BMW X5 Rental
The BMW X5 M is a five-seat SUV built around a 617 horsepower V8 and a split tailgate.
Overview
The BMW X5 M puts 617 horsepower and a twin turbo V8 into a five seat SUV with a split tailgate, the only M car in the range built to carry cargo as well as passengers. Renters book it when the group and the luggage come along too, and pick it over the X6 M for the taller cargo floor and a tailgate that keeps golf bags from sliding out.
How It Drives
The X5 M feels tall and heavy but docile, then a burst of electric torque off the line sends nearly 5,500 lb to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The ride is firm in every mode, the one clear trade for how flat it corners, and it handles the school run and the fast lane in the same week.
Who Rents It
The BMW X5 M is booked by a family or group that wants the M car experience without leaving anyone or anything behind. It carries five people, a real cargo area behind the rear seats, and a split tailgate that keeps groceries or golf bags from sliding out during a fast pull away. It also suits a renter who already owns or wants an M sedan or coupe and needs to bring more people or luggage on a specific trip. Compared with the X6 M, renters choose the X5 M when the tailgate and the taller cargo floor matter more than the lower, sportier roofline.
Trim Breakdown
BMW's X5 M family runs from two M Performance grades up to the full M car, which is now sold only in Competition form. We run the X5 M Competition at the top of that ladder.
X5 M50i
The BMW X5 M50i makes 523 hp from a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8 and sits one rung under the full M car. It uses a softer air suspension tune, standard comfort seats and a quieter exhaust, and it carries M Performance badging rather than M hardware. A renter would read it as a fast family SUV rather than a performance car. We do not run it.
X5 M60i
The BMW X5 M60i replaced the M50i with a newer twin-turbo V8 and a 48 volt mild-hybrid starter-generator, still rated 523 hp but with more torque low in the range and smoother stop-start at traffic lights. It keeps the softer suspension tune and the comfort-first cabin of the M Performance grade rather than the M car's bracing. We do not run it either.
X5 M
The BMW X5 M in base form made 591 hp and brought the M-specific suspension, brakes and rear differential the M Performance cars do not get. It rode firmer than the M60i and softer than the Competition, which made it the sensible middle of the M range. BMW dropped it, so there is no lower M grade offered now. We do not run it.
X5 M Competition
The BMW X5 M Competition makes 617 hp and is the version we run. A renter gets 5 real seats, a split tailgate and a ride that stays firm in every drive mode, which is the honest trade for the hardware underneath. The brake pedal has Comfort and Sport settings and the steering offers two selectable weights, which changes how the SUV feels at parking speed against a canyon road. A 48 volt starter-generator makes stop-start at traffic lights nearly impossible to feel, a small detail a renter picks up within the first few stops.
Frequently Asked Questions
