02 Feb
Blog

2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e PHEV review: A greener luxury sport SUV

BMW X5 PHEV in a parking lot

2021 BMW X5 X5 xDrive45e PHEV

RRP $62,900.00

"Go green with the further developed BMW X5 xDrive45e PHEV without even noticing it."

benefits

  • Outstanding hybrid drive

  • Cheaper than pure gas versions with incentives

  • BMW luxury, comfort and sportiness

  • Hands-free jam assistance

disadvantage

  • Slow charge rate

  • It lacks the latest BMW infotainment system

New car buyers have made it very clear that they want SUVs. People want to sit higher, feel more secure, and have enough room for trips to Costco, Home Depot, and Target. The problem: SUVs tend to suck more gasoline than, for example, a sedan. But there's a way to have a large luxury vehicle that's also kind to your bank account and the environment.

The 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) takes what people like about the German automaker's luxury SUV and adds a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It's a slick integration that doesn't exhibit any of the occasional weirdness we've seen with the BMW 330e PHEV. Instead, it highlights the work BMW has done to ensure its PHEV transition vehicles just work without sacrificing the BMW experience.

Starting at $63,700, the AWD (all-wheel drive) X5 xDrive45e is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax incentive. That's the same amount you would get for an electric vehicle. The reason for the big discount is its battery pack with a capacity of 24 kWh – 17 kWh of which can be used. This large pack saves a potential customer money not only on sale but also in everyday life.

BMW X5 PHEV in a parking lot.Roberto Baldwin/Digital Trends

This tax incentive also lowers the price of the vehicle below the price of the all-gasoline X5 xDrive40i, which starts at $62,900. That's with no state or local incentives to stack on top. Like the 330e PHEV, the X5 PHEV is the more cost-effective option, both at the door and while driving.

Of course, the EV mode would be the cheapest. The reason the vehicle gets the government's full tax incentive is the same reason it's good at getting around without gas.

In EV-only mode, the X5 xDrive45e has an EPA range of 31 miles. In our testing, we achieved 27 miles of range in mixed driving conditions, including freeway, neighborhood and back roads in 51-degree weather. Cold weather can reduce the efficiency of a battery-powered vehicle, but it seems it was warm enough not to really affect the BMW. The range should be sufficient to bring at least many commuters to work without petrol.

BMW X5 PHEV charging connector.Roberto Baldwin/Digital Trends

However, charging is really a pure at-home experience. The X5 only supports charging up to 3.7kW, making charging on the go a waste of time. During our testing, I had no trouble charging at home while I slept, waking up in the morning with a full battery.

Driving in EV mode has been improved over previous hybrid X5s. The SUV will now cruise at speeds of up to 84 mph, an increase of 9 mph over the 75 mph found on the previous version of the vehicle. With speed limits in some states being 70 mph and up, it's good to know that in the eight states with speed limits of 50 mph, the X5 PHEV can keep up with traffic in EV mode if needed.

Outside of the pure battery drive mode, BMW has done an excellent job of merging the two powertrains in the X5. Where the BMW 330e had a few odd things, the transition from petrol to electric was always seamless during my week with the X5 xDrive45e PHEV. In all six available modes (EV only, Eco, Eco Pro, Adaptive, Sport and driver-set individual mode), the vehicle drove exactly as you would expect.

For those who demand maximum acceleration from their SUV, Sport mode delivers a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds, according to BMW – half a second slower than the gas-powered version. We haven't been able to properly test this on a track, but accelerating from a standstill that number seems likely to be right. In other words, it's not as fast as the regular X5, but the PHEV is still fast enough for the majority of drivers. For those looking for something very sporty there is always the X5 M50i. This is where you stake your cash on an SUV with sports car excitement.

Regardless of the mode, ride quality is adeptly managed thanks to BMW's Dynamic Damper Control and air suspension. The ride quality adapts to the situation, whether in one of the aggressive Sport modes or the calmer Eco and Adaptive modes. The steering is also given impressive mapping, with just the right amount of firmness to push the car to its limits, but also more relaxed for city driving.

BMW x5 PHEV in the parking lot.Roberto Baldwin/Digital Trends

Inside, the X5 xDrive45e matches the interior of almost every other BMW of this generation. The seats are comfortable but have enough side bolsters to keep the driver and passenger in place on tight corners. There is enough head, leg and shoulder room to accommodate my 6'+ frame in all but the center rear seat. Not that a large person should ever be seated there, regardless of what "shotgun" game you play to secure a seat in a vehicle.

In the driver's seat, BMW offers a driver-oriented control center with a 12.3-inch infotainment display tilted towards the driver. The automaker's latest iDrive 8 hasn't made it to the X5 yet – so you get iDrive 7 – but what you lose in the latest system you gain in physical climate control, media controls and programmable buttons. In the center console next to the shifter is the iDrive knob, surrounded by quick buttons to the main infotainment system. Once you memorize these, the infotainment system is much easier to use.

If you're more concerned with connecting your phone, BMW offers wireless CarPlay support, but also Android Auto support, starting with vehicles manufactured since August 2020. If Android is your platform of choice, you should make sure the vehicle supports your phone before driving off the lot.

BMW X5 PHEV infotainment screen.Roberto Baldwin/Digital Trends

BMW's voice assistant lags behind offerings from Mercedes, Android Automotive-enabled Volvos, and even BMW's updated system. Its natural language system is good, but there are better digital helpers out there. This is especially true after driving a vehicle with iDrive 8.

On-the-road technology is still top-notch with the optional BMW hands-free Extended Traffic Jam Assistant for $1,700. At low speeds on selected motorways, the X5 allows the driver to take their hands off the wheel in certain situations. The driver still has to keep an eye on the road, and a sensor in the car tracks their face to make sure this is happening. During the standstill, it worked well with no issues and easily handled cuts.

For those who commute in horrific traffic on a daily basis, it's probably worth the extra money just to reduce at least some cognitive load from traffic. Just make sure you don't let yourself be lulled into not paying attention to the world around you.

At the very back, the X5 sits midway between competitors from Volvo, Mercedes and Audi in the cargo area, with 33.1 cubic feet of space with the second row up. When folded, that expands to 72.3 cubic feet. There is no option for a third row, but I'm fine with that. A third row in this vehicle would be a terrible sitting experience. Those looking to fit more people in their vehicles should jump to the larger SUVs on the market.

Standard safety features include Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Rollover Detection and Emergency Brake Assist. The 2021 BMW X5 is a top safety pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The AWD X5 has a four-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The X5 PHEV variant has not yet been tested at the time of publishing this review. While we don't expect the PHEV version of the vehicle to deviate too far from the X5's overall rating, the added weight of the battery and electric motor could be a variable affecting the vehicle's ratings.

On the warranty front, the automaker offers a four-year, 50,000-mile limited warranty, a 12-year, unlimited kilometer rust-perforation warranty, and an 8-year, 80,000-mile battery warranty.

How DT would configure this car

With only one trim level for the PHEV version. The all-wheel drive X5 xDrive45e is ready for daily city trips and inclement weather. The added security of hands-free driver assistance makes it worth the extra $1,700. The $5,500 M Sport package is too rich for our blood, but we'd definitely throw in the $350 heated seats and $250 heated steering wheel, which also comes with heated armrests. Finally, if you want to tow with the X5, the tow hitch is $550.

Our opinion

With an impressive pure EV range and enough room for a family and their gear, the X5 xDrive45e PHEV hits all the right spots. It's fast, livable, and requires nothing more than someone to pocket it at night to save some money on the commute. Its price point also makes it cheaper than the other non-M-drive X5s available – all while making all-wheel drive standard. Its slow load rate is a bummer, but it's not a deal-breaker.

Inside, the vehicle is comfortable both front and rear, with a good mix of sportiness in a driver-focused package. The infotainment system feels a bit outdated as BMW's latest version is available for its new electric vehicles. But the inclusion of Android Auto should make many potential buyers very happy after years of BMW only supporting CarPlay.

On the road, the xDrive45e PHEV delivers a BMW experience without the compromises we've come to expect from hybrid systems.

should you get one

Yes. The X5 xDrive45e is a wonderful blend of BMW's sport-luxury SUV and electrification technology. It works both as a family van and as an excellent first or only vehicle for the individual who wants German luxury and sport with enough space for mountain trips or lunch with co-workers.

Editor's Recommendations



09 Dec
Blog

2021 BMW 330e PHEV Review: The Smarter 3 Series

BMW 330e near the bay

2021 BMW 330e PHEV test: the smarter 3 Series

RRP $ 42,950.00

"It's not the most efficient PHEV on the road, but the BMW 330e stays true to its roots as a sports sedan."

advantages

  • Smooth transition from gas to electric

  • Cheaper than the gas version with incentives

  • BMW luxury and comfort

  • Traffic jam assistant with hands-free function

disadvantage

  • Occasional jerking in hybrid mode

  • Only 20 miles range for electric vehicles only

The BMW 330e sits between the thundering splendor of the BMW M2 CS and the technological marvel of the i4. It is a vehicle with its tires in two worlds, combining the automaker's decades of internal combustion engine expertise with the electrification efforts of the modern version of the company that brought us the i8 and i3.

The BMW 330e 2021 does not carry the basics of its efficient plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Aside from the tiny “e” affixed to its badge and the charging port door, from the outside it's just a medium-sized German luxury sedan. On the road, however, the combination of powertrains makes for an extremely interesting and sometimes entertaining experience. But it also introduces strange behavior that you wouldn't expect from the automaker.

Available in two drive variants, the 330e with rear-wheel drive from US $ 42,950 and the 330e xDrive with all-wheel drive from US $ 44,950, the electric motor and battery of the German sedan afford a tax credit of US $ 5,836. That's a pretty good part of the change, and additional local and state incentives can push it up depending on where you live.

Even with minimal incentives, new owners with a hybrid drive could roll the door open for less than the cost of the regular 330i, which starts at $ 41,450 in rear-wheel drive.

Profile of the BMW 330eRoberto Baldwin / Digital Trends

power

It comes with the 2.0-liter TwinPower turbo in-line 4-cylinder engine from BMW. When paired with the electric motor, however, the 330e produces 288 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, a 33 horsepower and 16 pound-feet increase over the non-electrified 3 Series. So what's the problem? Most of the time there aren't any. Mainly.

The BMW 330e spends most of its time in hybrid mode and switches between gas and electric drive at will to achieve an MPGe of 75. At the wheel, the vehicle offers the 3-person experience: solid acceleration (zero to 60 inches), 5.6 seconds), luxurious suspension that can be tightened for those moments on the back road, and precise steering. But it's not without its problems.

In hybrid mode, the 330e sometimes accelerated faster than expected. Instead of gradually delivering power away from a green light, the 330e would sometimes deliver a bump so violent that you hit your head against the seat. Surprise! That didn't impress our passengers. It wasn't an everyday occurrence and it never felt dangerous (the car straightened up immediately after it burst) but it happened about three times during our week with the vehicle.

BMW 330e badgeRoberto Baldwin / Digital Trends

This quirk almost spoiled an overall pleasant driving experience for the 330e. It's a wonderful cruiser on the freeway with plenty of room for four adults (five if the back seats don't mind getting comfortable). As with all PHEVs, the battery level quickly depletes when driving at 70 mph. At this point, the vehicle has a combined Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of 28 MPG.

Throw it into Sport mode, and while it's not an M-car, it enhances that experience for some fun on the road. The tight steering in combination with the rear-wheel drive of our test model made for slightly spirited driving. A hybrid boost in sport mode gives the vehicle a little extra kick in the pants when cornering and starting, while the turbos rev up. The extra weight of the electric motor and battery is obvious and requires a somewhat stiffer suspension, but the chassis tuning and the volume only put a small damper on the celebrations of the sporty sedan.

For the everyday commuter looking to reduce its impact on the planet, EV-only mode is a great preview of what an all-electric 3 Series will look like. In a world where the Toyota Rav4 Prime has a range of 42 miles, the 330e's 20 mile range on a 12.0 kWh battery feels disappointing. But even if one person commuted 60 kilometers, half of it could be powered by electrons in a luxury sedan. During our mixed driving tests (highway at 70 mph and roads) the 330e achieved a range of 19.8 miles. That's with us to go from a driveway at a top speed of 137 mph in EV-only mode to highway speed.

The extended congestion aid adds an extra bit of comfort to the horrors of traffic collapse.

characteristics

Though lagging behind Toyota's more efficient powertrain, the 330e really shines in its attention to luxury and technology. The interior includes the necessary comfortable, yet comprehensive seats. It's an appropriate mix to ensure that you feel safe on hard turns without sacrificing the driver's need to feel pampered.

The rear seats should keep passengers happy on long road trips, although legroom can be tight for those taller than six feet. Behind the seats, the trunk offers 13.2 cubic meters of space, enough for a couple of large suitcases, a small cool box and a travel bag. In other words, you won't be looking for space on a weekend getaway. The space is slightly larger than that of the Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class, which have 13 cubic meters and 12.6 cubic meters respectively.

The materials in the interior are of high quality overall, both controls and the 10.25-inch touchscreen are inclined slightly towards the driver. The iDrive 7 infotainment system from BMW can be controlled either via the touchscreen or the rotary control in the center console. The system has been around for a few years, but still offers an easy-to-navigate framework that includes several customizable home screens that allow the driver to control the vehicle to their liking.

The system showed very little or no latency when operated with the fingers or using the rotary knob. Most of the more important functions were available with two taps, and even Apple CarPlay was just a tap away from the home screens thanks to a special (but tiny) tapable icon at the top of the screen. Unfortunately, Android Auto support is not available in the vehicle.

BMW 330e interior Roberto Baldwin / Digital Trends

For fans of tangible buttons, climate controls are still real physical buttons located under the touchscreen. BMW also offers a range of hotkeys that can be programmed by the driver. In addition, there is a real volume control, one of the few that still exist in the luxury automobile sector. Like an animal on the endangered species list, we should do everything possible to ensure that it returns to its natural habitat in greater numbers before sliders, buttons, and touchscreen controls replace all of them.

While the tendency is to just check a vehicle's most exciting characteristics on the open road with no other drivers and traffic, in reality most cars spend more time motionless on the freeway than cruising on pristine asphalt in the middle of the city in the desert.

BMW understands this, as its impressive driver assistance system with hands-free function at low speeds, the so-called Extended Traffic Jam Assistance, proves. The system works like GM's Super Cruise, but at low speeds on the freeway. On a motorway with clear lane markings and while driving at less than 40 miles per hour, the system allows the driver to take their hands off the steering wheel. The driver still has to be careful of the road and is monitored by a sensor in the dashboard, but it adds an extra bit of comfort to the horrors of traffic collapse.

The $ 1,700 option might be worthwhile for those who spend a lot of time behind the wheel and cruise the freeway at very low speeds. During our testing, the system did a commendable job of tracking vehicles, adjusting acceleration and braking when entering and exiting the lane. There weren't any moments when the 330e accelerated too fast for comfort as the road opened for us. There was also controlled braking, which was never a cause for concern.

BMW 330e sitting on dirt next to the roadRoberto Baldwin / Digital Trends

Standard safety functions include front collision warning, lane departure warning, and city collision mitigation and braking. The BMW 3 Series 2021 is a top safety pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 3-series also has a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but the 330e variant has not been tested at the time of this review's publication. While we don't expect the PHEV version of the vehicle to deviate too far from the overall rating of the 3 Series, the added weight of the battery and electric motor could be a sufficient variable to affect ratings of the vehicle.

On the warranty front, the automaker offers a four-year limited 50,000 mile warranty, a 12-year limited, no-mileage, rust breakout warranty, and an 8-year / 80,000-mile warranty on the battery.

How DT would configure this car

While the test vehicle had rear-wheel drive, we'd opt for the all-wheel drive Xdrive version of the 330e to provide additional safety in harsh climates. We'd also add the $ 1,700 Driver Assistance Pro package for the hands-free stowage system and the $ 1,400 Dynamic Handling Package, which includes an adaptive M chassis, sport steering, and blue caliper sport brakes.

Our opinion

Aside from a few jerky accelerations from a standstill, the 330e proves to be a vehicle worthy of the 3 Series legacy. If you are not looking for the more powerful M models, the 3 Series belongs in your garage. Its combination of efficiency and the sporty driving behavior of the mid-range sedan makes it less of a compromise and more of a great transition vehicle for anyone looking for an electrified BMW experience but not quite ready to operate the fully electric BMW i4.

The comfortable interior offers all the luxurious details you would expect from a German car manufacturer. The infotainment system isn't the latest from BMW, but it offers an easy-to-use touchscreen that displays key information on multiple customizable home screens, so the driver is just a few taps away from what they're looking for. Apple's CarPlay support is standard, but Android Auto users are left out.

Efficiency may not be on par with offerings from Toyota or other automakers, but the 20-mile EV-only range is part of a larger luxury package that makes the 2021 BMW 330e more than the sum of its parts.

Should you get one

Yes sir. The BMW 330e is a fusion of what people love about BMW: German sports luxury combined with a plug-in hybrid drive train that ensures greater efficiency in almost all driving environments.

Editor's recommendations