2026 BMW X5 M

BMW's reputation is built on its commitment to performance and driver engagement, and even its midsize X5 SUV exhibits more athleticism when compared to most of its rivals. Of course, you can always go further, and that's where the M (for Motorsport) division comes in. Those power-hungry engineers infused the X5 with the kind of power and handling expected from their sport coupes and sedans, creating the X5 M in 2010. This year marks the end of the current generation, so the X5 M returns largely unchanged in advance of a new model.

If BMW sticks to its previous release cadence, we should see the next X5 M arrive in showrooms for the 2028 model year, a year after the debut of the fifth-generation X5 set for next year. We expect the next model to adopt BMW's forthcoming Neue Klasse styling language, which has the potential to draw equal amounts of criticism and praise, just as previous design decisions have. Aesthetics aside, you can expect an incremental improvement to performance since BMW has said it will continue producing V8 engines through the end of the decade.

The BMW X5 M is a performance-focused outlier among luxury SUVs, but it doesn't have the spotlight all to itself. The Porsche Cayenne remains the top dog in Edmunds' rankings, though you will have to pay more to outfit it in a similar manner. Audi's similar RS Q8 is closer to the BMW's price and performance, as is the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S, though the Benz sprinkles in a little more opulence into the mix. The good news is you can't go wrong with any of these choices.