BMW X5 vs Land Rover Range Rover: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Land Rover Range Rover burns about $2,850 of fuel annually against $2,900 for the BMW X5. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Land Rover Range Rover is the stronger commuter at 26 mpg city, while the BMW X5 pulls ahead on the interstate at 31 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the BMW X5 is recorded with 4 distinct engine configurations (SIDI & PFI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, SIDI; Mild Hybrid), the Land Rover Range Rover with 4 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI, SIDI; PHEV). Across 61 recorded BMW X5 configurations and 191 for the Land Rover Range Rover, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the BMW X5 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive, the Land Rover Range Rover with 4-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Land Rover Range Rover emits 102 g/mile of CO2 versus 130 g/mile for the BMW X5. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.