2024 BMW X5 M

You may have traded in the apartment in the city for a two-story in the suburbs, weekend bar crawls for dry brunches, and the lone wolf life for a spouse and 2.5 rugrats. But the thirst for speed never really left when you had to give up the M4, did it? Luckily, BMW also makes the X5 M — a midsize SUV that offers the practicality to combat the everyday grind but also satiates your need for serious performance. And it's about to get an upgrade for 2024, starting with the standard inclusion of last year's optional Competition package. 

While the standard X5 comes in three powertrain configurations (inline-six, inline-six plug-in hybrid and V8), the X5 M Competition is only available with one engine, but it's an absolute beast. A turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 produces an immense 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque and drives all four wheels. That's the same output of last year's X5 M with the Competition package, but this time around, the powertrain is augmented by an electric motor placed within the transmission housing and fed by a 48-volt battery.

The motor powers the vehicle electronics and is said to smooth the engine stop-start function. And although BMW's official estimated 0-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds is unchanged versus the 2023 model with the Competition package, BMW also says the motor helps give the X5 M Comp a little boost in midrange acceleration. The first three gear ratios of the eight-speed transmission are shorter than before, which should also provide quicker acceleration, even though that may not be revealed in the metrics BMW has disclosed so far. Rounding out the benefits of the mild hybrid is potentially increased fuel economy, though EPA estimates aren't available just yet.

The X5 M benefits from the 2024 update that affects all X5 models. That means a big change to the interior, highlighted by the sizable single pane of glass that now contains both the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and the 14.9-inch center-mounted infotainment screen. More controls have been integrated into the digital interface, something buyers may or may not like, but the lack of clutter is appreciated nonetheless. Reprofiled air vents almost disappear into the newly designed dashboard.

A mix of traditional with virtual touch-sensitive buttons are placed around the X5's iDrive controller for functions like the parking brake, drive modes and the optional two-axle air suspension. A gear selector with a new design sits among the buttons and, as on other higher-end BMWs, it can be optioned in glass.

Unlike the regular X5, which comes standard with a synthetic leather upholstery BMW calls Sensafin, the X5 M is decked out in leather seats and leather trim around the instrument panel, with leather on the dashboard available as an option. Carbon-fiber shift paddles and M-specific driving modes round out the features unique to the X5 M.

Behind the new digital screens is BMW's new Operating System 8. Faster and more flexible, the new OS allows for increased connectivity and features a more smartphone-esque menu structure. Another nifty new feature is the augmented reality functionality for the navigation system. Allowing for more precise turn-by-turn directions, systems like these are very helpful when you're dealing with unfamiliar areas and difficult intersections.

Other tech features include a new digital key for both Apple and Android phone users, an orchestrated entry lighting display, automated parking controllable from either inside or outside of the vehicle, and a new semi-automated hands-free driving system capable of speeds up to 85 mph on selected highways.

Though the 2024 BMW X5 M isn't any faster on paper, the electrification of the powertrain may yield some benefits yet. Stay tuned to this space as we put the refreshed rocket through its paces.