Tow Car Awards 2024: 2000kg+

Kerb weight 2495kg 85% match 2121kg Max towing weight 2700kg Towball limit 140kg

The latest BMW X5 is our favourite heavyweight SUV, as well as being one of the best plug-in hybrids we’ve ever tested.

The 50e improves on its predecessor with even more power and a longer all-electric range of up to 60 miles, and that means extremely low official emissions figures – a boon if you’ll be paying company car tax.

The combination of petrol and electric power makes for lightning-fast acceleration with a caravan in tow, with a 30-60mph time of just 5.6sec. That’s quicker than anyone might reasonably need to go, but it’s reassuring to have so much pace in reserve for hilly roads and overtaking. Even when the hybrid battery began to run low, we found no meaningful drop in performance.

The big BMW also excels when it comes to stability. It’s rock-steady at 60mph and 10mph beyond, and it easily handled the lane-change test at all three speeds. Only the Range Rover Sport inspired more confidence when making an emergency swerve. Hill starts while towing are child’s play, too; the X5 pulls away briskly on a 1-in-6 slope, with no wheelspin, even in wet weather.

In everyday driving, the X5 strikes a remarkable balance between sporty handling and impressive ride comfort, helped by its adaptive air suspension.

Inside, the X5 looks and feels as classy as its price tag suggests There’s plenty of room for five to travel in comfort, but boot space is compromised a little if you choose the plug-in hybrid over one of the other models in the X5 range – it shrinks from 650 litres to 500 litres. That said, our practicality testers found room for all but one item of holiday luggage, even with the charging cables in the boot.

Our ratings

Towing 5/5 Solo driving 5/5 Practicality 4/5 Buying and owning 4/5 Overall 5/5

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