New 2023 BMW X5 and X6 bring upgraded hybrid

Get ready to rev your engines, because BMW is launching some major updates to two of its most popular models. In April, the BMW X5 and BMW X6 are getting a fresh makeover with some exciting new features.

Just a week after key rival Mercedes-Benz revealed its updated GLE and GLE Coupe, BMW is ready to show off what they’ve got. Both the X5 and X6 are getting a minor exterior redesign, including a new grille and front bumper. The X5 will feature xLine design elements as standard, while the X6 will come with the M Sport package.

The interior is also getting an upgrade, with a new curved digital display sitting atop a lightly reworked dashboard. Running on the latest version of BMW’s iDrive operating system, the display houses a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 14.9-inch infotainment touch display. BMW’s standard Live Cockpit Plus system, including a cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system, will also be included.

For those who want even more options, there’s a head-up display with augmented reality functionality, a panoramic sunroof with LED illumination, glass applications for various controls, and even a Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

Under the hood, the X5 and X6 will have a range of revised petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. BMW promises improved efficiency and economy with all of the drivetrains, which will come standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s xDrive four-wheel drive system.

For petrol fans, the turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine (found in the X5 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive40i) has been improved, delivering 375 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque (an increase of 46 horsepower and 52 lb-ft). The diesel variant (X5 xDrive30d and X6 xDrive30d) will stay the same at 278 horsepower and 479 lb-ft. The standard petrol and diesel engines and the V8 petrol engine will also come with a 48V battery, adding an extra 12 horsepower and 147 lb-ft via a gearbox-mounted electric motor.

At the top of the model lineup, the X5 M50 xDrive and X6 M50 xDrive will now be known as the M60. Despite the name change, these M Performance models will still run on the same turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine, delivering 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. This engine will give the M60 a 0-62 mph time of just 4.3 seconds.

Finally, the plug-in hybrid drivetrain in the X5 xDrive50e has been upgraded with a newer turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine and a more powerful gearbox-mounted electric motor. This results in an overall system power increase to 490 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. With a battery capacity increase of 3.4 kWh to 25.7 kWh, the X5 xDrive50e will offer a claimed electric range of up to 68 miles.

So there you have it, BMW’s X5 and X6 are getting some major upgrades, and we can’t wait to see what they’re like on the road. Stay tuned for more updates!

Images: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0408159EN/the-new-bmw-x5-and-the-new-bmw-x6