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2026 BMW X5: The Neue Klasse Era Comes for Bavaria’s Favorite SUV

Say what you will about BMW’s current design philosophy—love it, hate it, or tolerate it like a too-loud neighbor—but it’s hard to accuse Munich’s stylists of copying and pasting. The 5 Series doesn’t just look like a supersized 3er, and the X3 has enough individuality to avoid being dismissed as a bloated X1. But as BMW ramps up for its next big transformation, that visual diversity may be in jeopardy.

By the end of 2027, BMW plans to unleash around 40 Neue Klasse–based models, and early prototypes hint at a more unified design language. The next-generation X5, internally coded G65, appears to be one of the first to adopt this family resemblance.

A Familiar Face with New Tricks

Spy shots show a shape that recalls the iX3, albeit enlarged by about 20 percent. The camouflage is thick, though, and BMW’s prototype teams have gotten creative with fake body panels and decoy lighting. Still, digital artists have tried to pierce the disguise, with renderings that suggest a cleaner, more geometric X5 than before.

One detail we can confirm: the door handles are gone—or rather, absorbed. BMW’s sleek new “winglet” handles, first seen on the Skytop and Speedtop concepts, are integrated directly into the beltline. The G65 X5 will be the first production BMW to feature them, ahead of the upcoming G67 X7.

The Grille Debate Continues

The front end hides another notable shift. The X5’s grille will reportedly stand taller and more upright, adopting the iX3’s vertical kidney layout rather than the wide, horizontal treatment planned for sedan models like next year’s i3. Both directions were previewed by BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse concepts—one for SUVs, one for cars—meaning we’re entering an era where grille orientation will actually tell you what kind of BMW you’re looking at.

At the rear, there’s some intrigue over the tailgate. A recent rendering suggests the familiar split setup will return, but word from Munich whispers otherwise: the G65 might be the first X5 to switch to a one-piece hatch. We’re hoping that rumor is just the engineers stirring the pot—after all, the clamshell tailgate is one of the X5’s most useful (and beloved) features.

Inside the Neue Klasse

If the exterior tweaks are evolutionary, the cabin will mark a clear break from the past. Expect the iDrive X system to make its SUV debut here, complete with the Panoramic Vision windshield display that projects key info across the base of the glass. The traditional rotary controller is reportedly gone, a decision sure to divide longtime BMW loyalists. And while the minimalist interior will echo the iX3’s, sources suggest the X5 will get its own dash design to maintain some separation within the lineup.

Coming Summer 2026

Production of the new X5 is slated to begin in August 2026, putting a reveal in late spring or early summer. Whether it turns out to be a scaled-up iX3 or something more daring, expect BMW’s fanbase to do what it does best: argue about grilles, buttons, and whether this still feels like a proper driver’s SUV.

Because no matter how streamlined the Neue Klasse becomes, some things about BMW never change—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Source: kelsonik via Instagram

NEW CARS

Hydrogen-Powered BMW X5 to Join the Lineup in 2028

BMW has never been shy about hedging its bets when it comes to future propulsion. While rivals charge headlong into battery-only electrification, Munich is keeping every card on the table—petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, EV, and now, hydrogen. In 2028, the X5 will officially gain a fuel-cell variant, marking the brand’s first hydrogen-powered model to be offered to paying customers.

The move builds on BMW’s iX5 Hydrogen pilot fleet, which has quietly been logging miles since 2023. Those vehicles, strictly used for testing and development, ran a Toyota-supplied second-generation fuel-cell stack paired with BMW’s own integration. With a combined 396 horsepower and a WLTP range of 313 miles, it was a promising appetizer. The main course arrives in four years, powered by BMW’s third-generation system.

Smaller, Stronger, Smarter

The new setup, developed once again with Toyota, is said to be 25 percent smaller than the iX5 Hydrogen’s unit but offers more power density and greater efficiency. BMW says it’s modular by design, meaning it can scale across multiple vehicle platforms. Production of the stacks will take place in Steyr, Austria, while other key components—like a new hydrogen-specific high-voltage brain dubbed the BMW Energy Master—will be built in Landshut, Germany.

Prototypes are already being pieced together at Dingolfing, with BMW board member for development Joachim Post promising “improved range, higher output, and significantly greater efficiency” compared with the current pilot fleet. Translation: expect more horsepower and more miles between fill-ups from the new X5 Hydrogen.

A Limited-Run Experiment

BMW won’t flood showrooms with this one. Sales will be limited to markets where hydrogen refueling infrastructure actually exists—a caveat that should temper any expectations of wide availability. That said, the X5 Hydrogen represents an important milestone: BMW’s first commercial hydrogen passenger vehicle after decades of dabbling.

A New-Gen X5, A New Look Inside

The hydrogen variant will ride on the upcoming fifth-generation X5, codenamed G65, which itself is due in 2026. Early prototypes reveal styling cues lifted from the next iX3, including sleeker lines and a more aggressive stance. Inside, the transformation is more radical. Out goes the familiar instrument cluster and the long-serving iDrive rotary controller. In their place: a panoramic projected display, a 17.9-inch widescreen central interface, and full reliance on voice and touch inputs.

The Long Game

BMW’s hydrogen strategy may seem contrarian in today’s EV-hungry market, but it’s a deliberate hedge. The company insists that hydrogen fuel cells can coexist with battery EVs, especially for long-distance and heavy-use scenarios. With Toyota as a partner and a modular system capable of scaling across platforms, the upcoming X5 Hydrogen is less a one-off experiment and more a test case for a wider rollout down the road.

The future of hydrogen cars remains uncertain. But BMW, never one to ignore an engineering challenge, is betting there’s room for both plugs and pumps. In 2028, the X5 will let customers decide.

Source: BMW

NEW CARS

2027 BMW X5 Caught Howling at the Nürburgring

The BMW X5 has always been the sensible SUV that somehow manages to wear its gym shorts under a three-piece suit. But now, the 2027 G65-generation X5 has been caught storming the Nürburgring, and if the spy footage is anything to go by, Munich isn’t planning to slow things down.

Camouflaged like a German trying to sunbathe incognito in Majorca, the test mule doesn’t reveal much in terms of styling—but it’s what’s hiding under the bonnet (and behind those quad tailpipes) that’s got us grinning like a M4 driver who’s just discovered an empty autobahn.

At the 0:39 mark, you hear it. That unmistakable B58 inline-six howl—raspier than a smoker’s cough after Oktoberfest—suggesting this could be a spicier performance trim. BMW’s already rumored to be cooking up multiple fast X5s, so this prototype could be a sneak peek at one of them. Or maybe the engineers simply fitted an exhaust so loud it could rattle the Weißwurst off a Bavarian breakfast table. Either way, it sounds delicious.

Fast forward to 2:33, and things really get interesting. The same prototype family barrels past the lens with quad pipes and a soundtrack that only a twin-turbo V8 can produce. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the mighty V8 lives on. And it sounds angry—like it’s been told the electric iX gets more marketing budget.

Visually, you’ll need to squint hard. The bumper design seems tweaked, the rear spoiler maybe a fraction different—but it could all be camouflage trickery. What we do know is that both these test mules are PHEVs, as proven by the charging flap on the flank. But if this is what hybridisation sounds like, sign us up.

Remember, the X5 isn’t just any BMW—it’s the best-seller, the family golden child. So the G65 has a big job ahead of it: replace the G05 and eventually stand shoulder to shoulder with the all-electric iX. Production kicks off in Q3 2026, which gives BMW just enough time to finish torturing these SUVs around the ’Ring before handing us the keys.

Until then, watch the footage, turn the volume up, and enjoy the sound of Bavaria reminding the world that hybrids don’t have to be boring.

Source: BMW; Photos: CarSpyMedia