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BMW has carved out a fresh entry point for the X5 in Japan, and the new xDrive40d Original reaches showrooms in July. It slots in beneath the M Sport and Final Edition grades. A stripped-back trim is a rare beast in the premium SUV world. Creating one is a delicate balancing act, too. Strip out too much, and you alienate luxury buyers, but strip out too little and the starting figure climbs too high. So BMW Japan went for a tactical reduction, trimming secondary kit while protecting the core of the car. The move makes sense given the brand’s modest local footing, where just 35,729 cars found homes across 2025, ahead of Volkswagen and Audi yet adrift of a Mercedes-Benz tally near 51,000.
Practicality stays front and centre. The Original keeps three rows of seating, and the rearmost chairs fold flat into the floor when they are not in use. The second-row seats tilt and slide forward at the touch of a button. Clambering into the third row is no chore. This is a proper family haulier, not a cut-price imitation of one.
It drives like a full-fat X5 too. Adaptive suspension keeps the ride supple, whatever the load on board, so the body stays settled over broken surfaces and at a cruise. Rear-wheel steering does the clever footwork. It shrinks the turning circle around town and steadies the SUV through faster sweepers. The big BMW feels nimbler than its footprint suggests.
The kit list reads richer than the entry billing implies. Driving Assist Professional, Surround View, Digital Key Plus, a Drive Recorder and the Intelligent Personal Assistant all make the cut. These are the features owners actually reach for day to day. To keep complexity down, BMW limits the palette to two finishes. Buyers choose between non-metallic Alpine White and metallic Black Sapphire.
The hardware under the bonnet is the real draw. A 3.0-litre turbo diesel straight-six does the heavy lifting, backed by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. An integrated starter generator feeds in instant torque, smoothing turbo lag and damping vibration during stop-start running. The Spartanburg-built SUV channels 335bhp and 516lb ft through ZF’s slick eight-speed automatic and xDrive. There is real low-down muscle here, ideal for long motorway hauls and loaded family runs alike, which could make this leaner grade the smart pick of the range come July.
