BMW's 2027 iX5 60 xDrive: Dual Motors, 570 Horsepower and Doors Without Handles
BMW's 2027 iX5 60 xDrive is a dual-motor battery-electric SUV that starts at $81,250, according to Car and Driver. Engadget's first drive, published on 22 October 2026, describes the model as the effective replacement for the BMW iX and as sitting one step above the iX3 in BMW's lineup. BMW also positions it as a battery-powered alternative to the two-row X5.
The drivetrain pairs a front motor rated at 245 horsepower with a rear motor rated at 325 horsepower. Dual-motor layouts place one electric motor on each axle. Those figures come from a MotorTrend first drive of a prototype, published 15 June 2026. The tested 60 xDrive that Engadget reports on produces 570 horsepower and 593 pound-feet of torque, which matches the combined output of the two motors. Car and Driver lists a 141-kWh battery pack, a rating that measures how much energy the pack can store.
BMW's own press material gives range figures for two regional variants. For the first-ever iX5, BMW cites an estimated electric range of up to 435 miles, based on preliminary BMW AG testing using EPA procedures. A separate Canadian release gives up to 700 km on preliminary testing using EPA procedures. A long-wheelbase variant, the BMW iX5 Long Wheelbase, is covered in a 27 July 2026 release that cites a range of over 1,000 km under CLTC testing, the Chinese test cycle. That model is produced exclusively for China, and its market launch is scheduled for 2027. The two range figures and the CLTC figure are quoted under different test cycles and should not be compared directly.
On timing, BMW says the first variants of the new X5 reach the market in late November 2026. The all-electric and plug-in hybrid versions will follow that launch. The sequencing matters for buyers choosing between the electric and combustion-era variants, since the battery-electric models are not the first to arrive.
The exterior changes are more visible than the drivetrain. Consumer Reports, in its road-test report, describes X-shaped headlights and a slimmed-down grille. The most unusual feature is the door hardware. Instead of conventional handles, the iX5 uses winglets, small projecting tabs fitted with strain meters, atop the front and rear doors. Pulling a winglet opens the power door automatically, and embedded sensors are designed to prevent the door from striking people or adjacent cars. Engadget also reports that the doors close automatically when the occupant steps on the brake pedal.
Inside, the infotainment system runs on a 17.9-inch central touchscreen. A pillar-to-pillar display called Panoramic Vision, a single strip of screen spanning the cabin from one structural post to the other, has six customizable segments. An optional 14.6-inch passenger display is positioned so that the driver cannot see it. BMW calls the driver assistance system Symbiotic Drive.
In my view, the door hardware is the element that will draw the closest attention from owners, insurers and regulators. A handle is a simple mechanical interface. A winglet with strain sensors and automated actuation moves pedestrian and vehicle clearance, sensor reliability and the brake-linked closing logic into software and sensor fusion, the process of combining readings from several sensors into one picture of the surroundings. Those functions will be judged on real-world behavior in parking garages and curbside traffic rather than on the spec sheet.
The broader context here is a familiar one for the industry. Each generation of electrified platform has used the freedom of a new architecture to rethink small touchpoints, from the door to the dashboard. Some of those changes became standard, and others were quietly dropped. The iX5 gives buyers a concrete test case for whether sensor-driven door controls and a split-screen passenger display can earn a place in the mainstream. The battery-electric configuration, the dual-motor output and the range claims will tell the more immediate story as the late-2026 launch approaches.
