2026 BMW X5 spy shots

The next-generation 2026 BMW X5 was caught testing on public roads in Europe.

The design will be distinctly different from current SUVs. Despite its early prototype appearance covered in camouflage, it is clear that the new X5 will adopt the design heralded by the Neue Classe concept. The Vision Neue Classe sedan concept was introduced in 2023, followed in 2024 by an SUV named the Vision Neue Classe X Concept.

The new design language will retain the iconic kidney grille, which has become increasingly larger in recent years. This design will be updated with a sleeker, thinner, horizontal base. Slimmed-down headlights are combined with the grille to emphasize the X5's wider appearance. The camo-covered grille appears solid and may conceal sensors for safety systems. The rear taillights, even in early prototypes, appear to blur into the rear fenders in a similar fashion to that first started on the XM crossover SUV.

The overall design is cleaner and less fussy than the current BMW, which was the focus of the Neue Klassen language. The doors are perfectly smooth, with no standard door handles or openings for hands; along the window lines by the B- and C-pillars are small wing-like components that appear to be door openers.

The X5 has always featured a split tailgate, and there appears to be a line in the rear hatch that could carry over this design feature. The rear hatch may or may not have a steeper rake than the current X5 and may or may not cut down on cargo space.

The next generation X5 will continue to offer a gas engine under the hood. The prototype's exhaust tips and muffler can be seen peeking out from under the rear bumper area. A turbo four, turbo six, plug-in hybrid, V8, and high-performance variant are likely to appear; since BMW is no longer developing a clean-sheet gas engine, any powertrain is expected to be an updated version of the one currently offered in the X5 ...BMW is no longer building engines in Germany in preparation for an electric vehicle future...