Adding an M badge to an already sharp-handling BMW X5 SUV makes it nothing short of a sports car masquerading as a practical family crossover. The 2021 BMW X5 M seats five adults, offers 33.9 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats, and goes from zero to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. It’s not as quick as the seventh-generation hybrid BMW M5, but it’s not bad for an SUV. The base X5 M has a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that produces 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Sending all that oomph to all four wheels is an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. Meanwhile, the X5 M Competition has been tuned for 617 hp.
The 2021 BMW X5 M is a blindingly fast SUV in any flavor, but it looks like its steep $106,095 MSRP and sky-high maintenance costs have rendered it few favors in terms of resale value. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) has estimated the national average price of a 2021 BMW X5 M at $57,600, which is about 54% of its original MSRP. Edmunds adds that the trade-in value of a 2021 BMW X5 M in “outstanding condition” is around $55,854, which roughly aligns with KBB estimates.
However, Car Edge has presented a more conservative estimate of the 2021 X5 M’s depreciation. It claims a 44% value drop in 5 years, with resale values hovering at around $71,400 today. Still, the site adds that this estimate applies to units that averaged 13,600 miles a year and are in relatively good shape.
The BMW X5 M’s ownership costs are staggering
If you think the 2021 BMW X5 M’s depreciation is alarming, wait until you see its ownership costs. During the first year, owners are expected to lose upwards of $28,000 on fuel, insurance, periodic maintenance, repairs, financing costs, and depreciation, according to Edmunds. The site also estimates that, by the fifth year, owners would have spent $104,281 to keep an X5 M street-legal and running like a champ. The cost and figures could vary, but it goes without saying that owning a premium, high-performance German SUV (and keeping it running) requires deep pockets, even compared to sports cars.
For example, the BMW X5 M can’t hold a candle to the 2020 BMW M2, which has kept a solid resale value – especially the CS variants. It’s the same deal with BMW M4 coupes, which have depreciated far less than the X5 M in the same 5-year window — 35.5% according to iSeeCars. BMW M4 Convertibles, on the other hand, fare worse at 44.8%.
On a lighter note, the BMW X5 M is not the quickest-depreciating M car. That distinction goes to the M8 Grand Coupe. According to iSeeCars, the M8 has a 54.4% 5-year depreciation rate. If the trend holds, this grand tourer will have lost 64.9% of its value by year seven and 76.9% by its 10th year on the road. That’s quite dreadful for a performance car, but the M8 convertible fares a bit better than the coupe, depreciating 49.7% in 5 years. Moreover, you’re better off with the X5 M than the XM plug-in hybrid — a nice-driving EV that looks like a snorting mammal. Car Edge suggests the XM will depreciate 55% after 5 years, while iSeeCars predicts the model will lose 58.1% of its value within 5 years.
