BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport review: This five-door SUV is so tough even a storm couldn’t knock it off its stride

The latest BMW X5 is bigger than ever and the mid-life upgrades are noticeable. Long gone are the days when a manufacturer could introduce a face-lifted car with a simple tweak here and there.

The plug-in hybrid version boasts a larger battery and increased range. Customer choice is simple, as there is just a single trim level to pick from, called M Sport.

While the X5 seems to have been around forever and has just celebrated its 26^th birthday, it has moved with the times. It still looks as imposing as it did back in 1999 and still stands out from the crowd in a car park.

We took our BMW X5 on an extensive road route that normally wouldn’t be too demanding for a chunky SUV. But Mother Nature decided to throw Storm Claudia with all her might in our direction. Roads quickly became flooded and there were exceptionally strong winds, but our sturdy BMW didn’t waver once.

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Independent rating: 8/10

Powering the BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport is a 3.0-litre, straight-six petrol engine and a 25.7kWh battery. With a total output of 482bhp and 700Nm of torque, it will come as little surprise to know it has some gusto. The 0-62mph sprint can be ticked off in just 4.8 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155mph (87mph in EV mode).

There is instant power for a quick turn of pace to join a motorway or overtake slower-moving vehicles, and this car will sit effortlessly at 70mph, although keep an eye on that speedo as it has so much left in the tank.

Despite its SUV styling with high sides, the X5 is remarkably well balanced on winding country roads, with bundles of grip and minimal body sway no matter how enthusiastically corners are taken.

It definitely has a softer side for those times when you want to calm it all down, though. The cabin is beautifully hushed, the suspension set-up somehow manages to smooth out our pothole-ridden roads and the comfort levels are sublime.

Drive modes called Electric, Hybrid and Sport alter the handling and dynamics – no prizes for which is the most fun, and there are paddles to change gears manually for added driver engagement. That said, the eight-speed automatic gearbox times changes beautifully when left to its own devices – and top marks should be given to the steering, which is perfectly weighted with ample driver feedback.

The EV-only range of 62 miles should easily cope with the average daily commute and then there is that powerful petrol engine that cuts in seamlessly.

Charging the X5’s 25.7Wh battery from 0-100 per cent with a 7.4kW home charger takes four hours and 15 minutes.

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The BMW X5 certainly has a strong road presence stretching almost five metres in length, two metres across and 1.75 metres in height. But it’s the three-metre wheelbase that gives this car such a large cabin area. And that’s great news for passengers, with oodles of room for four adults to sit comfortably or five at a bit of a squeeze. The front seats are powered, heated and ventilated, and offer a massage function, plus the elevated seating results in excellent all-round diver visibility – a plus point on a car likely to tackle the dreaded school run.

The interior of the latest BMW X5 is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Yes, it’s packed with high-end fixtures and fittings, and the sumptuous upholstery is crafted from the finest leather. But it’s the over-complicated infotainment set-up that started to really niggle me during my week-long loan. There is a practical rotary dial to navigate the many on-board features, but it’s all a little too much of a faff. I seemed to spend ages trying to de-mist the front screen without blasting other passengers out their seats; the simple things in life just aren’t simple in this car.

But gripe over, the boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and it’s absolutely huge. If you’re planning on moving home, this is the car for you! It can swallow 500 litres of kit with all the seats up, or a massive 1,720 litres with the split-folding rear seats lowered. The split-tailgate is a handy feature, since the top half can be opened separately when you jut need to drop a bag in (and not give the dog an opportunity to leap out). Elsewhere, there are numerous handy storage options scattered throughout the cabin, including a glovebox that locks, central cubby, wide door bins with room for bottles, seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders, a wireless charging pad and some trays.

With family adventures in mind, the all-wheel drive X5 can tow a braked caravan weighing up to 2.7 tonnes.

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The main focal point as you get behind the wheel is the large, curved display that houses both a 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, alongside a 12.3-inch driver display. They look really upmarket with sharp graphics but, for me, it’s all too touchscreen dependent. Accessing the seat heaters takes at least two prods and I’ve already mentioned the difficulties I had clearing the screen.

There is a wealth of on-board technology to explore and the rotary dial and shortcuts work well, but to be honest I couldn’t wait to set up Apple CarPlay and Spotify for a more familiar layout. Special mention to the pitch-perfect Harman Kardon sound system though, which really was a treat – albeit only available by upgrading to the £6,000 Technology Pack.

Creature comforts are plentiful, if you can find them, and include sat nav, DAB radio, the upgraded sound system, ambient lighting, Bluetooth, and lots more besides. Additionally, there is an excellent voice assistant that can help with numerous functions – and save you front digging through the touchscreen to find them. I found this can help with heating the cabin, turning on the ventilated seats and de-misting the screen – we were on first name terms by the end of the week.

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With just one version of the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid on offer, the pricing structure couldn’t be simpler. Our test car cost £82,255, but as is the premium car manufacturer way, the list of options are seemingly endless – and at a hefty price, of course. As tested here, and with several packs of optional extras added on, the car cost £99,813 – that’s more than my first house cost (a lot more).

Owners can claw back some savings though, especially if in the fleet market because the carbon emissions figure of 21g/km results in an attractive nine per cent Benefit in Kind tax rating. Although the official WLTP-tested fuel efficiency figure tops the 280mpg mark, that could only be achieved if the car’s 62 electric mile range was maximised to the full and the battery topped up regularly.

The first-year road tax bill will be £110, increasing to the standard fee of £195 after 12 months. But, as the X5 exceeds the government’s Expensive Car Supplement threshold of £40k, owners will need to find an additional £425 annually from years two to six. The X5 PHEV, as tested, sits in insurance group 49.

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The 25.7kWh battery can be charged from zero to 100 per cent in 14 hours using a standard three-pin wall socket. This is cut to about four hours when using a 7.4kWh wallbox, or just under three hours with an 11kW charger. Your home will need three-phase wiring to install an 11 kW charger, though.

One glance in the direction of this BMW and you know it won’t be cheap. There is just the single plug-in hybrid version of the X5 and it starts at £82,255. Before any optional extra are factored in, of course.

The BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport comes with a standard three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, however the battery is covered for six years or 60,000 miles – whichever comes first.

Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest electric cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.

With the battering of gale force winds and torrential rain, the BMW X5 proved its absolute worth. The elevated driving position, something we often take for granted in an SUV, was hugely beneficial in dreadful driving conditions with water-logged roads and exceptionally high spray levels. This car has an invincibility about it.