A closer look at the fifth-generation X5 from Weatherford BMW of Berkeley
The BMW X5 has long been one of the most popular vehicles on Bay Area roads, and for good reason. It is big enough for the family, composed enough to enjoy on a Sunday run over Highway 24, and premium enough to feel special whether you are crossing the Bay Bridge or pulling into a driveway in Walnut Creek. Now BMW has revealed the next chapter: the fifth-generation X5, known internally as the G65, and it is shaping up to be the most ambitious version yet.
At Weatherford BMW of Berkeley, we have been following the development of this new X5 closely, and there is a lot worth getting excited about. Here is what we know so far, and why we think it will feel right at home on the roads from Richmond to Fremont.
Built in America, Engineered for the World
Like every X5 since 1999, the new G65 is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, BMW’s American manufacturing heartland. The fifth-generation X5 follows in the footsteps of more than three million units sold worldwide across the previous four generations, making it BMW’s best-selling model globally.
What makes this generation special is its breadth. The G65 is the first X5 to ride on a modified version of BMW’s CLAR platform, and the first Neue Klasse vehicle to offer a combustion engine. At launch, it arrives with an unusually wide menu of powertrains: a 48-volt mild-hybrid gas engine, a plug-in hybrid, a diesel, a full battery-electric model, and even a hydrogen fuel cell variant planned for a later release. Few SUVs offer this much choice under one roof.
A Chassis That Feels More Connected
Underneath the familiar X5 silhouette, BMW made meaningful changes that drivers will feel before they can name them. A new integrated chassis management system processes steering, damping, torque distribution, and brake regeneration inputs far faster than the outgoing model. The result is a vehicle that feels more immediate and precise without ever feeling nervous, exactly the kind of confidence you want when you are threading through the Caldecott Tunnel or navigating a busy I-580 interchange.
The suspension was rebuilt to solve a genuine engineering puzzle. Because the lineup spans everything from a light gas model to a heavy full-electric version, BMW separated the spring and damper mounting and fitted larger progressive springs to handle the wide weight range. The front axle also received revised geometry to sharpen steering response right off center. For drivers who appreciate a connected feel on winding roads like those around Mount Tam, this is a welcome change.
Wheels range from 21 to 23 inches, and BMW developed specific tires for the G65 rather than borrowing existing ones, targeting a smooth, quiet ride. Early impressions suggest the new X5 soaks up rough pavement with very little reaching the cabin and stays impressively quiet at highway speed, a real benefit for the daily I-80 commute.
The X5 Plug-In Hybrid: An EV for Most Days, a BMW for All of Them
For many Bay Area buyers, the plug-in hybrid X5 will be the sweet spot, and the new version makes a strong case. It pairs a turbocharged inline-six with an electric motor built into the eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW estimates roughly 60 miles of electric-only range on the European test cycle from its larger battery.
Consider that the average American drives around 32 miles per day. For a typical commute from Oakland to San Francisco and back, or errands around Concord and Pleasanton, much of your daily driving could happen on electric power alone, with the gas engine waiting quietly in reserve for longer trips up to Tahoe or down the coast.
What stands out most is the calibration. BMW spent years refining how the gas and electric systems work together, and the transition between them is designed to be nearly imperceptible. No pulse through the pedal, no vibration, just a subtle change in engine note under load. Earlier plug-in hybrids asked you to watch a display to know what was happening. This one simply behaves like one cohesive vehicle.
There is also a dedicated efficiency mode that does more than its name suggests, trimming climate and lighting loads and coaching you to lift off the throttle earlier using the navigation map. For drivers who want to maximize electric range without fuss, a one-touch electric mode keeps the X5 running on battery power up to highway speeds.
The X5 Gas Model: An Entry Point That Doesn’t Feel Like One
The gas-only X5 serves as the entry point to the range, drawing 400 horsepower from BMW’s well-regarded inline-six with mild-hybrid assistance. What is notable is how complete it feels even without the air suspension and active systems found on higher trims.
The steering is the headline. The previous generation had a small soft spot on center that attentive drivers noticed on a winding road. The new front axle was reworked specifically to address it, and the result is a steering rack that responds immediately and delivers consistent feedback through a corner. Not heavy, not artificial, just accurate. On a large luxury SUV, that kind of connection is not a given, and it makes routes like Highway 24 toward Lafayette genuinely enjoyable.
The eight-speed automatic also shifts more crisply, and the suspension keeps the body composed over rough tarmac even on the larger wheels. In short, this is the most driver-connected base X5 in several years.
The Electric iX5: Heavy on Paper, Light on Its Feet
The all-electric iX5 is the G65 in its most advanced form, built on an 800-volt architecture that supports faster charging and efficient power delivery. Its battery is the largest high-voltage pack BMW has ever fitted to a production model, and two motors combine for 578 horsepower with all-wheel drive standard.
It is also the heaviest X5 ever built, yet it is engineered to disguise that weight remarkably well. Air suspension, adaptive dampers, active rear steering, and active roll stabilization all come standard. The battery sits low in the floor, lowering the center of gravity, and BMW deliberately tuned in a small amount of body lean so the driver still gets useful feedback about what the tires are doing. Early impressions suggest it drives lighter than the numbers would imply.
One feature Bay Area EV drivers will appreciate is the improved one-pedal driving. It now reads navigation data, the forward camera, and traffic conditions to ease off ahead of red lights and junctions, and a refined soft-stop function smooths the final moment of deceleration so the car settles to a stop without the small jerk earlier electrics were known for. In stop-and-go traffic on I-880, that detail changes the whole texture of the drive.
Cabin quiet is another strong suit. Active noise cancellation and redesigned mirrors keep wind and road noise at bay, and BMW describes the G65 as the quietest X5 yet.
Smart Technology, Thoughtfully Done
Inside, the new X5 shares its control logic and layout with the latest BMW iX3, including a new central display and an updated console. The most striking addition is a panoramic head-up display that spreads information across a wide band in the driver’s sightline, reading more like a screen embedded in the view than a traditional reflection. It is fully configurable, and a simplified silent mode can pare it back to just your speed, which is handy for newer drivers who do not want to be overwhelmed.
Parking has also been rethought. Instead of triggering a scan and waiting, pressing the park button now presents several ready options almost instantly because the system has been working in the background. For anyone who has hunted for street parking in Berkeley or San Francisco, a smarter, quicker parking assistant is genuinely useful.
On the highway, BMW’s latest driver assistance suite can handle steering, acceleration, and braking on divided highways with hands-free operation where regulations permit, with gradual speed changes and clearly signaled handovers back to the driver.
What’s Still to Come
Full pricing, complete specifications, and final design details have not yet been confirmed, and the hydrogen fuel cell version is planned for a later release. As always, we will share confirmed details as they become official. What is clear from everything revealed so far is that this is not merely the next X5. It is a thoughtful recalibration of what the X5 is meant to be, with more variants and more choice than any generation before it.
Drivers who want a new car often look for high fuel efficiency. Weatherford BMW in Berkeley, CA, has many vehicles that offer good gas mileage. If you want a luxury vehicle that uses less fuel, you should look at the 2026 BMW X3 and the 2026 BMW X6. You can contact our team to learn more about these models.
Read the rest of this entry »BMW’s Most Anticipated EV Is Almost Here, and Bay Area Drivers Get First Dibs on the long-awaited BMW iX3
The 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive brings up to 434 miles of range, ultra-fast charging, and the next generation of BMW technology, arriving this fall at Weatherford BMW of Berkeley.
There’s a shift happening on Bay Area roads. From the carpool lanes on I-80 to the charging stations along the Embarcadero, electric vehicles have become a fixture of life in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and beyond. BMW has been quietly building toward something big. On May 7, 2026, they made it official. The 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive is coming to the United States this September, and it sets a new bar for what a fully electric luxury SUV can do.
At Weatherford BMW of Berkeley, we’ve been looking forward to sharing this news with our customers across the East Bay, San Francisco, Marin County, Walnut Creek, Concord, Fremont, and the entire Bay Area. Here’s everything you need to know about BMW’s most significant new model in years.
What Makes the iX3 a Big Deal
The 2027 iX3 isn’t just another electric BMW. It is the first series-production model built on the Neue Klasse platform, BMW’s entirely new vehicle architecture designed from the ground up for the electric era. Think of it as BMW resetting the foundation for everything that comes next. The iX3 is where that future starts.
At a base price of $61,500 (plus $1,350 destination and handling), the iX3 enters the market well-equipped and genuinely capable. That price point places it competitively among premium electric SUVs, but the real story is what you actually get for it.
Range That Actually Works in the Real World
Range anxiety has long been one of the biggest hesitations for drivers considering an electric vehicle. The iX3 addresses that head-on. With the standard 20-inch all-season tires, the EPA-estimated range comes in at 383 miles. Opt for the 20-inch summer tires and that figure climbs to 434 miles, making the iX3 one of the longest-range electric vehicles currently on the market.
For Bay Area drivers, that range translates to real-world freedom. A round trip from Berkeley to Lake Tahoe is roughly 300 miles. A drive down to Monterey and back is under 200. Even a trip from the East Bay to wine country in Napa and back barely makes a dent. The iX3’s range means you can drive the way you have always driven, without planning your route around charging stops.
Those numbers are made possible by BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, which uses next-generation cylindrical battery cells and an 800V architecture. Compared to the previous generation of BMW eDrive, energy losses drop by 40%, weight decreases by 10%, and the overall system is more efficient from end to end.
Charging: Fast Enough to Change Your Routine
The Bay Area has one of the strongest EV charging networks in the country, and the iX3 is built to take full advantage of it. At an 800V DC fast charging station, the iX3 supports up to 400 kW of charging, a rate that is still relatively rare in the industry. At that rate, adding roughly 185 miles of range takes about 10 minutes, and a charge from 10% to 80% can be completed in approximately 21 minutes.
The iX3 uses a standard NACS port, which means compatibility with Tesla’s Supercharger network in addition to the growing network of high-speed chargers across the region. Whether you’re charging at home via the standard AC charger or stopping at a fast charger along I-880 on your way through the East Bay, the iX3 is built to make the process as quick and painless as possible.
The iX3 also comes standard with bi-directional charging capability, meaning the vehicle can push power back out to a compatible charger or home setup, a feature that is becoming increasingly relevant as more Bay Area homeowners pair EVs with solar and home battery systems.
Technology That Feels Like the Future
The iX3’s technology package is centered on BMW’s Panoramic iDrive system, built on BMW Operating System X. It introduces a Panoramic Vision display that stretches across the width of the cabin and a free-cut central display, a departure from traditional screen layouts that gives the interior a cleaner, more focused feel.
Powering all of it is what BMW calls the Heart of Joy superbrain, an onboard processing system designed to handle the demands of modern vehicle intelligence, from dynamic driving adjustments to personalized user preferences. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes engineering that you notice not through any single feature, but through how seamlessly everything works together.
Standard technology highlights include:
- BMW Panoramic Vision display
- Wireless device charging
- Digital Key Plus
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Driving Assistant Plus with active cruise control and lane keeping
- Ambient lighting and a multifunction steering wheel
Customization Options to Make It Yours
The iX3 launches with a range of interior color choices at the base level, including Black, Digital White, Castanea, and Agave Green Contemporary designs, with multiple option packages for those who want to go further.
The Comfort Package ($1,500) adds a panoramic glass sunroof, heated steering wheel, and multifunction seats. Drivers who spend time on Bay Area freeways will likely appreciate the Driving Assistance Professional Package ($2,500), which brings Highway & Commuting Assistant, Traffic Jam Assistant, and Active Lane Change with Eye Activation, all features that shine on roads like Highway 24 through the Caldecott Tunnel or I-580 across the hills.
The M Sport Package ($2,500) and M Sport Professional Package ($4,000) step things up with sportier styling, upgraded wheel options ranging from 20 to 22 inches, M Sport brakes with colored calipers, and BMW’s Iconic Glow exterior lighting. The Technology Package ($1,900) rounds out the flagship configuration with a 3D Head-up Display and Harman/Kardon premium audio.
A full configurator is now live on bmwusa.com, so you can start building your ideal iX3 well before inventory arrives. Reservations are open with a $1,000 deposit through your preferred BMW retailer.
Why Bay Area Drivers Should Pay Attention
California has led the country in EV adoption for years, and the Bay Area consistently ranks among the top metro areas in the country for electric vehicle ownership. The combination of strong charging infrastructure, a tech-savvy population, and drivers who actually cover real miles: across the Bay Bridge, up into the hills of Oakland and Berkeley, out to Pleasanton and Walnut Creek, down through Fremont and into the South Bay, makes this region a natural fit for a vehicle like the iX3.
The iX3 isn’t asking you to compromise. It has the range, the charging speed, the technology, and the driving character that BMW customers expect, wrapped in the first chapter of a completely new platform. It’s the right vehicle at the right time for drivers in this region.
Reserve Yours at Weatherford BMW of Berkeley
The 2027 BMW iX3 50 xDrive is scheduled to arrive at US dealerships in late September 2026. That’s not far off, and interest is already high. If you’re considering making the iX3 your next vehicle, now is a good time to get ahead of it.
Visit Weatherford BMW of Berkeley to speak with one of our EV specialists, explore the configurator together, and get on the list. We serve drivers across Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasanton, Fremont, Richmond, Marin County, and the greater Bay Area, and we would love to help you get behind the wheel of the iX3 when it arrives.
The future of BMW driving starts here.
Weatherford BMW of Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | Serving the Greater Bay Area
Reserve The 2026 BMW iX3
Quick Summary: How to Reserve the 2026 BMW iX3
Read the rest of this entry »To reserve the all-electric 2026 BMW iX3 in Bay Area, contact Weatherford BMW of Berkeley. Reservations are officially open for the iX3 50 xDrive, May 6th 2026 featuring an estimated 400-mile range. A $1,000 deposit secures your early production spot for its expected arrival in Fall 2026, with pricing starting around $60,000.
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Driving Dynamics That Excite
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Read the rest of this entry »The Revolutionary 2026 BMW iX: All-Electric Luxury
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Performance That Pushes Boundaries
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Performance That Excites
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