In this article, we will outline the BMW X5 towing capacity. We’ll then cover cargo room and performance to better illustrate this vehicle’s overall capabilities. We will al so answer one of the most common questions: Can the BMW X5 tow my boat? The idea of buying an SUV is to have a vehicle that can be used in your everyday life but also add some utility. Hence the name “Sports Utility Vehicle”.

However, most luxury SUV buyers use about none-percent of their actual utility, instead just buying them for their higher seating position and sense of security. That said, don’t mistake even luxury SUVs for not having any actual utility. Sure, Sharon from next door might never let her BMW X5 even see a hard day’s work in its life but that doesn’t mean it isn’t capable of one.

In fact, the BMW X5 is actually surprisingly good at something that a many SUV owners actually buy SUVs for — towing boats.

Despite being a very posh, very luxurious SUV without any visual indication of rugged utilitarian capabilities, the BMW X5 can tow your boat with ease. That is, if your boat isn’t absolutely humongous.

The 2019 BMW X5 can tow up to 7,209 pounds when equipped with a factory hitch. At 12 percent braked (using trailer brakes), the vehicle can tow 6,603 pounds.

That’s more than enough to lug around a normal-sized fishing boat or ski boat. The average ski boat weighs anywhere between 3,000 and 4,000 lbs, so depending on which boat you have, it’s almost certain that the X5 can tow it. Considering that ski boats are the most commonly used boat for water sports, this is very good news to many boaters.

Between 6,000 and 7,500 pounds could equate to a camping trailer, small horse trailer, or small ski boat. As for a fishing boat, they’re usually quite small and tend to weigh in at less than 2,500 lbs.

While some can obviously weigh more, it’s all but guaranteed that the BMW X5 can tow one. So if you have a smallish fishing boat and you want an SUV that can get it to the water in supreme comfort, the X5 might just be your car.

Even better still, the BMW X5 is offered with an optional towing package, which not only provides a Class III trailer hitch but also bumps up its towing capacity to 7,200 lbs. That’s more than enough for the average ski boat or fishing boat.

So while it’s easy to be cynical and point at SUVs like the BMW X5 and laugh a their seeming superfluity, just remember that they’re actually far more capable than they let on. Can the BMW X5 tow your boat? You betcha.

BMW X5 Towing Capacity

Any BMW X5 can reach the maximum capacity of 7,200 pounds when equipped with a Class III Trailer Hitch, but in other respects, your maximum capacities will vary from trim to trim.

  • BMW X5 sDrive40i
    • Maximum payload of 827 pounds
    • 335-hp 3.0 liter inline-six with 330 lb-ft of torque
    • 4,758 pounds curb weight
    • 7,200 pounds maximum towing capacity
  • BMW X5 xDrive40i
    • Maximum payload capacity of 849 pounds
    • 335-hp 3.0 liter inline-six with 330 lb-ft of torque
    • 4,813 pounds curb weight
    • 6,602 pounds maximum towing capacity
  • BMW xDrive50i 
    • Maximum payload of 871 pounds
    • 456-hp 4.4 liter TwinTurbo V8 with 479 lb-ft of torque
    • 5,170 pounds curb weight
    • 6,603 pounds maximum towing capacity
  • BMW X5 M50i
    • Maximum payload of 882 pounds
    • 523-hp 4.4 liter TwinTurbo V8 with 553 lb-ft of torque
    • 7,200 pounds maximum towing capacity
    • 5,260 pounds curb weight