BMW isn’t exactly being subtle about what comes next. A heavily camouflaged prototype of the fifth-generation BMW X5, internal code G65, has been spotted testing near Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey—just minutes from BMW’s North American headquarters. Given how busy BMW’s test fleet has been lately, the timing feels deliberate. In the past few days alone, spy photographers have caught everything from an electric M3 charging at the Nürburgring to this next-gen X5 circulating close to home base.
Even beneath the swirled camouflage, the G65 X5’s design direction is clear. The front end unmistakably channels BMW’s Neue Klasse design language, closely mirroring what we’ve already seen on the upcoming iX3. It’s a cleaner, more architectural look, and—depending on your tolerance for recent BMW styling—a welcome reset.
The kidney grille is a key tell. The G65 adopts a retro-inspired, vertical kidney design tailored specifically for SUVs. BMW has already confirmed that horizontal kidney treatments will be reserved for lower, non-SUV models like the upcoming i3 sedan, where the grille and headlights visually merge in a way that recalls the Vision Neue Klasse concept. Larger vehicles such as the X5, X7, and 7 Series will keep more pronounced grille elements, though with far more restraint than today’s designs.
From the side, the G65 doesn’t look revolutionary at first glance—but the details tell a different story. Traditional door handles are gone. In their place are small winglet-style tabs integrated into the beltline, similar to what BMW previewed on the Skytop and Speedtop concepts. The implication is hard to miss: electrically operated doors.
It’s a subtle change, but an important one. This approach fits neatly with BMW’s push for smoother surfacing and better aerodynamics, and it shows how deeply Neue Klasse philosophy is influencing even BMW’s most mainstream, high-volume SUVs.
Out back, the camouflage offers a clearer look at the lighting signature. The taillights are wider and nearly meet at the center of the tailgate, interrupted only by a revised BMW roundel similar to the one debuting on the iX3. At the outer edges, the lights feature inverted V-shaped elements that evoke mountain ridgelines—an on-the-nose but effective SUV motif. A sporty roof spoiler with vertical fins peeks out above, hinting at a more performance-oriented stance across the lineup.
There’s also a black horizontal strip running across the tailgate, which is likely doing some visual misdirection. All signs point to BMW ditching the X5’s split-opening rear hatch for the G65, and this trim piece may be helping disguise that change on test mules.
Production of the G65 X5 isn’t scheduled to begin until October 2026, with a full reveal expected sometime in spring or summer of that year. When it arrives, it will be one of the most technically diverse vehicles BMW has ever built. For the first time, the X5 will be offered with five different drivetrains:
- Gasoline
- Diesel
- Plug-in hybrid
- Battery-electric (iX5)
- Hydrogen fuel cell (iX5 Hydrogen)
The hydrogen variant, co-developed with Toyota, has already been teased by BMW and is expected to reach customers around 2028. It may wear the name iX5 60H xDrive, though that designation hasn’t been officially confirmed.
BMW M will also have a major presence in the G65 lineup. The full-fat X5 M is expected to retain its V-8 engine—at least in non-EU markets—while an all-electric X5 M remains in development for later in the decade.
On the M Performance side, three variants are rumored to be in the pipeline:
- X5 M60e (plug-in hybrid)
- X5 M60 (gasoline V-8)
- iX5 M70 xDrive (fully electric)
Before the performance models arrive, BMW will roll out the G65 with more familiar offerings, including 40 xDrive gasoline and 40d xDrive diesel variants when production begins in October 2026. The plug-in hybrid is expected to follow shortly after.
If this prototype is any indication, the next-generation X5 won’t just be an evolution of BMW’s bestselling SUV—it’ll be a rolling manifesto for where the brand is headed next.
Source: BMW Blog; Photo: Greg Saperstein
