2012 BMW X5 M Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 BMW X5 M review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 X5 M, and includes BMW X5 M safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

If you’re looking for the ultimate BMW X5, you’ve found it in the M-tuned performance model. Equipped with more horsepower and torque, bigger wheels and tires, and numerous suspension, braking, steering, and transmission upgrades, the BMW X5 M delivers astounding performance.

For 2012, BMW adds a standard iPod/USB port to the X5 M, and includes a power tailgate in the base price. No changes are made to this ultimate combination of sport and utility for the new model year.

The BMW X5 M costs nearly $25,000 more than a standard X5 xDrive50i, so the first question you likely have is: What am I getting for all this extra cash? Well, aside from exclusivity even in regions of the country where X5’s litter Nordstrom parking lots like teenaged girls at a Justin Bieber concert, you’re getting a big upgrade in terms of hardware and firepower.

Starting under the hood, the X5 M makes 550 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, delivered to the pavement by an M Sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters and an M-tuned xDrive all-wheel-drive system, all governed by a driver-selectable M Drive system with Dynamic Mode. A set of 20-inch aluminum wheels shod with performance tires keeps the X5 M glued to the ground, and an M-tuned Dynamic Performance Control torque vectoring system helps by fostering extra stickiness. Upgraded brakes are ready to bring the hefty X5 M to a halt, and the whole package rides on an M Sport suspension with rear self leveling, Active Roll Stabilization and Dynamic Damping Control.

The extra cash required to get into the X5 M also buys a set of heated, 14-way power adjustable M sport front seats with memory for the driver’s settings, an M leather-wrapped steering wheel with M Drive button, an Anthracite headliner, and extended Merino leather. Exterior styling is spruced up with unique front and rear styling details, Shadowline trim, and four M-style exhaust outlets.

Otherwise, the X5 M includes the same equipment as the X5 xDrive50i. Highlights include automatic climate control, a navigation system with real-time traffic information, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, and a premium audio system with HD Radio, a CD/MP3 player, an iPod/USB connection, and an auxiliary audio input jack. A power panoramic sunroof, a power tailgate, Dynamic Cruise Control, and ambient cabin lighting are standard, along with safety features like adaptive Xenon headlights with corona-ring driving lights and automatic operation, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer jets, and front and rear Park Distance Control.

In addition to this generous list of standard features, BMW offers a menu of options that can push the X5 M’s price tag into triple-digit territory. The Cold Weather Package adds a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and ski sack; the Rear Climate Package includes four-zone automatic climate control and rear side window sunshades; and the Active Ventilated Seat Package provides ventilated 20-way multi-contour front seats with active bolstering for the driver. The X5 M is also available with a Driver Assistance Package (automatic high-beam headlights, heads-up display, rear- and top-view camera system), a Premium Sound Package (825-watt loudspeaker system and satellite radio with a one-year service subscription), and a Full Merino Leather Package that includes perforated leather and is required with the Active Ventilated Seat Package.

In addition to these packaged options, the X5 M can be individually upgraded with BMW Apps and full smartphone integration, a Comfort Access keyless entry system, soft-closing automatic doors, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a six-disc DVD changer. A side-view camera system is a perfect complement to the Driver Assistance Package’s rear- and top-view cameras, and buyers can also specify a heads up display. Numerous exterior paint and interior leather colors are available, and X5 M buyers can swap the standard brushed aluminum cabin trim for piano black, carbon leather, or grained wood trim.

The main reason to upgrade to the X5 M is for its M-tuned, direct-injected, twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine. With 555 horsepower available at 6,000 rpm and 500 pound-feet of torque peaking across a flat plateau stretching from 1,500 to 5,650 rpm, it’s no wonder that acceleration to 60 mph takes just 4.7 seconds despite a 5,368-pound curb weight. A fortified M Sport six-speed automatic with Adaptive Shift Control and paddle shifters funnels the power to the pavement through an M-tuned version of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system and, as you would expect, fuel economy is as unimpressive as the X5 M’s performance stats are impressive. The EPA thinks the X5 M will get 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway, burning premium gas the entire time.

BMW equips the X5 M with a generous number of standard safety features. As is expected, this SUV comes with a full complement of airbags, a sophisticated traction and stability control system, and a big set of brakes to scrub velocity in a hurry. The huge four-wheel ventilated-disc antilock brakes are paired with brake-force distribution, brake stand-by, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control, brake fade compensation, brake drying, and start-off assistant technologies. The X5 M is also equipped with brake regeneration, which converts kinetic braking force into electrical energy to help power accessories and reduce the load on the SUV’s electrical system.

Additionally, BMW Assist telematics is standard, and includes a free four-year subscription to Safety Plan services like Automatic Crash Notification, which activates when the airbags deploy to speed rescuers to the X5 M’s exact location. This performance-oriented people mover also has Adaptive Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights that swivel to help see around dark corners, along with front and rear Park Distance Control sensors and rain-sensing wipers. Automatic high-beam headlights and cameras depicting rear-, top-, and side-view perspectives are optional.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests on the BMW X5, and rates the SUV as Good – the highest possible rating – for frontal-, side-, and rear-impact injury prevention. A roof crush strength test has not been performed on the X5, keeping it from getting a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS. That National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers no guidance in terms of crashworthiness, other than to assign the X5 a 4-Star rollover resistance rating, which is par for a crossover SUV.

In addition to favorable crash-test ratings, the BMW X5’s potential to provide dependable service over time is decent. Both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates expect the X5 to deliver average reliability over time.

Better yet, BMW provides X5 M owners with a generous standard warranty package that includes free scheduled maintenance and free roadside assistance for the duration of the four-year/50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranty.

The X5 M’s standard xDrive all-wheel-drive system splits power 40 percent to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. To further help improve grip and handling, the M-tuned Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) system adds torque vectoring technology, allowing for the multiplication of torque to an individual rear wheel to help “steer” the X5 M when taking corners at a rapid clip. The effect makes the X5 M feel more responsive and solidly planted whether you’re accelerating or decelerating.

Thanks to its traditional SUV roofline, the BMW X5 M offers more cargo capacity than the BMW X6 M. With the rear seat raised and in use, the X5 M provides 35.8 cubic-feet of space, and with the rear seat folded down the X5 M offers a generous 75.2 cu-ft. of volume.

Not only is the X5 M roomier inside than the X6 M, it is better balanced. BMW reports that weight distribution is 51.7/48.3 front-to-rear for the X5 M, while the X6 M’s figures are 52.4/47.6.

The BMW X5 M is capable of towing a decent amount of weight. Properly equipped, it an handle a 6,000-lb. trailer.

Given a choice between the X5 M and the X6 M, we would choose the X5. It’s bigger inside, features a better-balanced weight distribution, and carries a lower sticker price, all without sacrificing performance, which is the point of an M-tuned SUV in the first place.

By Christian Wardlaw