19:06 31-12-2025

Spy photos: next-gen BMW X5 prototype adopts Neue Klasse face

Wintertime Sweden has once again turned into a proving ground for future models, and this time photographers caught a prototype of the next-generation BMW X5. The photos show the crossover trying on the Neue Klasse look: the front end echoes the iX3, while the grille is noticeably shorter and wider, stepping away from the recent oversized trend. The headlights also change their signature, trading the familiar round motifs for a more chiseled, stroke-like graphic — a cleaner, more horizontal face that should flatter the X5’s stance.

Interestingly, judging by the details, the car in these shots appears to be a gasoline version. The prototype carries an extra set of openings above the license plate — apparently to feed air to a radiator, something an EV usually doesn’t need. At the rear, BMW is playing coy as well: there are no visible exhaust tips, but a muffler is discernible, which means this isn’t a pure EV. The taillights, meanwhile, promise a different pattern from the iX3, trading the "hockey stick" for a more eyebrow-like line.

One more intrigue is whether the X5 will keep its signature split tailgate. The seam on the tail offers some hope, but there’s no confirmation yet. Preliminary information points to a broad lineup: multiple iX5 versions along with gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid models. The premiere is forecast for later in 2026.