Is BMW's new X5 still the "best SUV"? Mat Watson says shortlist
The carwow review parks the fifth-generation SUV beside the car it replaces and asks how much of the redesign is progress.
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Why this story? One of the most watched videos since yesterday, with 980,430 views.
Is the NEW BMW X5 still the BEST SUV in the world?
Things we can learn from the video
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- 0:18Exterior compared with the old X5: X-shaped lights, illuminated grille, flush handles and hidden exhaust tips.
- 4:58Watson calls one design change "change for change's sake," not progress.
- 5:34Inside: 7 Series screens, a passenger display and a panoramic strip along the windshield's base.
- 10:51Road test of the air suspension, road noise, acceleration and assisted driving.
- 16:26Rear legroom, phone mounts and a boot that replaces the old split tailgate.
- 19:35Final verdict: Watson puts the new X5 on his shortlist.
The BMW puts its indicator on by itself, and Mat Watson cannot resist. "Oh my God! BMW drivers have a reputation for not using their indicators!" he says, as the new X5's assisted driving system signals its own lane change.
It is the lightest moment in a review built around a serious question. BMW's own description calls this X5 more of a revolution than an evolution, and Watson spends twenty minutes testing whether different also means better. Nearly a million people have watched since yesterday.
He starts outside, with the old car parked alongside: X-shaped daytime lights around a thin illuminated grille, flush door handles, tail lights that almost span the rear, and no visible exhaust tips. Watson jokes that "big exhaust pipes equal big power," but one styling change gets a blunter verdict: "It's change for change's sake. It's not actually progress, it's just different." He also shares an Instagram poll asking which design his followers prefer.
Inside, the dashboard borrows the screens from the new 7 Series, including a thin display along the base of the windshield. On the road come the air suspension, road noise and that self-signaling lane change, before he checks the rear seats, phone mounts and a boot that gives up the old split tailgate. The review also carries a sponsored segment for a vehicle-history service.
The comment section has its own debate. Many viewers object to using a touchscreen to adjust an air vent, and others argue the comparison is uneven because the old car on screen lacks the M Sport packages the new one has.
The description lists one surprise for UK buyers: the electric iX5 starts slightly below the diesel. Watson's 7 Series review, as we reported here, ended on "buy." The X5 earns the step below: a place on the shortlist.
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Where next?
What viewers say
From the legendary twin kidney grill, the Germans went back to highlight their most famous moustache!
@OM-ro4ekSee it on YouTubeBMW keeps reinventing the future while accidentally improving the past.
@pennydomeSee it on YouTube2:27 ok I have admit, the new X5 side profile does look mean almost like a wagon, front and back prefer the old X5
@dedsec69See it on YouTube
6 more comments
BMW designers is making Fortnite Cars at this point 😂
@abdullaalaradi7560See it on YouTubeNot a fair comparison; the G05 lacks the M Sport and M Sport Pro packages, while the new G65 does
@linavioreSee it on YouTubeHaving to go to the touch screen to move an air vent is ridiculous. The designers have lost it.
@paulmurray6009See it on YouTube7:50 the ambient lighting is actually so cool. Hope they continue that.
@G82WattsSee it on YouTubeReminds you of a Porche 911?
How?@IMBCDroneSee it on YouTube0:40 I felt that sigh, lmao.
@undustfixationSee it on YouTube
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- Channel
- carwow
- Subscribers
- 11,100,000
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 29,030,167
- Channel views, pace per day
- 3,715,095 (on a normal day: 3,570,490)
- Video published
- October 23, 2026
- Video views so far
- 980,430 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 1,037,601
The numbers
The review has drawn close to a million views in its first day, with a busy comment section to match.
💡 Test your knowledge
carwow reviews end on one of four verdicts. Which one does Mat Watson give the new BMW X5?
In his final verdict, Watson recommends the new X5 as a shortlist contender rather than an outright buy.