Two years after launching the X5 xDrive45e, BMW Group Malaysia has announced that the plug-in hybrid SUV has been updated with added equipment. The car receives a few bits from its sportier X6 sibling while keeping the price bump relatively modest.
Priced at RM457,498 on-the-road without insurance, the X5 is around RM6,000 more expensive than before. This figure includes the sales and service tax (SST) exemption that expires at the end of the month; with the government having just refused an outright extension (it did push the the delivery deadline back to March 31), you have less than ten days to get your booking in. Also included is a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and service package, which is still an optional extra over the standard two-year coverage.
The changes are few but significant and include Laserlight headlamps that replace the outgoing adaptive LED units – these come with full hexagonal daytime running lights (instead of the half-circles previously) and blue detailing around the projectors. The “bad weather light” function also supplants the functionality of the now-deleted front fog lights. In the wheel wells you’ll find 21-inch Y-spoke Style 741M alloy wheels in Orbit Grey, which are an inch larger than the old multi-spokes.
Safety-wise, the X5 has been upgraded with the fitment of rear side airbags, increasing the total airbag count to eight. It also now comes with Active Protection, essentially Munich’s version of Mercedes-Benz’s Pre-Safe that closes the windows and sunroof and pre-tensions the seat belts if the car detects an imminent collision.
However, you still don’t get Level 2 semi-autonomous driving features like adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist, although the Driving Assistant package with autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist and blind spot monitoring continues to be standard fare. The Laserlights also feature adaptive high beams that block out other road users to avoid dazzling them, as before.
Standard kit otherwise remains the same and include the M Sport package, satin aluminium window trim and roof rails, keyless entry, push-button start, Vernasca leather upholstery, Fineline Stripe gloss brown wood trim, a Sensatec faux leather-wrapped dashboard, power-adjustable front seats with driver’s side memory, four-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive air suspension and six-colour ambient lighting.
Other features that are fitted to this car are a BMW Live Cockpit Professional with twin 12.3-inch displays, dual 10.2-inch rear touchscreens, parking assist, a 360-degree camera system, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system and a hands-free powered tailgate.
Also unchanged is the powertrain, led by a B58 3.0 litre turbocharged straight-six that produces 286 PS from 5,000 to 6,000 rpm and 450 Nm from 1,500 to 3,500 rpm. Sandwiched between it and the ZF eight-speed sport automatic gearbox is an electric motor, making 113 PS and 265 Nm and contributing to a total system output of 394 PS and a thumping 600 Nm.
So equipped, the xDrive45e sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 235 km/h, while fuel consumption is rated at just 2.5 litres per 100 km/h on the NEDC cycle. A 24 kWh lithium-ion battery allows for an all-electric range of 77 km and can be charged in six hours and 50 minutes using a 3.7 kW AC BMW i Wallbox (or ten hours and 30 minutes using a three-pin, 240-volt domestic socket).
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