The 2024 BMW X5 and X6 Are Reshaped and Electrified

• BMW's popular X5 and X6 SUVs are getting a refresh for 2024, with three updated powertrains and new exterior design queues, including slimmed lights and ever-growing kidney grilles.

• The base model 3.0-liter six-cylinder and M-spec 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 powertrains will be electrified by a 48-volt mild hybrid system, while the plug-in hybrid remains with more battery capacity, power, and range.

• After posting positive sales numbers from its SUV division in 2022, BMW is poised to take its sporting SUV competitor Porsche head-on, with more power and higher prices for 2024.

Back in 1994, BMW acquired Land Rover, the company that arguably set the standard for rugged yet luxurious SUV experiences. Five years later and with 75 years of expertise from the folks at Rover, BMW's first SUV emerged, known as the X5. Company executives in Munich have smartly cultivated this nameplate ever since. BMW's light trucks, otherwise known as its X-series SUVs, made up 62.5% of its US sales in 2022, accounting for 208,015 units sold and a year-over-year segment growth of 15.7%.

So, it's no surprise that BMW is revamping its fourth-generation X5 and X6 for 2024. The current-generation vehicles launched in 2019, so it's about time for mid-cycle updates, which will be revealed at The Amelia Concours d’Elegance in March.

Pricing starts at $66,195 for the base model X5 sDrive40i, which includes a model standard $995 delivery and destination fee, and goes up to $94,595 for the top-of-the-line X6 M60i xDrive. The X5 is available in four variants with three unique powertrains and two drivetrain options while the X6 is available in two powertrains but with BMW's proprietary all-wheel-drive (xDrive) only.

Compared to 2023 model year pricing, X5 base model prices are up by $3600 regardless of the drivetrain while base model X6 prices are up by $3800, though these models are the only direct carry-over trims from last year.

If it's just a refresh, then why is BMW charging so much more? The answer comes down to a series of new powertrains across the lineup. On the base model X5 and X6, designated by the sDrive 40i or xDrive40i moniker, a reworked 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine are installed with 375 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque.

Additionally, by installing 48V mild hybrid technology through an electric motor in the model-standard 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, BMW has managed to electrify all its internal-combustion X5 and X6 models. This allows for smoother automatic start/stop functions and more efficient acceleration, while also providing the benefit of an active coasting function when the Eco Pro mode is engaged, the company says.

Horsepower is up as is torque, by a respective 40% and 51 lb-ft, as compared to the previous year's 3.0-liter I-6. BMW says it was able to achieve this power increase by relying on the Miller combustion cycle, which required updating the camshaft control, injection, ignition system, and exhaust gas routing, in addition to adding the latest version of its fully variable valve control. Notably, the six-cylinder powerplant has switchable rocker arms, meaning it can divert exhaust gases away from the outlet side of the engine and reduce the engine's frictional torque on the overrun by around two-thirds.

In continuing its plug-in hybrid lineage, the revamped xDrive45e from 2023 now goes by xDrive50e, having been equipped with a new synchronous electric motor and a 25.7-kWh, 238-volt battery. This electric motor is paired with the revised 3.0-liter six-cylinder for a power output of 483 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with 194 of those horses coming from the motor itself.