Compare the2026 Volvo XC60VS 2025 BMW X5

Safety
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and X5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultra/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. BMW doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the X5. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The X5’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the XC60. But it costs extra on the X5.

Both the XC60 and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC60 is safer than the BMW X5:

	XC60	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	125	209
Neck Injury Risk	22%	34%
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	15 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	489/470 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	178	342
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28%	35%
Neck Stress	179 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	55 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	329/351 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo XC60 is safer than the BMW X5:

	XC60	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	190 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	237	308
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	410 lbs.	796 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the XC60 is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the X5.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 T8 Extended Range running on electricity gets better mileage than the X550e xDrive running on electricity (66 city/60 hwy vs. 57 city/59 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the X5 running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
XC60
	AWD	2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	28 city/28 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
X5
	RWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/27 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	22 city/23 hwy
		4.4 turbo V8 Hybrid	17 city/22 hwy

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo XC60 higher (6 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (4 to 6). This means the XC60 produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

Suspension and Handling

The XC60 handles at .88 G’s, while the X5 xDrive50e pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the X5 M60i xDrive’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The XC60’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the X5’s (37.4 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 (8.5 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Volvo XC60 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 900 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The XC60 is 8.8 inches shorter than the X5, making the XC60 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The XC60 has 1.7 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more rear legroom than the X5.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the XC60 easier. The XC60’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the X5’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The XC60’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Payload and Towing

A Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the XC60, using the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the X5.

The XC60 has a higher standard payload capacity than the X5 (1196 vs. 1054 lbs.).

Ergonomics

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X5 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Volvo XC60 retains 46.33% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 43.89% resale value of the 2025 BMW X5 after five years, which can save the Volvo’s owner up to $11949.88649 in depreciation.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X5 has never been chosen.

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