This trio of large to oversized BMW SUV models caters for everyone from the blue-light brigade to upstanding wealthy citizens. So grab that Gucci bag filled with kickback cash: this article will help you decide whether a BMW X5, X6 or X7 is right for you.
At the beginning of the millennium (not that long ago), BMW was a luxury car brand purely focused on building the most engaging rear-wheel-drive sedans, mainly powered by naturally-aspirated inline-6 engines and guided by the hard-won racing prowess of the awe-inspiring M badge. But that began to change when the 1st-gen X5 was launched in 1999 – today, BMW is best known for its SUV models!
This fork in the path inexorably charted BMW’s future towards that of a luxury SUV maker whose driver’s cars have been reduced to an afterthought – as is the case with its archrivals, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
What was initially only greed dressed as market diversification could be blamed for the birth of the X5, or indeed the Mercedes ML and Audi Q7; for then-struggling Porsche, it was about survival. The Cayenne (launched in 2002) became its best-selling model overnight and saved the company from bankruptcy.
Francisco Nwamba presents a F15 BMW X5 (2014-2019) Buyer’s Guide:
So, too, did the X5’s success in the US and China strengthen BMW’s resolve to shift its focus to high-riding unibody utility vehicles with car-like handling, as consumers increasingly moved away from hatchbacks and sedans from 2010 onwards.
BMW X5
The recipe of a premium badge, high ground clearance and tech-laden interior hasn’t changed towards the end goal of quintessential suburban aspiration. The X5 has inspired all subsequent BMW SUV models – even compact ones such as the X1, X2, X3, X4, and more recently, electric iX-prefixed SUVs.
Unquestionably, over 25 years and 4 generations, the BMW X5 has come to iconise the premise of a spacious, luxurious and tech-heavy full-size family vehicle sporting various degrees of performance.
See also: BMW X5: Most influential car of the century
The current, 4th-gen X5 model has raked in sales as well as awards: it was named the winner of the Best Premium category in the 2019/20 and 2024/25 programmes of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards.
New BMW X5 Specs & Prices in South Africa
The current BMW X5 range spans 2 turbopetrol engines (including a hybrid) in various states of tune and a 3.0-litre inline-6 turbodiesel motor – arguably the pick of the litter – delivering 2 respective outputs.
With modularisation key to production efficiency, this arrangement is repeated in the X6 and X7 line-ups.
What does a new BMW X5 cost in South Africa?
| Model Derivative | Engine | Power / Torque | Transmission | Fuel Efficiency | Price |
| X5 Drive30d | 3.0L turbodiesel | 219 kW / 670 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 7.8 L/100 km | R1 803 637 |
| X5 xDrive40i | 3.0L turbopetrol | 280 kW / 540 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 9.3 L/100 km | R1 844 476 |
| X5 xDrive30d M Sport | 3.0L turbodiesel | 219 kW / 670 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 7.8 L/100 km | R1 863 476 |
| X5 xDrive40i M Sport | 3.0L turbopetrol | 280 kW / 540 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 9.3 L/100 km | R1 904 476 |
| X5 xDrive50e | 3.0L turbopetrol PHEV | 360 kW / 700 Nm | 8-speed automatic | 1.9 L/100 km 94-100 km electric range | R1 919 000 |
| X5 xDrive50e M Sport | 3.0L turbopetrol PHEV | 360 kW / 700 Nm | 8-speed automatic | 1.9 L/100 km 94-100 km electric range | R1 966 000 |
| X5 M60i | 4.4L turbopetrol | 390 kW / 750 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 11.9 L/100 km | R2 220 215 |
| X5 M Competition | 4.4L turbopetrol | 460 kW / 750 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 12.5 L/100 km | R3 281 901 |
All prices (correct in November 2025) include a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
New BMW X5 Specs & Prices in South Africa
Buy a used BMW X5 on Cars.co.za
BMW X6
From the outset, the BMW X6 was controversial because it sacrificed much of the X5‘s practicality at the altar of “style”. Because BMW didn’t deem the X5 to be hatchback-ey enough, the brand took an angle grinder to the SUV’s rear roofline, then started calling it a coupe even when its 4 doors were plain to see.
See also: BMW X6 (2024) Review
As a result, the chopped roof limits rear headroom for adult occupants and that evocatively (or is that provocatively?) sloped tailgate eats into load-bay capacity. BMW has improved those aspects of the X6‘s packaging throughout the model’s evolution, but even today, ingress to the back is an awkward affair.
See also: BMW X6 M50d (2020) Review
Although mechanically identical to the BMW X5, the X6 is positioned as the sportier sibling and is priced accordingly. Put differently, you’re paying more for less space and not going any faster. If you want high-riding athleticism, why are you even looking at anything other than a Porsche Cayenne Coupe?
Owing to this niche appeal, globally the BMW X6 has trailed its X5 sibling on the sales charts. Over the years, this limited appeal has been mirrored in rival showrooms; Mercedes-Benz will similarly discontinue the GLC and GLE coupes in 2026 (as indeed, BMW has already ceased production of the X4).
Drag race! BMW X6 M Competition vs Jaguar F-Type R AWD (2020)
What does a new BMW X6 cost in South Africa?
| Model Derivative | Engine | Power / Torque | Transmission | Fuel Efficiency | Price |
| X6 xDrive30d M Sport | 3.0L turbodiesel | 219 kW / 670 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 7.8 L/100 km | R1 923 637 |
| X6 xDrive40i M Sport | 3.0L turbopetrol | 280 kW / 540 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 9.3 L/100 km | R1 964 476 |
| X6 M60i | 4.4L turbopetrol | 390 kW / 750 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 11.9 L/100 km | R2 280 215 |
| X6 M Competition | 4.4L turbopetrol | 460 kW/750 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 12.5 L/100 km | R3 341 901 |
All prices (correct in November 2025) include a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
New BMW X6 Specs & Prices in South Africa
Buy a new or used BMW X6 on Cars.co.za
BMW X7
When size matters, more can only be more in the biggest of the SUV models that BMW produces today.
With 3 rows of seats, enough leather to make Greenpeace weep and the tech to launch a space shuttle, the interior of the BMW X7 provides the perfect chamber for concluding billion-rand business deals, all the while enjoying adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering and a triple-section panoramic glass roof.
Curiously, the X7’s turbodiesel variants feature a more powerful iteration of the 3.0-litre inline-6, but the turbopetrol M60i has the same output as its X5 and X6 siblings, so the X6 M Competition outguns it.
BMW X7 (2022) International Launch Review
Concerns? As is the fashion with German premium cars (even ones that cost THIS much), the tastiest tech treats (such as the 15 000-LED “Sky Lounge” enhancement of the sunroof) are optional extras.
See also: BMW X7 Gets Updated Look & Tech
What’s more, at over 5 metres long, you’d want to think twice about driving – let alone parking it – in tight urban spaces; and then there’s the not-inconsiderable issue of out-of-warranty maintenance, which itself will affect the vehicle’s residual value over time as the 100 000 km cutoff continues to creep ever-nearer.
If you have to have a BMW X7 (and let’s face it, enough affluent people totally do), buy a year-old model after the first owner has taken all of the pain, allowing you to merely surf the wave of depreciation.
What does a new BMW X7 cost in South Africa?
| Model Derivative | Engine | Power / Torque | Transmission | Fuel Efficiency | Price |
| X7 xDrive40d Design Pure Excellence | 3.0L turbodiesel | 259 kW / 720 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 8.0 L/100 km | R2 109 309 |
| X7 xDrive40d M Sport | 3.0L turbodiesel | 259 kW / 720 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 8.0 L/100 km | R2 184 309 |
| X7 M60i | 4.4L turbopetrol | 390 kW / 750 Nm | 8-spd automatic | 12.2 L/100 km | R2 520 558 |
All prices (correct in November 2025) include a 2-year/unlimited km warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
New BMW X7 Specs & Prices in South Africa
Buy a used BMW X7 on Cars.co.za
Which of the BMW SUV models should I buy?
Balancing space, practicality and value (if, with out-of-the-box prices starting at R1.8-million, that still matters to you), alongside the pricier, less attractive X6 with its compromised load bay and cramped rear quarters – and the X7 behemoth – the X5, as the original BMW SUV, remains the pick of the bunch.
On the other hand, owing to the latest BMW X3 having grown in size, it’s an awkwardly close fraternal alternative to the X5, making it quite possibly the smartest buy among all of the BMW SUV models.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Which BMW SUV model is recommended as the “pick of the bunch” among the X5, X6, and X7?
A: The BMW X5 is generally considered the “pick of the bunch.” It is the original BMW SUV and best balances space, practicality, and value when compared to its siblings like the X6 and X7.
Q: What makes the BMW X6 controversial compared to the X5?
A: The BMW X6 is controversial because it sacrifices much of the X5’s practicality, specifically rear headroom for adult occupants and load-bay capacity, in favor of a sloped, coupé-like roofline, while being mechanically identical and priced higher.
Q: What defines the BMW X7, and what are its potential drawbacks?
A: The BMW X7 is the brand’s largest and most luxurious SUV, featuring three rows of seats, adaptive air suspension, and high-tech features. Drawbacks include its size (over 5 meters long, making urban parking difficult) and the high cost of out-of-warranty maintenance.
