Since the very beginning, the BMW X5 has featured a split tailgate. The E53 made loading and unloading heavier items easier, but the design brought other advantages as well. When upright, the lower section acts as a barrier, preventing items from sliding out even if the upper portion is open. Folded outward, it doubles as a bench, making it perfect for a tailgate party.

A split tailgate also helps protect the rear bumper’s paint from scratches while maneuvering cargo. Additionally, it proves useful in tight spaces with limited vertical clearance. It’s a practical feature that carried over to subsequent generations, as well as the larger X7 (G07).

However, word is the X5 might lose it. The upcoming G65 could drop the split design, even though prototypes suggested otherwise. Spy photos and BMW’s own images of disguised test vehicles showed a black horizontal line hinting at a split, but that detail might have been a decoy.

BMW X5 xDrive30d

According to a Bimmer Post forum member citing a source at Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina, the next-generation X5 may adopt a one-piece tailgate. That’s not all: we’ve also heard similar reports from elsewhere suggesting the same.

If true, this would be a disappointing move for those who appreciate the X5’s added practicality. It would follow a similar decision taken by BMW for the latest 5 Series Touring. You can’t open the G61’s glass separately from the tailgate, a feature we’ve been told has been dropped for design reasons.

As for why BMW might eliminate the split tailgate, the decision likely stems from practicality on the production side. Perhaps internal research shows few owners actually use it, making it hard to justify the extra complexity, weight, and cost. There could also be aerodynamic advantages to a single-piece design, especially with an electric iX5 on the way, where efficiency is key.

If the feature truly disappears from the X5, another question follows: will the X7 lose it too? Spy shots so far suggest it will keep the split tailgate, but as always, it’s not official until BMW states that. It would make sense, at least, for the rumored “Rugged” SUV variant to have it, given its more adventurous character.