BMW X5 xDrive45e: a buyer's guide to the plug-in hybrid SUV

November 10, 2026

The BMW X5 xDrive45e in brief

The BMW X5 in our listing is a 2019 xDrive45e M-Sport: a 3.0-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor, 290 kW of system output, automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. It is a plug-in hybrid, so it can be charged from the mains and driven on electricity alone over shorter distances, while on a long motorway run it behaves like any other large petrol SUV. The body is a roomy estate-like five-door that works equally well as a family car or a company car.

This generation (G05) is built on BMW's CLAR platform. The xDrive45e version links its six-cylinder petrol engine to an electric motor through an eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox, and it gained a considerably larger battery than the previous-generation plug-in hybrid – around 24 kWh of total capacity, of which roughly 21.6 kWh is usable in European specification. In practice that means everyday city driving can often be done in electric mode, provided the car is charged regularly.

Who the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid suits

The people who gain most from this car are those with short daily distances who can charge overnight, either at home or at the office. With that usage pattern a large share of the kilometres are driven on electricity, while a longer weekend trip needs no charging planning at all. If there is no charging point available and the car spends its life on long motorway stretches, a plug-in hybrid loses much of its point and the battery pack simply becomes extra weight to carry around.

The second clear strength is comfort. This model version has adaptive air suspension on both axles with ride-height adjustment, something reviewers have praised for its particularly soft, settled ride. Combined with the quiet of electric mode, the result is a car that is remarkably unfatiguing over long distances. At the same time, all-wheel drive, an electric tow bar and roof rails make the X5 a tool as well: a trailer, ski gear or a load from the builders' merchant are no trouble.

Charging and winter use in Estonia

This generation of the xDrive45e charges only on AC through a Type 2 socket, at roughly 3.6–3.7 kW, with no fast-charging support. Filling the battery therefore takes several hours, and the realistic routine is overnight charging rather than a quick top-up at a roadside charger.

In winter there are a few things worth factoring in that owners widely describe:

The drop in electric range in the cold is typically in the region of 10–30%, with cabin heating as the main consumer.
Cabin heating in BMW plug-in hybrids is electric, so pre-heating while the car is still plugged in is considerably more useful than warming it up on the move. This car has cabin pre-heating.
According to feedback from owners in the Nordics, in hard frost – below roughly −15 °C – the petrol engine may start and keep running until the system has warmed through, so electric mode may not be available straight away.

In other respects the X5 is a good fit for an Estonian winter: generous ground clearance, all-wheel drive, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, and M Sport brakes. The car comes with both summer tyres and siped winter tyres on 20-inch BMW M alloy wheels.

What to check on this generation

The G05 X5 is a technically complex car, and when buying used it pays to know where this generation's weaker points lie:

xDrive transfer case: shudder or juddering when turning at low speed. BMW has addressed the issue in a technical bulletin, and the right oil specification and a correct fluid-change procedure matter.
Air suspension: cracked air springs, wear in the compressor and valve block. More of a wear item than an exception – allow for it in the maintenance budget.
iDrive 7: screen freezes, slow start-up, dropped CarPlay connections. Most faults are resolved by a software update.
A weak 12 V battery can trigger misleading drivetrain fault messages.
A high-voltage battery recall affected cars built within a specific window (January 2020 to February 2021) – it is always worth checking that a given car's service history is in order.
Smaller items: front control arm bushings, central locking, exterior trim fastenings and the plastic coolant expansion tank.

Equipment and everyday use

This particular car is well equipped: M Sport package, M Aerodynamics, Head-Up Display, BMW Live Cockpit Professional, Driving Assistant Professional with adaptive cruise control and lane keeping and lane change assistants, Parking Assistant with reversing assistant, blind spot warning, traffic sign recognition, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. Inside there is leather upholstery, electrically adjustable Comfort front seats with memory, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation and ambient lighting.

On the practical side there is a powered tailgate, a load-through hatch, folding rear seat backrests, trailer stabilisation and an electrically folding tow bar. Runflat tyres reduce the risk of being stranded at the roadside by a puncture.

Buying or renting a BMW X5 from Autosky Rent

This BMW X5 xDrive45e is for sale at Autosky Rent in Tallinn, where you can view it in person and take a test drive. Alongside outright sales we also take cars on consignment, and our partner network gives customers better terms on servicing, tyre work, car washing and fuel – with a large SUV, that is noticeable in running costs.

If you would rather have a fixed monthly payment than a one-off purchase, Autosky Rent also offers full-service car rental to private and business customers. Depending on the package, the monthly payment covers motor insurance and comprehensive insurance including superkasko, servicing and repairs arising from normal wear, summer and winter tyres with seasonal changes and storage, a replacement car when needed, 24h roadside assistance across Europe through the insurer, and the handling of insurance claims. Autosky Rent 24/7 customer support is part of every rental listing. Full-service rental makes most sense if you want to keep motoring costs predictable and leave the organising of maintenance to us.