BMW's 2027 X5 Neue Klasse Digitally Unveiled, It's One Ugly SUV

Christened after their next-gen architecture, these rides will comprise a brand-new iX3 crossover set for next year, with the fresh 3 Series following it. One of the best-looking high-riders in its class, the X5, will also go down this route, and we've already seen it testing in prototype form.

Clearly inspired by the Vision Neue Klasse X Concept unveiled earlier this year, the upcoming BMW X5 has a dubious design. It ditched the traditional looks for a futuristic approach, sporting an entirely new face with an intricate lighting signature, a narrow and tall kidney grille, and an aggressive bumper.

BMW also dropped the traditional door handles in favor of discreet ones, and it's not exactly a looker at the rear either, where the taillights don't follow the current slim trend as they are quite big. The tailgate seems to have a split-design opening, and further down, the new bumper, with its sharp styling, incorporates the license plate and has a disputable diffuser attached to it.

Unlike the next X3, which will only be available with electric powertrains, hence the iX3 name, the all-new BMW X5 will also launch with internal combustion units alongside the usual all-quiet offerings. The tester we recently saw in the open had visible tailpipes and they were not fake, and that inevitably tells us it will stay true to the ICE recipe.

Nevertheless, we are convinced that gasoline powertrains will receive some sort of electric assistance. We just don't know whether it will be in the form of a mild hybrid, self-charging hybrid, or plug-in hybrid setup. Our bet would be on the former and the latter, and in PHEV form, it will be capable of delivering a generous EV range in the dedicated driving mode with its battery all juiced up.

Now, BMW may not have revealed when the next-generation X5 is due. However, we think it might be some two years away from being unveiled, as it will probably debut sometime in 2026, launching as a 2027 model in the United States. Thus, the company has plenty of time to make numerous adjustments, yet it seems the design was finalized.

In all likelihood, the 2027 BMW X5 will look very similar to Kolesa's renderings. The digital illustrations were based on the actual spy shots, hence the realistic approach sprinkled with a generous dose of CGI. We're certainly unhappy about the design, as the current X5 is quite a looker, and its successor won't be. Not with those ugly front and rear ends, anyway.