BMW X5 XDrive 45e - Bury The Pedal - TestDrive | Everyday Driver

Is the BMW X5 XDrive 45e a worthy hybrid, whether in driving feel or utility? The guys speculate if it's just good for now or long-term, but aren't about to feather the throttle while determining if it lives up to BMW's heritage.

#BMW #bmwx5xdrive45e #x5xdrive45e #bmwhybrid #hybridsuv #hybrid

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[osnaswb]

This is one of the worst reviews of this vehicle I have seen.

[jpflo]

I disagree with your comments on there being a such small audience for this vehicle. And BMW sales numbers would bear that out...they are difficult to get, dealers can't keep them in inventory. FWIW, I've owned one for 2 months...this is my 4th BMW and my favorite so far. It does everything very well...good fuel economy, premium feel, tons of power, utility and the tax credit makes it a better deal than the 40i. The only sacrifice vs a 40i is lack of 3rd row (which is unusable anyway, imho) and an ever so slightly smaller rear storage area (to make room for the battery). And compared to the Volvo...well, no comparison. Talk about boring. And having test driven both, way less powerful.

[janetmitchell]

I think you guys are a bit off on this review. We have this car and it's a brilliant luxury SUV that is luxurious, quiet, and has the advantage of going electric or gas. It does require a commitment to charge it and you really need a level 2 charger to fully use the electric power and the charging speed is pitiful compared to our Tesla. I watched several reviews of testers that tested the X5 45E versus the Volvo equivalent and most all prefer this X5. For me, the inline 6 is reason enough to choose the X5 over the 4-cylinder Volvo. We ordered ours exactly how we wanted it and it came to about $66K after factoring in the federal tax credit, actually cheaper than getting the exact same spec'd X5 40I. For the money, it's a brilliant value.

I generally enjoy your reviews but this one was a miss in my opinion because you haven't connected with the type of buyer this car will make very happy.

[msuomal]

This is probably the strangest X5 45e review I’ve seen. I own a Volvo T8 phev and have recently driven the X5 45e which is probably going to be my next car. It is a better car in every imaginable factor. Claiming that the Volvo XC60/90 ”is a better drive” than the BMW is one of the oddest things here. Put a little speed to a corner and you really don’t feel comfortable in my Volvo (R-Design spec). The same speed with the BMW and you don’t notice anything, it is planted to the road. Maybe it’s because the BMW is so much quieter and refined that you feel like going faster in the Volvo. The engine sound in the 3.0l six cylinder BMW is awesome and in the Volvo the four cylinder 2.0 engine sounds very strained and harsh even on low revs. When you floor it, the sound is louder than any diesel I’ve owned.

I get a usable electric range of 35km from the Volvo but around 70km from the X5 (EU spec). You can easily do your daily commutes on e-power only. The Volvo is a front wheel driven car with ”aid” from the e-motor on the back wheels. On slippery days it’s impossible to drive on electric mode because if the rear wheels spin even a little bit it will fire up the engine to start pulling with the front wheels. Totally unusable in winter driving, snow and icy roads. The BMW is 4wd also on electric only as mentioned in the video. The electric power is sufficient in the BMW to keep up with normal traffic on shorter commutes. It’s actually better than the numbers make you think cause the e-motor can use the transmission unlike in the Volvo where the underpowered 83hp rear wheel motor is quite useless on its own (latest models have more power but the concepts is still bad, can’t change that).

They also say the Volvo has more power but that is not how the cars feel. The Volvo under acceleration is nervous and does not feel confident since the front wheels are delivering 80% of the power. The steering wheel keeps pulling your hands. The BMW has a rear wheel bias 60-40 front split on the xDrive system and under heavy acceleration you can basically remove your hands from the steering wheel and it still goes like on rails.

The infotainment is lightyears ahead in the BMW. The Volvo system is filled with unusable small touch screen texts to click and it is just a pain to use. On the BMW you have multiple ways to interact with the system and choose which is best for the situation you are in. The cruise control on the Volvo does not work and in downhill you may go 9km/h over the set limit. In the BMW it never goes above more than 1-2km/h.

I could go on, the list is long but I think you get the point. I’m never buying a Volvo again. Watch other X5 45e reviews. This is an odd one, even though I like the way it’s done.

[peterauge]

Well, after a test ride in both, I strongly disagree that the Volvo XV90 feels more powerful. With loaded battery both feel similar to me but with empty battery, the Volvo with its 2.0 4-Cylinder has no chance against the 3.0 straight six in the BMW. Also the BMW has the better pure electric range and the iDrive system is benchmark while you get lost in the Volvo. The only thing the Volvo can beat the BMW in my eyes is exterieur design. Anyway, I ordered the BMW and looking forward to get it .... sometime. Btw: I always smile when US people complain about the price tag of USD 81k. I equipped my X5 hybrid well but not fully loaded and it´s Euro 110, 450 here in Germany. That´s USD 125, 300 :-(

[iliketodrive]

I got one and absolutely love it, I have to respectfully disagree with parts of this review. It feels much more powerful than the XC90 which I also test drove. Volve simply adds gas and electric HP, and it doesn't work that way IRL. Additionally, BMW also remains conservative of their HP figures, and honestly the B58 in this car feels every bit as powerful as the one in the 40i, so I wonder if there's a little downplaying there to keep the 40i owners placated. The 40i is amazing to drive, but this is just simply phenomenal. Additionally, my commute (like most folks) is under 15 miles each way. I can make the entire commute without using gas, so I fill up the tank about once a month, if even that. So in the case of saving gas, you absolutely do save gas. And don't let the slow electric car comment fool you. It feels plenty fast in electric mode for keeping up with traffic. And when you bury the throttle, hold on to you hat. The Jekkyl and Hyde nature of this car is so appealing and fun. Absolutely love it. Get one if you can find one.

[Areku]

Just go for 40i, I disagree on Volvo XC90, interior is far better on x5. Also inline six on X5 is the best in the business, 2.0t turbo on xc90 can’t compete. 45e if you don’t get fully loaded is good value with 7500 credit. I think this is the first bad review on 45e I’ve seen, most people seem love this thing. It’s best execution of plug-in suv, best inline six combined with large battery, what’s not to like?

[eddysenesael]

I have one and think it is a fantastic very comfortable car, my best BMW ever and I drive 80000 km a year !

[LafemmebearMusic]

I own this vehicle got the tax credit, and I plug it in every night. If you’re good, you can get 30mpg promise. I regularly do road trips and pull 550 miles... 75 mph to 80mph. Also... this thing should not be able to do what it does in sport mode on back roads omg it’s amazing. I’ve shocked passengers on how well it handles. I drove the M at bmw track day obviously better, it’s very clearly the same car tho so far it really is an amazing vehicle. I also raise it up to 10inches of ground clearance and drive it DAILY on a farm. It does it all. I gotta disagree as an owner of this vehicle.

[smithjohn]

I really want one of these. I think the X5 is the classiest looking SUV on the current car market. On top of that, it has the performance, luxury and reliability of a modern BMW.

[dgdave]

As an ex Volvo XC90 ( 2018-2021) owner, I just don’t agree to what these guys say at all. The Volvo was good but after driving this 45e, there is no comparison honestly. Everything is better on the BMW, though I like the Volvo exterior styling a smidge better. These two clowns have no effin clue what they are reviewing.

[bpundit]

People often miss one key point about BMW PHEV. BMW has a battery control button where you could charge up the battery while you are driving in gasoline mode. This works well especially when taking a road trip or driving on a highway. Once the battery is charged to 100%; you could switch back to electric only coasting on the highway or Eco mode where you might use both. This is how BMW PHEV intend it to be. Without using the battery, you are just hauling the dead battery weight around which drain the gas even more comparing to gasoline version.

[photozombies]

I love this car. I drive it electric, hybrid, sport, whatever. I love the power. Yes this is my 5th Bmw so I’m obviously a bmw driver. We wanted an suv, and I think it’s fun to drive, . It’s not my convertible but that won’t hold my dogs and groceries while hitting 60 up the mountain in just few seconds. Gas for fun, electric for the puttering. I have 220 in the garage so plugging in is no brainer.

[ToeTag]

I think the part of the discussion where you talk about it being difficult for the whole world to go fully electric by 2030 is spot on. The reality is, we still use fossil fuels to bring electricity to our homes and it will take the equivalent of installing 2-3 refrigerators in every home power-wise to keep our cars charged. Our current electrical grid isn't ready for that sort of consumption and I doubt the tech will be there to replace it. A plug-in hybrid is a nice middle ground in terms of doing what you can and being realistic. The improved gas mileage doesn't make you feel guilty on long road trips and the plug-in should suffice for getting around town every couple of days between charges.

[MikeB-jzmh]

Confusing review and unfortunate. The knock on the "driving feel" because of the Level 2 autonomous driving and vehicle weight because of the battery is silly. And thank you Captain Obvious. People who are buying the X5 45E are interested in the EV hybrid capability. The Volvo is slower, less responsive, less range, and all around worse. Seems like you were purposefully trying to be snarky against BMWs.

[ryanolson]

Going to pick mine up this week so I have no comments about the car itself but I wanted to point out why we bought it.
All electric in rural SD is too scary to drive over 200 miles with no charging but still do a lot of in town driving. 30-40 miles is reasonable vs the Volvo. You get hung up on the price but if you just take the tax credit off the price it’s far cheaper than the 40i. If you use the electric side half the time for say in town driving it’s far cheaper than the 40i.
I don’t think anyone is buying this thinking they are getting a sports car.
It’s a hybrid in more ways than one.
According to my dealer the order slots filled up extremely quick so the demand is clearly there. With $5 plus gas I think it’s going to be one of the most desirable on the market.

[geoffreywightman]

Volvo "reliability" vs. the BWM B58 engine....Sorry, no contest.

[nicklevin]

I can’t believe these guys don’t understand that 30 miles on electric means most who buy will rarely use gas but can go on a 500 mile road trip without any route charger planning or range anxiety. And it’s not $80k unless it’s fully loaded. With plenty of options and luxury it’s $72k and then you get the tax credit so for most it’s a $65k luxury suv that commutes as an EV and road trips as an ice. It absolutely fits a huge need in the market. Surprisingly bad review that does not seem to get it.

[Mmgc]

Not sure why the emphasis on 81k. My spec is $68k with premium leather, parking assist and vent/heated seats. Doesnt 68k make a lot more sense for the x5 x45e?

[sandeepvenigalla]

What ? Volvo XC90 is better to drive ? Wow. I traded in XC90 for X5 45e. BMW is much better at handling. Drove XC90 for more than 10000 miles