BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been at each other’s throats in the large premium SUV segment for almost three decades. Stuttgart was first to get the ball rolling in this segment with the first-ever M-Class in 1997, with Munich responding two years later with the first X5.
Since then, the two carmakers have been trading blows in one of the most profitable niches of the automotive industry, as both the X5 and the M-Class successor, the GLE, are one of the best-selling models from each brand.
Despite the three-pointed star usually having a different customer demographic than the blue-and-white roundel, GLE-Class and X5 customers are pretty much the same type of car buyer. They all live a more prosperous life than your average Chevy driver, and care about performance and luxury in a family car, not just space or pricing.
Since the original versions of the two rival premium SUVs weren’t unveiled at the same time, the past quarter century of so has almost always paired either a slightly older Mercedes-Benz to a brand new BMW, or vice-versa. In 2026, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a second mid-cycle facelift for the GLE-Class, while BMW almost immediately followed suit with a brand-new, fifth-generation X5.
This situation has made the rivalry between the two SUVs enter its most technically complex stage yet, as the automotive industry is in full transition toward an emission-free future. The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE (W167) is at its second mid-cycle facelift, albeit the most comprehensive one yet, with over 3,000 new or revised components, an upgraded engine lineup that is ready for Euro 7 emission laws, new MB.OS infotainment system, cloud-based predictive damper control, and a standard MBUC Superscreen that stretches across the entire cockpit as a single glass surface.
The 2027 BMW X5 (G65) is an entirely new generation of the model, and is completely different in just about every detail compared to the MY 2026 and older models. The entirely reinvented SUV (or SAV, as BMW calls it) is built around the design language and technology brought by BMW’s modern Neue Klasse architecture. For the first time in its history, the X5 (G65) can be had with five distinct types of powertrain at the same time. There are mild-hybrid gasoline ones, mild-hybrid diesel, plug-in hybrid, the all-electric iX5 and, starting from 2027, the BMW iX5 Hydrogen.
In short, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE represents the latest evolution of an already known formula, while the 2027 BMW X5 arrives as a slightly more ambitious proposition that is different to anything Munich has previously tried in this segment. With that in mind, I decided to pit the two sales-juggernauts against each other and see which carmaker has gotten the closest to perfecting their propositions in the highly disputed large premium SUV segment.
Design: Evolution Versus RevolutionPut the refreshed GLE and the all-new X5 side by side and you immediately realize that they are not even remotely similar regarding their proportions, like they used to be in the past, never mind the completely antithetic design languages that they use.
From a distance but especially when getting closer to it, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE is arguably the more authoritarian-looking, with the mid-cycle refresh adding all-new design details that make it even more imposing on the road than its predecessor. The biggest changes are at the two ends of the car, with the front getting larger headlamp units, with two horizontally arranged star motifs used as DRLs.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz AG
There is also an optionally illuminated central three-pointed star and contour lighting of the much larger grille, giving the model a nocturnal presence completely different compared to its predecessor. At the rear, three-dimensional star emblems in both light clusters are framed by a new design trim that spans the entire tailgate, making it look more connected to other modern Mercedes-Benz models like the C-Class Electric and the GLC EQ.
Technically, the most impressive novelty on the exterior is represented by the new Digital Light headlights, whose micro-LED tech offers a lighting field that is approximately 40 percent larger than its predecessor while using 50 percent less energy. They now also have a function called Ultra Range, which makes them capable of illuminating up to 600 m (1,969 ft) ahead, or the equivalent of six football pitches.
The 2027 BMW X5, on the other hand, has been radicalized and features the same monolithic design language brought by the Neue Klasse platform and already used on the latest BMW iX3 and the new i3 sedan. Compared to any of its predecessors, it differs through both details and proportions.
Photo: BMW AG
The slimmer and vertically aligned BMW kidney grille is now framed by what BMW calls “double-X” DRLs that make their first appearance on a modern Bimmer. For those who don’t care for the “dead cartoon character” look, the “Xs” can be turned into the regular “BMW fangs,” which have replaced the traditional “Angel Eyes” since 2023. Overall, the new X5 has a more aggressive face compared to its predecessor, while the model’s proportions are more monolithic, with cleaner horizontal lines that emphasize its width rather than its height.
Inside, the antithetic design language between the facelifted GLE and the all-new X5 is even more evident. The Mercedes gets a new iteration of the MBUX Superscreen as standard, albeit one that accompanies analog buttons for the climate control. The cockpit thus has three 12.3-inch displays under a single continuous glass surface, flanked by a pair of oval outer vents for the AC, which replace the previous squarish units. There are also new comfort seats with a 3d surfacing design and luxury stitching, while the panoramic sliding sunroof is standard across the lineup.
In contrast, the X5’s interior is built around the BMW Panoramic display, a tilted central touchscreen and an optional passenger screen, making the cockpit look like a version between what the new iX3 and the refreshed 2027 7 Series are using. There are new decorative surfaces made either from glass or slate, as a world premiere on a car. Like the other Neue Klasse models already on the market, the X5 and its electric brother, the iX5, also get two different steering wheel designs, one more bizarre than the other, but definitely unique in its segment.
Comparing them directly, both the GLE and the new X5 offer a more futuristic take on what a premium large SUV should look like inside and out, but the Mercedes is definitely more of an evolution of something familiar, while the BMW starts from a clean sheet in every area.
Powertrains: Massive Upgrades Versus Spoiled for ChoiceUnlike in previous generations, where a GLE/X5 comparison was more straightforward in the powertrain department, the 2027 models are cut from a different cloth. Mainly because we’re talking about a facelift and not an all-new model, Mercedes-Benz has gone the route of comprehensively upgrading its existing engine lineup for the GLE W167. On the other hand, Munich has decided that the new X5 should be the first BMW to come with no less than five different powertrains, which use vastly different types of fuel.
In the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE, the star of the non-AMG show is the GLE 580 4Matic, whose twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 now develops 537 PS (531 HP) and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque. Among the biggest modifications it has over the old one is a new flat-plane crankshaft that replaces the old cross-plane unit, which indirectly makes it more efficient and also enables better exhaust aftertreatment for Euro 7 emission laws. Despite slightly larger turbocharger compressors, Mercedes-Benz insists that the new V8 is a lot more responsive and is smoother than before.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz AG
The V8 GLE has no direct rival in the new BMW X5 engine lineup, with the Bavarians choosing inline-six engines exclusively in the internal combustion lineup. That said, the most powerful combustion-engined X5 G65 until the M version arrives is the M60e xDrive, which uses a 3.0-liter inline-six paired with an electric motor to provide a combined output of 612 PS (603 HP) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque. Despite the extra oomph, it is also much heavier than the GLE 580, which is why both models go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds. That said, thanks to a 29.48 kWh gross (26.5 kWh net) li-ion battery, the X5 also has up to 98 km (60 miles) of electric range in the WLTP cycle.
Next in the GLE engine lineup is the GLE 450e 4Matic, which is powered by a plug-in hybrid system combining a 3.0-liter inline-six with an electric motor for a total output of 435 PS (429 HP) and 680 Nm (501.5 lb-ft) of torque. It can go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds, while its electric range is up to 106 km (66 miles) in WLTP testing thanks to a 31.2 kWh gross (25,72 kWh net) li-ion battery that also supports DC charging at up to 60 kW.
Its direct rival from the new X5 engine lineup is the X5 50e xDrive, which also goes for a 3.0-liter inline-six augmented by a slightly more powerful electronic motor for a total combined output of 489 PS (482 HP) and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of torque. These numbers allow the X5 50e xDrive to go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5 seconds flat, quicker than its Stuttgart competitors. Its slightly smaller battery gives it a smaller WLTP electric range, though, at 102 km (63 miles).
Next in line in the power hierarchy is the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic, which uses a mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six that delivers 381 PS (376 HP) and 560 Nm (413 lb-ft) of torque, which is paired with a 23 PS (21 HP) electric motor. It can go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.3 seconds.
Photo: BMW AG
Its correspondent from BMW is the X5 40i xDrive, which also comes with a mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six, only this one delivers 400 PS (394 HP) and 540 Nm (398.3 lb-ft) of torque, paired with an 18 PS (17 HP) electric motor. Because of the extra weight, it is identically quick as the GLE 450 4Matic from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph), achieving it in 5.3 seconds.
On the diesel side, no longer available for quite some time in the U.S., the refreshed Mercedes-Benz offers two versions, in the form of the GLE 350d 4Matic and the GLE 450d 4Matic. Both are powered by mild-hybrid versions of a 3.0-liter inline-six, which delivers 286 PS (282 HP) and 650 Nm (479.4 lb-ft) of torque in the GLE 350d and 367 PS (362 HP) with a healthy 750 Nm (553.2 lb-ft) of torque in the GLE 450d 4Matic. Each version is paired with a 32 PS (21 HP) electric motor. The entry-level gets from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 6.2 seconds, while the GLE 450d arrives there in just 5.5 seconds.
BMW only offers a single diesel version, in the form of the X4 40d xDrive, which uses a mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six with 313 PS (309 HP) and 670 Nm (494.1 lb-ft) of torque, paired with an 18 PS (17 HP) electric motor. Situated between the GLE 350d and 450d regarding the power output also gives it a middle-of-the-ground 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) acceleration of 6.1 seconds.
Since its introduction, the refreshed 2027 Mercedes GLE has also received its 53 and 63 AMG versions, while the new 2027 X5’s full-on M version is yet to arrive. That said, the BMW powertrain diversification is much higher at the start of sales thanks to iX5 60 xDrive, which is all electric. Its dual-motor powertrains setup delivers 578 PS (570 HP) and 805 Nm (593.7 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to hit 100 kph (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds. Thanks to a giant 141 kWh net battery, it also has a massive 845 km (525 miles) WLTP range. It will be joined from 2027 by other electric versions and also a hydrogen variant.
Verdict: Evolution Has a Slight Advantage Today, While Revolution Might Win TomorrowBetween them both, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE and the 2027 BMW X5 are, without a doubt, the most technologically advanced pair of premium large SUVs in Germany right now. Choosing one over the other usually depends on personal preferences and brand loyalty, but maybe for the first time ever, the technical data at the start of sales sounds slightly better for the Stuttgart model when talking about the present.
Photo: BMW AG
Despite being much older, the GLE’s platform allows its combustion powertrains and lower overall weight to generally tower over the new X5 regarding performance. Also, despite not having rear-wheel steering, the GLE has a shorter turning radius compared even with the new X5 with optional rear-wheel-steering, which is required because of increased length.
With that in mind, the BMW X5 G65 does have a slightly larger luggage compartment, being longer, and future powertrain options might give it the overall win over the aging GLE even in the technical department. In other words, there still isn’t a complete champion and the fight between the two will once again be settled simply by personal preference in the end. As a personal note, used prices for the previous generation BMW X5 have increased after the new model was unveiled, so its Neue Klasse design might not go so much in its favor.