2025 BMW X5 Silver Anniversary Edition First Drive: Seeking Adventure

• The Silver Anniversary Edition celebrates 25 years of the BMW X5 SUV.
• Just 1,000 will be sold, priced at $81,075 including destination.
• All-terrain tires give the X5 extra off-road prowess without compromising the SUV's luxurious ride quality.

The feature that makes the biggest difference to the Silver Anniversary Edition’s off-road prowess is actually a dealer-installed option. It’s a set of 275/45R20 General Grabber all-terrain tires mounted on wheels from the M Sport package. While four 275/40R20 all-season tires come standard, BMW provides a discount so Silver Anniversary buyers can choose the Grabbers for $799 and have them installed at the dealership. For anyone serious about off-roading, these tires are a must.

The Grabbers have their pros and cons on the X5. With a taller sidewall that absorbs more road imperfections, they make the X5’s good ride even better. They also dig into mud and snow as I learned in the snowy and muddy roads leading to Mary Jane mountain. However, with their knobby tread, they’re also more prone to highway droning, and they provide much less traction on pavement than the standard all-seasons, compromising the X5’s characteristic sporty demeanor.

A standard four-corner air suspension is also a great off-roading feature. It works with xSnow, xSand, xGravel and xRocks off-road drive modes to raise the X5's ground clearance from a standard 8.3 inches to as high as 9.9 inches. The modes also adjust the transmission's shift points, throttle mapping and traction control programming, all of which help the X5 tackle different types of terrain with ease.

Since I was skiing in spring, the roads weren’t hard-packed with snow like they usually are during ski season, and there were no big powder days that could strain a vehicle’s ability to even get to the mountain. With the xSnow mode, the taller ride height and the knobby tires, the Silver Anniversary Edition would have no trouble no matter how glorious the powder day. Should it lose traction on ice, for instance, the standard mechanical locking rear differential would modulate power across the rear wheels as needed to help the X5 find its footing and keep going.

Of course, snow isn’t the only adverse surface this SUV could encounter. Off-roaders might take it through tight quarters and drive it over rocks and through ruts. For those occasions, the X5 has skid plates. It also has an xOffroad view on the touchscreen that displays a surround-view image, as well as information about ground clearance, roll tendency and incline/decline angle at speeds below 22 mph. The camera system lets drivers place the X5 precisely when trees or rocks close in, and the skid plates can absorb any hits the underbody might take.

The X5 Silver Anniversary Edition’s other changes are cosmetic. They include Shadowline trim, usually reserved for the M Sport and M Sport Professional packages, that uses a dark finish for the grille, side intakes, window surrounds and roof rails. The body also gets aluminum accents on the front and rear bumpers and rocker panels, a Silver Anniversary Edition badge and special BMW Individual Lime Rock Grey metallic paint.

Inside, this off-roader sports carbon-fiber trim usually reserved for the X5 M60i and X5 M Competition models, plus a Silver Anniversary Edition plaque. Additional convenience features include a head-up display and navigation with augmented reality information.

All of this comes at a price of $81,075, including a $1,175 destination fee. That’s $11,900 more than the 375-horsepower BMW X5 xDrive40i on which this model is based, but most X5 drivers will likely option up their X5s to that price anyway. For those who live in wintry climates or want some adventure capability in their luxury SUV, the X5 Silver Anniversary Edition is worth the price. No matter how anathema it may seem, I'll bet this model’s off-roading equipment will graduate from a limited-release anniversary edition to either a stand-alone package like the xOffroad package of 2019 and 2020 or perhaps a separate trim level altogether.

Photos by Kirk Bell