Over the years, the differences between X5 model year designs have been quite minor.  Even with one previous overhaul, it wasn’t enough change to persuade three of my friends to give up their 2001 X5′s.  They love their BMW SUVs and would change…. if there was reason enough.

2014 BMW X5 Front Kidney Grills
This new exterior of the X5 Diesel seems to put the understated in “understated luxury.”  I’m happy to see the diesel model being showcased, as there are still too few engine options in SUVs in North America.   The lines are a little to reminiscent of the X3, but the front appearance changes that will a comfortable mix of 3 series and 6 series.


Wanting the car to stand alone is a great way to make your own impression without commentary from a journalist or blogger giving you the 4-1-1.  But wait, the silence is broken with a single line of vocabulary:

Little dialogue in the exterior video, in fact it has nothing to do with the X5.
Blue Shirt Guy, “Hello, Heidi.”  
Let’s fill in the rest:
Blue Shirt Guy, “I have brought your horse saddle to your house in the middle of no where.”
Heidi, “Thank you, come in for a drink…. I don’t even keep a horse out here.”
Both, “hahahahah”
…. an that leaves us with no mention of the new X5.  Heidi didn’t even notice that bigger looking X3.

 

The new design showcased here is moving in the typical BMW fashion to have similar lines and features on all of their cars.  Branding through blending.  The one thing we can be sure about is how enthusiastic BMW is about their tailgate on the 2014 X5.  It has remote open and push button close, but that may not help you when you hands are full as the bottom hatch still seems manual.

Interesting that they would feature this new tailgate as it falls short of what a couple of other SUV refreshes include.  The Range Rover and its fully automated tailgate, for one.  The soft close feature is nice, especially if you are loading and unloading, not wanting to wake the neighbors.

On a happier note, we move to the interior.

The missed opportunities on the exterior might have been due to the designers resources being allocated to the interior.  All is forgotten once you get into the vehicle. This puts the luxury in “understated luxury.”

The dash has been redesigned to look more simple and sophisticated.  Added materials, like two options for accents, and a full leather dashboard carry through the center console and seem eager to wrap you in their comfort.  The seats have been redesigned, and although I cannot report on how comfortable they are to sit in, they seem to have the craftsmen ship of an interior upgrade.  Something you wouldn’t expect to see on what looks like a base model.

The rear seat entertainment follows the trend of the 7 series with full integration of what’s happening on the dash (navigaton/maps/music) and the sound system will be epic as usual.

If this is a taste of what the interior creature comforts will be like with the X5, we certainly can step past the exterior until it grows on us, and enjoy this new X5.  Quite possibly the first new X5 since the 90s.