• X5 won’t be the cheapest car to run
• Diesels offer best economy
• Plug-in not far behind, even with a flat battery

What are the running costs?

There won’t be an X5 that’s truly cheap to run. The petrol will be costly to run thanks to high fuel consumption. If you’re doing shorter distances most of the time, then it might be worth a look as the costs will be easier to stomach. The M60i is the thirstiest in the range, so don’t expect great things if you make the most of that 530hp engine under the bonnet, with mid-twenties likely to be the best you’ll see if you’re careful. CO2 emissions aren’t too bad in the grand scheme of things, though.

Things are better with the diesel options in terms of fuel economy for those driving more varied routes day-to-day. The pre-update xDrive30d returned between 30-34mpg in real-world testing. We’d expect a little more from the new mild hybrid engine, with the 40d a little worse.

Go for the plug-in hybrid xDrive50e and BMW claims it’ll do up to around 350mpg, but there’s a catch. You need to be plugging the car in regularly and using it just on battery power all the time to get anywhere near that number. However, even with a flat battery we managed nearly 35mpg on a long run, significantly better than the old 45e and around what the old diesel would get.

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What’s most impressive on the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid is the ability to drive on e-power alone; it is capable of wafting silently along at motorway speeds and if you can charge up overnight easily at home, and often do shorter trips day-to-day, it’s well worth considering. Just be sure that you’re charging up on an EV-specific home energy tariff – at standard costs, or while using public charging, you won’t see any cost saving at all and actually might spend more than you would on petrol.

View detailed mpg and CO2 figures on our BMW X5 specs pages

Servicing and warranty

BMW has 150 dealers in the UK with most towns and cities being covered. Customer service is generally rated highly in industry surveys such as those conducted by JD Power.

BMW servicing isn’t based on mileage, but on condition – the car will tell you when it needs a service. Service plans are available to help manage the cost. How much you pay depends on the model.

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All BMWs are covered by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, which is starting to look a little mean in comparison with some manufacturers, who are offering up to 10 years’ worth of manufacturer support. That’s usually the case with cheaper competition, though, and BMW’s warranty matches its premium rivals.

Reliability

• BMW has a mediocre reputation for reliability
• The X5 looks and feels high quality and well built
• Two recalls for 2018 models, but only affected a handful of cars

BMWs tend to have impressive quality, but that’s not always reflected in the overall reliability for the product – and the latest X5 shouldn’t prove to be any different. After all, it shares an awful lot with other members of the BMW family including infotainment and the powertrain.

There have been two recalls affecting cars built in 2018, but each one affects fewer than 20 cars in each case, so there’s little to worry about if you’re buying new. We’d keep an eye on the car’s media system for software updates. Even so, the X5 has received plenty of praise in our owner reviews section.