Article Summary
- The base 2027 BMW X5 in the United States skips xDrive for a traditional RWD setup.
- The rear-wheel-drive X5 40 matches the xDrive model's sprint time to 60 mph: 5.1 seconds.
- With a starting price of $71,250, the 2027 BMW X5 40 is the most affordable version in the US.
Rear-wheel-drive luxury SUVs are rarer than hen’s teeth, and many will be surprised to learn that the new X5 is one of them. BMW aficionados know the Bavarian brand’s luxury SUV was an xDrive-only affair throughout its first two generations, the E53 and E70. It wasn’t until the F15 arrived in 2013 that the X5 sDrive35i sent power exclusively to the rear wheels. The G05 launched in 2018 and introduced the X5 sDrive40i.
Fast-forward to 2026 and the new G65, and there’s still a way to buy the X5 without xDrive. BMW is selling the fifth generation of its popular family SUV as the rear-wheel-drive X5 40. You’re not missing out on any power by skipping the xDrive setup. The thoroughly updated turbocharged 3,0-liter inline-six delivers the same 394 hp and 428 lb-ft. Those figures are up by 19 hp and 45 lb-ft thanks to a new turbocharger.
The mild-hybrid B58 engine runs on the Miller cycle for improved efficiency, but it’s no slouch. BMW claims the new X5 40 reaches 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, making it 0.2 seconds quicker than its predecessor. With a one-foot rollout factored in, the sprint time drops to 4.8 seconds.
The BMW X5 Isn’t Any Slower Without xDrive
Surprisingly, the rear-wheel-drive version matches the sprint time of its xDrive counterpart. We would’ve expected the all-wheel-drive model to be slightly quicker, but that isn’t the case. Both versions top out at an electronically limited 155 mph (250 km/h).
While weight figures haven’t been published, it’s reasonable to expect the X5 40 to be the lightest version of the lineup. In Europe, the xDrive model weighs 5,048 pounds (2,290 kilograms) without a driver, so the rear-wheel-drive variant should come in slightly lighter. That said, keep in mind that vehicles are weighed differently in Europe and the United States.
The X5 40 won’t be available when the model launches in October, as only its xDrive counterpart will be offered initially. If you don’t need all-wheel drive and want to save some money, BMW says deliveries of the rear-wheel-drive version will begin in the first quarter of 2027. Predictably, the X5 40 is the most affordable model in the lineup, starting at $71,250, including destination. Stepping up to the xDrive version adds $2,300, bringing the starting price to $73,550.
The X5 40 isn’t the only rear-wheel-drive BMW SUV currently on sale. Some markets also get the X3 20 sDrive, while the newly introduced electric iX3 40 sends power exclusively to the rear axle. Since the Neue Klasse platform uses a rear-mounted electric motor as standard, other electric SUVs could skip xDrive in their base versions. Likely candidates include the iX4, due this fall, and the next-generation iX1, arriving next year.
