While BMW officials are reportedly going to miss out on the upcoming Paris Motor Show to discuss the future of electrified cars, media representatives are still testing their current offerings in the field of plug-in hybrids. The latest review comes from MotorWeek and the guys put the BMW X5 xDrive40e model to the test, to see how it fares.
We too took the first plug-in hybrid SUV from Munich out for a quick test a while back and we found both things that we liked and disliked about it. The guys from MotorWeek were impressed with how the car accelerates and its straight-line performance in general. The 2-liter 4-cylinder engine up front delivers good performance even though you wouldn’t expect it in a car of this size.
Of course, the electric motor encompassed within the gearbox does help out for a total output of 313 PS (308 hp) and a torque figure of 450 Nm (332 lb-ft). However, when you rely solely on electricity, the 9.2 kWh battery stored under the boot floor only gets you about 14 miles of cruising but according to the Germans that should be enough for your trip to work on a daily basis.
Sure, other cars offer better EV range but with the xDrive40e X5 you can also go for longer trips and don’t have to wait around a wall socket to be able to continue your journey. Just fill the tank with petrol and you’re good to go. Chip in the fact that you can go for short trips around town in EV mode and you get the best of both worlds. What surprised the guys from MotorWeek was the fact that the X5 comes with a sticker of just a bit over $63,000 which seemed like a bargain, at least for them. There are downsides as well, as the brakes don’t offer much feel and the steering feedback is virtually missing but our guess is that customers going for this particular model will be less interested in those particular areas.
