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Should you consider a used BMW X5? For two decades or so, BMW’s X5 has been one of BMW’s best-selling SUVs and its best-selling midsize SUV. Only the compact X3 tops it. But the X5 combines three-row utility, stylish good looks, premium brand cache, and some buttery smooth engines. That also means that a BMW X5 can be a good used SUV that will be both stylish and comfortable for daily commutes or big road trips.

Is a BMW X5 worth buying?

You could order a BMW X5 in a variety of trims since it debuted in 2000. Back then, it was a groundbreaking SUV from a luxury brand that had been busy making exciting 3-series cars and convertibles. BMW, being BMW, called it a Sports Activity Vehicle to highlight its on-road, instead of off-road, prowess. While there are sporty M versions, the most popular and award-winning, versions have been luxury SUVs with inline six-cylinder that are known for their smoothness.

Since BMW has sold thousands of X5s, they are plentiful and available if you’re looking for a used BMW X5. Newer ones, like a 2019 or 2020, are now coming off lease and are hitting dealer lots as the new 2023 comes out. BMW looked at the success of the X5 and added X1 to X7 SAVs to its lineup.

What is the best year of the BMW X5 used?

2020 BMW X5
2020 BMW X5 | BMW

In its third generation, the X5 was available in several diesel versions, including a fuel-sipping xDrive30d and hotter xDrive40d M50d versions. Reliability was an issue. BMW issued several recalls until 2017, and then suddenly, after 2016 the X5 started seeing considerable improvements in reliability, especially in 2018, according to J.D. Power.

Generally, the newer a vehicle you can afford with SUVs, and with a used BMW X5, the better. Not only do you get more modern options in the BMW X5 after 2017, but an improved iDrive. In 2019 the BMW X5 was all-new, and in the Premium trim added a ton of luxury options like wireless charging, four-zone climate control, and a seating package that adds ventilation, heating, and even massage to the front seats.

When was the BMW X5 refreshed?

2019 BMW X5 xDrive50i |Dania Maxwell Bloomberg via Getty Images

The X5 had a significant revision for 2007, and the 2007 to 2013 model years look incredibly modern compared to the previous 2006 version. In 2007, the X5 got a small third row and powerful engine options, including a smooth inline six-cylinder. You could even order a turbodiesel, but those SUVs are not rated as highly. The X5 came with an optional third row, and the X3 does not. Any of the post-revision years are worth considering for a used BMW X5.

Does the BMW X5 hold its value?

2008 BMW X5 | BMW

In 2014, the X5 got another update that gave it a flatter grille and modern styling. However, reliability was an issue until 2017. In 2017 the X5’s reliability scores jumped at Consumer Reports. BMW released the current generation as a 2019 model in various versions, including a plug-in hybrid, a two-wheel drive sDrive model, and an all-wheel drive xDrive model, all with several engine options.

The BMW X5 sold for more than $56,500 new in 2017. A new-to-you 2017 all-wheel drive today in good condition with average miles is worth about $36,000 according to NADA, which tracks used car sales. For a 2019, however, you’ll still pay a hefty premium for the M40i, or base trim. New, a 2019 BMW X6 had a starting MSRP of about $62,00, but a used 2019 is still worth about $55,000 depending on condition and miles. Part of the reason is that the 2019 still looks new.

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Should You Buy a 2022 BMW X5 or Wait for the 2023 Version?

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.