The BMW X5 is a mid-size crossover SUV sold by BMW since 1999. It features all-wheel drive and is available with a range of petrol inline-6s and V8 engines. Diesels are an option for models sold outside of North America. All X5s worldwide are manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina. BMW described it as an SAV (Sport Activity Vehicle) rather than an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), to emphasize its on-road ability despite its size. Like the Lexus RX 300 and Mercedes M-Class, the X5 heralded the shift from truck-based body-on-frame SUVs to sedan-based crossovers that would come to fruition in the late 2000s.

4 years later, the BMW X3 was released, which used the “X” prefix applied to the BMW SUVs which were derivatives of the BMW number-series models.