stuff with the M versions of its vehicles. The current-generation M3 (G80) gets a vertical double kidney grille, while the 330i (G20) gets to enjoy the horizontal design we all know and like. The same can be said about the 4 Series. It’s a pattern.

But does BMW deserve heavy criticism for this? Mostly no. The Bavarians have a great portfolio of vehicles that come with many powertrains. This carmaker is one of the few brands out there that try some diversifying before the battery-electric vehicles take over and automakers will fight over who has the best external speakers. Remember when people were laughing at the i8 for having a sound system for its exhaust? They were ahead of their time with that one.

Plus, let's not forget that BMW's cars have lately looked better in reality than in photos. So, let's just not pass judgment yet.

Let’s spec a 2024 BMW X5 LCI

Because the U.S. platform is not up at the time of writing, we’re going to use the British version. However, instead of picking a diesel that’s not being sold in America, we’re going to start our configuration process with a base-spec X5 xDrive50e. Yes, the plug-in hybrid. And we’re off with a starting price of £79,265 ($95,631) with VAT included. Not a very good start considering the facelifted SAV costs £7,885 ($9,512) more than its predecessor.

And that’s where we stop. The vehicle is too new and it looks like the web team didn’t have enough time on their hands to finish the new configurator. We’re forced to continue our build with the X5 xDrive30d. Yes, the diesel... It’s just an experiment, so it’s still good that we can at least see what to expect in terms of cost.

We added the M Sport trim so we can avoid the plastic cladding, the beautiful Ametrin metallic color, 20-inch wheels instead of the suggested 22s for increased ride comfort, and the coffee-over-black Merino leather for an interior that’s neither bland nor plain black. This last action also meant we had to pick between the Comfort and Comfort Plus packs, and we chose the latter. The Fine Black wood trim works incredibly nicely with the cabin’s vibe and it is a no-cost option.

Unfortunately, BMW decided to group a couple of cool options, which meant we couldn’t pick Extended Shadowline because it would’ve forced us to get bigger wheels. However, we still added a couple of nifty things. You’ll be able to see them in the .PDF attached at the end of the article.

The cost of our build amounted to £92,535 ($111,641). In this day and age, it almost feels wrong to pay this much for a diesel-powered vehicle. However, this one is not an ordinary SAV. It’s a brand-new BMW X5 facelift, built (almost) according to our preferences. So, it might be worth the hassle.

It would’ve been interesting to see how much more expensive the PHEV option could get, but we’ll leave it for another occasion.

Finally, we took advantage of BMW USA not updating their configurator. We built a pre-LCI X5 with everything that makes this SAV look cool and feel great. When the new vehicle is online, we’ll do the same and compare the specs to figure out what’s new, what has been left out, and how much more expensive “The Boss” is going to be in America.

Until then, don’t forget to check out our full configuration by accessing the .PDF file down below. Don’t hesitate to critique us in the comments as well! We’re reading everything.

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The photo that confused me.