The next big SUV refresh from Spartanburg is the 2023 BMW X5 Facelift. The lifecycle impulse of the popular crossover arrives just months after a major X7 redesign. But compared to the seven seater luxury SUV, the X5 Facelift will take a mild approach. And some the BMW fans and owners will be pleased to hear that the split headlights are not part of the refresh package. It’s fairly obvious the camouflaged prototypes still have the one-piece headlights, possibly slimmer, and the kidney grille is not necessarily any bigger than it is today on the M50i. It will however borrow the new quad exhaust tip design of the X7 M60i. With real M Division mirrors and quad exhausts, M Performance cars are going to be nearly indistinguishable from proper M cars in the future.
Judging by these latest spy photos, the 2023 BMW X5 Facelift will get sharper headlights, slightly bolder kidney grilles and new graphics for the taillights. The lights have a more overall modern look than the current ones. They’re also closer in style to those we saw in recent spy photos of the next-gen 5 Series. The front and rear bumpers will be refreshed, on both regular and non-M Performance models.
Significant Upgrades in the Cabin
While the changes on the outside will be evolutionary, the tweaks inside are set to be revolutionary. The BMW X5 is one of the remaining models in line to get the iDrive 8, which as we’ve seen in recent BMWs, will simplify the center console by absorbing most of the controls into the touchscreen. There will be a toggle switch shifter and naturally a large curved display. We also expect additional trim and leather options.
The prototype seen below is an X5 xDrive45e, one of the best selling crossovers today. In the current generation, the BMW X5 uses the B58 inline-six, paired with an electric motor. The result is a combined power output of 389 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 5.3 seconds. The B58 powerplant received recently a bump in power, so it remains to be seen whether the power input will increase in the new 2023 BMW X5 xDrive45e.
You’d likely think that with the extra hybrid tech, the X5 xDrive45e would be drastically more expensive than pure internal-combustion X5s but it’s not. With a starting price of $66,695 (after $995 destination), it’s only $1,800 more than the X5 xDrive40i ($64,895 after destination). The only real downside to the hybrid X5 is weight. The BMW X5 xDrive45e is more than 700 lbs heavier than the purely gasoline-powered X5 xDrive40i.
The 2023 BMW X5 is expected to start its production in Spring 2023 at the usual plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
[Photos: instagram.com/wilcoblok]
