The BMW X5 is a car from Bmw, built from 1999 to 2006, when airbags, anti-lock brakes and Japanese build quality became the world standard. Under the bonnet: Gasoline engine. Peter Gabath (1995) / Chris Bangle (1996, LCI: 2002) / Wolfgang Reitzle (1996) / Frank Stephenson (1996) / Henrik Fisker drew it.
How it came about
The BMW E53 is the first generation BMW X5 mid-size luxury crossover SUV. The vehicle was the first SUV ever produced by BMW. It was produced between 1999 and 2006 and was replaced by the E70 X5. The E53 X5 was developed just after the acquisition of Land Rover by BMW.
As such, the vehicle shares many components and designs with both the Range Rover L322 model (specifically the hill descent system and off-road engine management system) and the BMW E39 5 Series (specifically engines and electronic systems). The entire in-car entertainment system (radio function, navigation system, television and telecommunications systems) are shared with other BMWs and L322. As a result, the earlier X5 models can be upgraded with newer BMW technologies (e.g. Bluetooth phone connectivity).
The hardware
Power comes from Gasoline engine; other versions carried different engines, listed in the specification table below. It shifts through a 5-speed manual (ZF S5D 280Z) / 6-speed manual (ZF S6-37) / 5-speed automatic (GM 5L50-E) / 5-speed automatic (ZF 5HP24) / 6-speed automatic (ZF 6HP26Z). The layout matters: drive goes to all four wheels, which is what lets the power be used on a wet road. The wheelbase is 111.0 in. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Family and rivals
Its family tree is legible: its successor was the BMW X5 (E70); assembly was at Greer, South Carolina. Its contemporaries in the catalogue — the Honda S2000, the Toyota Yaris, the SEAT León — show what else the money bought that year. Its Bmw stablemates include the BMW 116 and the BMW 269.
What it costs now
The money question first: $13,300–$70,800 is the typical asking range today, and running it — fuel and maintenance at its age — costs about $3,455–$9,412 a year. Insurance sits around $1,490–$3,420 a year. The figures are class-level estimates from the federal record, with the formula on the methodology page; the model-year pages carry complaints, recalls and repair costs year by year.