BMW X5 45e longterm test. Why I've gone from electric to a plug-in hybrid for the family car

[@NotJanine777]

We have an X5 45e on loan from BMW at the moment and love it. Usually get around 47 miles on a full charge and if you use the sat-nav when going somewhere the hybrid mode works out the route so that it maximises the battery use so that you arrive at your destination with zero battery left. If you want to keep 50% of the battery for the return journey then you just dial it up on the i-drive when you set off and jobs done. You can also get it to charge the battery whilst driving but that does have an impact on the MPG. It takes about 6-7 hours to fully charge on a 7.2kw charger, although it only draws 3.5kw, or so. Haven’t tried it on a standard house plug yet so can’t comment on that. Our car has the laser head lights at £1,500 (which I wouldn’t bother with - just get the adaptive headlights instead) and the LED sunroof at £2,500 (which, again, I wouldn’t bother with - too expensive for what it is and the opening it quite small). It has the Tech Pack which has the head-up display, etc and that’s great. This pack also gives you the surround camera system which I would say is a necessity - it’s quite a big car to negotiate around a Starbucks drive-thru or park in a supermarket and the cameras make it manageable. The car also has the TV’s in the back at £2,500 which we haven’t even switched on. Again, very expensive for what they are plus they can get in the way when you fold the seats down. The boot, although smaller than the non-hybrid version, is fine for our family of five plus dog. The kids love being high up and you get a very commanding view of the road. Also, it really shifts if you put your foot down but then the MPG drops down to low-teens (12-13!!!), which is eye-opening. As an average, we seem to be doing about 70% of our driving on the battery and the petrol use overall seems to be around the 80 MPG mark, which is great for such a large car. One good thing is that you really can’t tell whether the engine is on unless you look at the display - you never feel or hear the engine start - it’s so smooth. Overall, we are really pleased with it and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone in the market for this kind of car.

[@thirst4petrol537]

yes and it's extremely versatile around town too instead of just for long journeys(which it does perfectly well). iv also reviewed it on my channel, you're welcome to check it out en leave a comment if iv done it right as im a beginning reviewer :)

[@PrinceBarin77]

Super helpful (buying used) 👍🙏

[@iantownsend500]

Watching Harry’s videos is like sitting under the learning tree. The man knows his stuff & in my eyes talks complete sense

[@sambagogo777]

"It's not exactly farmer spec" Priceless comment!

[@markgilbertson1564]

A farmer will be using a proper 4x4 like a HiLux not a pimpmobile on 35 profile tyres.

[@kevinmccormack6610]

@@markgilbertson1564 I wouldn't mind one for the wife, would be handy as a second car to do a small bit of road haulage if my ford ranger was unavailable.

[@dudley7540]

Just like Harry!

[@banaana1234]

@@markgilbertson1564 And that is exactly why harry has a proper land rover

[@randomsurfer3963]

The laser lights is proper farmer spec..:) Would be nice to see them in action in the field at night

[@modernschoolatlas]

Exactly my conclusion last year, 5 years of Nissan Leafs then changed to a BMW 330e Sport Pro (G20 model) because the infrastructure was the limiting factor. If I wanted to go a distance I had to use another car (the wife's car) because charging points were often either occupied, out of order, incompatible, or nowhere to be found. Now I get 125 mpg because 75% of my mileage is on electric, and it's smooth and fast and has enough gadgets for me. I spent half the amount that Harry did here, and ignored the M sport because I don't want to pay thousands extra for badges and different shaped bumpers (even though the marketing people tell me I should) and it would make the list price over £40k so cost me a lump extra in road tax for five years. But my car could be improved if they put a bigger battery in it, but it doesn't fit hence they put it in the X5, very sensible if you can afford it, if not the 330e for half the money gives you most of what you want.

[@sq1rlsqu4d]

I can only agree; I'm a long-time i3 owner and I love it, but it's a fact that, for longer or medium-length trips where time may be of the essence, my old ICE cars are the only real choice. The charging infrastructure has to improve, and it can't come too quickly. I've owned the i3 for 4 years now and the charging network here in Denmark is still basically the same as it was when the car was purchased. It seems that the situation is very much the same in the UK; unless one owns a Tesla or a full hybrid (I wish :) then you're always going to need an ICE car as backup. Of course, the development of battery tech will continue to progress at a crazy pace and give increased range, but until then...

[@modernschoolatlas]

@@sq1rlsqu4d Agreed. It's all emerging technology which is fascinating but with various uncertain solutions. I will be pleased to revert to an EV as soon as it all settles down.

[@ffrrannk]

Did you consider the model 3 SR, I expect it would be close to the 330e price and certainly save on running costs? Little sad to hear your story after being an EV driver for so long, but totally understand. If the government is serious about this they need to get serious about the infrastructure now. Unless you go Tesla it can be very stressful on longer journeys.

[@modernschoolatlas]

@@ffrrannk The 3 was only starting to take orders when I got my 330e, and they were for £50k which was nearly 50% more than I paid and too much for me. My petrol cost is £35 (the tank is puny) every month, so not a lot.

[@ffrrannk]

@@modernschoolatlas ah, makes sense. Sounds a good solution. How many electric miles does the 330e do, about half the X5?

[@ted_maul]

I too often find myself looking at leases when suddenly BMW ring up and offer me a free car for 6 months :D

[@overbuiltlimited]

I know right! And he says it like it’s a normal thing. Such is the life an “influencer.”

[@comeberza]

When your wealth and job intersect to make you richer and having more content to talk about

[@FirstLadyDonald]

It's so irritating, here I am happily nursing my 5 year old 3.0l d xf through life and my phone is constantly ringing it's nuts off with people offering me new cars to borrow

[@jonathanwilcox7318]

Ugh, I feel your pain. Audi called me this morning to see if I wanted an SQ8 for 6 months, when they'd clean forgotten they'd already leant me an RS6 only two months ago! How we laughed together on the phone!

[@matthewbannister3473]

Hi Harry, I'm 100% with you on the diesel powered PHEV theory; if the Diesel engine never needs to start up in town then the particulates disperse on longer runs and it's like having an EV in town. As a BMW diesel driver, the mpg returned on motorways and long journeys is second to none. Of course, that does rely on the users of them charging regularly and actually using the electric motor like you are doing (rather than taking the reduced BIK tax rates and just driving on the combustion engine the whole time, as I understand many do)... Thank you for the continued wisdom and great videos!

[@siraff4461]

I would say most of the ones not plugging in are driving cars with pathetic ev range and just don't see it as worth the bother. Quite a few of the early PHEV's will struggle to get 10 miles ev so if someone is commuting 50 miles each way or doing a lot of business miles (a lot of early ones were also company cars) its a tiny portion of what they will use. If its one of the ones which have to use the engine for the heater it's fairly pointless when its cold (since that running engine will also generate electricity and if the battery is full it has nowhere to go - actually reducing efficiency!) and if they run a fuel card its even more pointless to them. This isn't that and shouldn't be confused. This is a genuine shorter range ev (not far off most early Leafs by now) and since you can do a lot of useful journeys without starting the engine it makes it well worth plugging it in. I also agree about the diesel PHEV being a best bet but with the caveat the battery needs to cover most shorter runs so this 50 mile ish would be a minimum. Diesels are great on a long run but not so clever for short runs and cold starts. In a normal hybrid or short range PHEV I can see it being an engineering nightmare to make them run reliably while maintaining their emissions systems. If they are only being asked to run when they are needed for a decent stretch they make a lot more sense. There would be no trade off here either since BMW already make TT diesels with more power and almost identical weight/dimensions.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Particulates are not the issue with modern diesels anymore thanks to DPFs - it's the nitrogen oxides they produce that are harmful. Not having the diesel running around town is *better* than having it run around town - but those nitrogen oxides still go into the atmosphere and will therefore increase exposure to all forms of life. Of course having it run the diesel engine even less may lead to even more premature DPF failure, which is the biggest problem with modern diesels from an ownership perspective. Time will tell I guess. Personally I think diesel commuter vehicles should be entirely banned due to the nitrogen oxide problem, and commercial diesel use should be minimised as much as financially possible - they are killers - the facts are clear.

[@yetidh9]

@@Beer_Dad1975 I don't disagree, but most modern diesels run AdBlue which significantly reduces NOX emissions. The latest tech reduces them by up to 80%. It would be nice if every commuter could drive an EV but at the moment the cost is prohibitive for those with longer commutes where diesel makes sense.

[@PazLeBon]

@@yetidh9 its still pollution and the ONLY reason to use EV is to stop polluting. Hybrids are a cop out nonsense

[@drivelife.channel]

Volvo did the D6 which was a fantastic plug in hybrid diesel :)

[@andyb190]

I enjoy all of Harry's vids...but i get more excited when he is holding a sheaf of paper. It's going to be informative and interesting.

[@matty6848]

Yes but sadly it’s mostly cars that about 0.01% of the world’s population can actually afford. I much prefer smaller channels where old Fords are test drive and cars that are within reach of most normal people.

[@andyb190]

@@matty6848 Harry talks about the concept of hybrid v electric in this. The pros and cons of what could be all our futures. Whether you can afford one now is incidental as we may all HAVE to afford one in the future. The car companies will make that happen but in the meantime, the idea of a hybrid SUV is not without merit.

[@justplainnic]

Mercedes have a C 300de diesel hybrid estate.... Seems about as practical as the X5....could be an alternative and worth a look?

[@simonkitchen-dunn9091]

@@justplainnic diesel hybrid just seems to make much more sense.

[@matty6848]

andrew brown true. But sadly most electric cars are massively expensive, way beyond what most normal folk can afford. I’m all for electric cars but they need to be reduced in price to really take off. Until they are really only limited to a lucky few.

[@brettb5257]

"of course, I haven't tried that because it would be highly illegal in the UK..." Keep it up Harry, another great and informative video.

[@thesluce]

One of the beauties of these PHEVs is the remote function for the HVAC. So lovely to get into a perfect temperature car no matter what time of year it is.

[@waynealderesq4416]

Wife just got the x5 hybrid. Loves it. 50 miles per gallons in hybrid Great around town electric. Great car all around

[@TeamAtterz]

I love how your most economical car other than the Ipace was a Project 8 😂

[@neilbrazier8558]

Lol

[@dkent3853]

Nice flex. But okay.. haha

[@KarmaticEvolution]

D Kent damn it’s been awhile since I have seen this comment.

[@AlexiGreco]

Great 👍

[@bedmember]

Wasn't the lotus economical as well?

[@emcgrath7375]

Did you notice the interior of the Espada lit up, in the background, with its new glass roof? Congrats on the Concours win!

[@WilliamStevens007]

Agree with your comments on Diesel totally, A diesel Plug-in hybrid would be my choice If I had one. But I haven't so will carry on with my 17-year-old diesel estate.

[@markgilbertson1564]

Using a 17 year old car is the absolute max eco friendly vehicle. Well done. X5s are big and ugly.

[@matthewgodwin3050]

@@markgilbertson1564 Agreed. When you look at the frankly horrific amounts of energy and natural resources needed to produce a brand new car from scratch, it's far kinder to the environment to take on an older car that already exists. My current car was built in 2003, but it still only has 36k miles on it, is in really nice condition, and is faultlessly reliable. Picked it up 4 years ago with 16k miles, it was like a brand new car. There is often no need to order a vehicle brand new. If conserving energy and resources is important to you, utilising what already exists is much better for the planet. It doesn't necessarily mean you are stuck with old unreliable junk either, though you do sacrifice image and keeping up with fashion. That isn't an issue for me, as I don't need to present a particular image, but it may be a problem for some people.

[@HighHoeKermit]

I agree. My diesel is 13 years old with 162K, but still gets the same economy around town as Harry did combined in that hybrid and even more on long runs. Although it would be nice to have my short journeys on electric power, it would be a poor compromise to have my long distance economy devastated. For many, this would merely redistribute how they pay for their mileage without offering much in the way of savings, before you even take in to consideration the expensive new car and an extra bit on your electric bill.

[@reinmansmith]

Completely agree... my old Volvo V70 diesel with 6 speed manual box was quite capable of 50+mpg if driven sensibly on a run and driven normally at ‘sorry officer’ speeds would still do low to mid 40’s mpg. I gave it to my son and he’s still running it as his family car with 170k on the clock.... surely the epitome of an eco friendly car yet it’s demonised because it’s a diesel??

[@danielmarshall4587]

@@markgilbertson1564 Yes very true, keeping a car that already exists on the road and get as much use a possible from it.

[@richardbrayshaw570]

As usual, a superb piece of automotive journalism. Nice to have a change from the drag races and 0-60 times and get down to some real world motoring discussion. Thanks Harry!

[@mikpiece469]

Probably the best car review ever done in the history of cars - thank you Harry

[@videomovies7064]

Didn’t tell us the electric range at 70 in winter

[@mikpiece469]

@@videomovies7064 how could he know?

[@dleetr]

"No plug-in point at Gordon Murray Automotive". God bless that man.

[@philtechGT3]

That GMT looks beautiful !

[@Dome79nico]

I like this review. All the considerations you made in this video make so much sense: the incentives, the diesel, the infrastructure... in my opinion you are definitely right.

[@johnhaynes9910]

As ever Harry, totally interesting not just the car but your thoughts around the whole issue.

[@nafnaf0]

He is pretty smart, well informed, and pragmatic. I too enjoy hearing his views on all the issues as it relates to the cars. I am going to buy a US spec 2023 BMW X5 45e largely based on his 3 videos, which are just excellent

[@mikecook6894]

We've had a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV for 4 years now. I absolutely agree with all of your points, especially the ease of driving in traffic.

[@jagman84]

My neighbour bought one about the same time. He never tires of showing me his mpg readout (mid 120's). He used to change his vehicle annually but is totally sold on this one.

[@UKMike2009]

@@jagman84 Just as well - Mitsubishi have pulled out of the UK market so he won't be able to get a new one.

[@rorycronin9730]

I can honestly say this is the best, most realistic car review I have seen. Real world driving, very well presented. Keep up the good work!

[@EnzoFerrar992]

I fully agree with Harry regarding current diesel discussions. Last week I did a 950 km business trip to Switzerland with a rental car. It was an "old-fashioned" Golf 8 Diesel with an manual gearbox. I received a full tank when I started and I only had to refuel when I came back to my hometown. It cost me around 44€ for the entire trip. That's just unbeatable!

[@nafnaf0]

Yeah it is sad and wrong that diesel has been demonized. I think people think it is 'dirty'. It in fact it is more efficient, from just a thermodynamics perspective the diesel cycle can always beat the Otto cycle.

[@K2shadowfax]

Harry's POV - plugged in, and, very switched on!

[@jamessherrets7788]

I got one in November. It’s marvelous! At a fair price. Been averaging 70+ mpg. And the tech is so awesome. Great ride too. Jim Sherrets

[@ZuperMineCraftMaN]

I want to live a life where my most economical car is a project 8.

[@soundseeker63]

I actually choked a bit when he said that! How the wealthy live, eh

[@kevingregson3805]

Funny you should say that about the warning sensors, I went upto the Lake District yesterday, drove up the Kirkstone Pass...not the widest of roads and I'm surprised they get buses and trucks up it! I went up in my Skoda Karoq and the sensors went nuts, I could hardly move for alarms and automatic braking, the kids thought it was hilarious because of my foul language through frustration😂, but I think you're right, manufacturers just think about town traffic and not about narrow country roads.

[@jefruscione6214]

HM, thank you for your videos on the electric and PHEVs...based on your videos I conducted similar comparisons and as a result I recently purchased an X5 45e as well!!! And I love it!!! Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction.

[@joshclayg]

" M pack gives you lots of badges with m on them" 🙂

[@modernschoolatlas]

....and gives their sales margin a nice boost.

[@mariusvranceanvirixDerTod]

Love it !!!

[@cutdepiefails6596]

M brake calipers and discs are quite bigger and looks a bit better.

[@joshuarosen6242]

I've got an M5 and most of the (non M) BMWs I see round here have more M badges than my car. It's got completely out of hand. Buy a real M car or do without the poseurs' badges.

[@modernschoolatlas]

@@joshuarosen6242 Agreed, it's just marketing people getting money out of customers' pockets.

[@donswier]

We love our BMW i3 REX (range extender) here in the Seattle USA area for the same reason ...no range anxiety. Best of all, the carbon fiber for the body is produced in our home state.

[@hugocass8381]

More undiluted common sense from Harry

[@maxnex7676]

I'm not sure on this, hybrid plugins are more for a manufacturer to say that their cars don't consume much petrol but in reality hybrid plugins are farce because once you have reached the battery limit say on a long journey the car has to run on petrol until you have the chance to plug it in again. Toyota and Lexus use the car petrol engine to charge the battery which means no plug in needed and you can still run on straight battery if need be. I think Harry has been sucked in with the manufacturers blurb on this.

[@siraff4461]

@@maxnex7676 I think you need to look up how these things work. You've got the wrong end of the stick.

[@maxnex7676]

@@siraff4461 Thanks for the comment, I've looked up the specifications and comments and they all say that the only charging this car does while on the move is from regenerative braking or going down a hill coasting. Using a particular mode will allow the engine to charge the battery to about 60% but you will take a big hit on fuel consumption and if your mileage is over the 50 mile limit and if you can not do home or office charging the car is not worth the extra price. Another strange thing is you have to trickle charge the battery, fine if you plug in at night but it is not possible to fast charge. It all seems so approximate, the battery or electric motor technology is not as good it seems as Tesla and the hybrid driving mode is not as good as Lexus (which never needs to see a home charger or charger of any sort).

[@siraff4461]

@@maxnex7676 The Lexus/Toyota non plug-ins are just hybrids. They do hardly any mileage on battery and at hardly any power output. Their electricity comes only from burning petrol or recouperating waste energy under braking. This has a much larger battery, is able to propel itself on battery power alone for 40+ miles and at upto 84 *ahem* mph. In the Toyota/Lexus you might get a mile or two on electric if you're in traffic and very gentle. They are very efficient cars but they are internal combustion based with electric assistance rather than being a genuine electric car and a genuine petrol car like this.

[@Justin-kv8iy]

"harrys saying things I agree with so he must be right"

[@Z4coupeuk]

Keep these coming Harry, if anyone’s gonna convert me to PHEV, it’s you and these brilliant DETAILED vids 👍🏽👍🏽 thank you

[@hrhKR]

This video sold me the idea of plug-in hybrid.

[@StumpyVandal]

The Toyota Rav 4/ Suzuki Across is coming soon. Looks awesome. 45 miles on just battery 0to60 in under 6 seconds.

[@bioshockzoa]

6 year battery lifetime, range divided by two in winter, 10k more money, losing range every year.

[@StumpyVandal]

mclarenV12 So it is Harry’s integrity or opinion your attacking?

[@arronjones6985]

Nicely put Harry. The way you have just explained all of that has helped me to better understand the advantages of hybrid / electric vehicles. I also think you are bang on with your choice of hybrid over full electric an also about the infrastructure being developed before the car. Great video and unusually for me, I enjoyed a practical video over the car porn that you normally supply. I'm very interested in how it goes so will be strangely looking forward to the next 45e video. Great stuff as always👌

[@baronvonhoughton]

Lane assist is the devils work.

[@richb326]

First thing I do in any car is turn it off

[@ricepony33]

It’s windows 3.1 mature at this point.

[@UKMike2009]

What Harry needs to do is press the green circle button on the dash, go to "Configure Individual" and untick "Steering Intervention" - sorted

[@haeikou]

Bad lane assist is.

[@kevinmccormack6610]

Pull the fuse for lane assist. All sorted

[@tomwalshaw1881]

We took our electric car on a long journey this weekend out of curiosity to see how easy/difficult it would be and it was nothing but painful trying to find chargers that actually worked. We were going to get a second electric car but changed our minds. In the end we are replacing our petrol car with a plug in hybrid. So glad we changed our minds after this weekend.

[@AkaAndyKnuckles]

I love how Harry presents the price. No price per month.

[@TonyRule]

Only Americans care about the 'payments'. Everyone else looks at the cost.

[@rubencaixeiro9762]

Fantastic, he uses indicators like I do. Glad to see that someone in the UK drive properly.

[@treyquattro]

"plug-in high-bread". You can tell Harry's a wheat farmer

[@alembic1105]

He's a class bloke, but I can't get over the way he says hy-bread instead of hy-brid :-D

[@richardhale2117]

Harry, very informative from an experiential point of view...unlike many reviews that seem to review only specs available everywhere.

[@xbowracing]

19:30 i was thinking "that BMW makes a strange noise and sounds like a Harley..."

[@mikeclipsham4342]

Great video Harry on your new acquisition B.M X5 45E ,yeah hybrid seems the way to go..Iam a 73 year old guy &a 66 year old wife,only about 12,000 miles a year,our car is a Hyundai ix120 1600 diesel,is does 70 mpg on a long run & 45 on short runs,with £30 road tax & £300 fully comp insurance coverage with Churchill,I think that's great for us,but I can appreciate ele or hybrid is the way going forward..Anyway keep up the good work 👍👍👍👍

[@advancelast1740]

I bought a Golf GTE PHEV and “pretended” it was pure electric to gain an experience of the uk charging network. Abysmal, I am with Harry all the way, if you don’t have a Tesla there is little point having full electric if you journey further afield.

[@Charstring]

The one time I tried to use the charging network in Belgium, in the Ardennes somewhere, a French person had parked a diesel Clio blocking the charge point.

[@tomsixsix]

Well if you have a GTE then it doesn't have DC fast charging, there really are very few of those stations out there because AC chargers are slow. The DC charging network in the UK is pretty good if you know where to look. I have a GTE too. It's a good car for short journeys but don't expect to charge it fast with its 3.3kW AC onboard charger!

[@stevehowarth498]

Cracking review - as many will be doing, mulling over what the best options is moving forwards. This is a real world review which really helps

[@adrianrowden8266]

Very informative and entertaining as always. I particularly enjoyed being reminded what a bus and a plane look like. 🚍 & ✈

[@mikekay213]

Real Life review, new respect to the BMW, you have nothing to loose!

[@smintube]

Does it use some electrical energy to warm the petrol engine up? Wouldn’t have thought you’d want kick-down to wake it up from stone cold.

[@rattymcclelland]

This is one question I have wondered for any Hybrid. If you want POWER and the Combustion engine is cold then that isn't good. I cannot find the answer anywhere and you are the first I have come across to think like me.

[@TheMentalblockrock]

That's why these cars will suffer from premature engine wear as the engine will be asked to deliver full power from stone cold!

[@gergelyturcsanyi6743]

@@rattymcclelland That's why the oil consumption is going up by time. Hybrid Toyotas and Lexus's do that.

[@Maurice_Moss]

I thought the exact same thing!

[@maereanm]

I own a similar PHEV (with a turbo engine, designed for performance also, not just fuel-economy), but from a different manufacturer. The car doesn't use electrical energy to warm the petrol engine up. The engine has a different construction and identification code than the "same" engine in the petrol-only cars. The engine is designed to sometimes suddenly be put to work after a longer period of inactivity (which can be months if the electric range is always enough). Even after months of inactivity, the petrol engine is very quickly turned off if the power of the electric engine is enough.

[@andrewfoster1535]

I ordered one of these back in August and it looks like it should be delivered around mid March, so I'm looking forward to your 6 month review anytime soon fingers crossed!

[@alasdairboyd7299]

15:05 I’ve been told it will do 84mph on electric, I haven’t tried that because it would be highly illegal in the uk 🤔

[@visionist7]

The battery probably only lasts fifteen minutes or so at that speed

[@joshuarosen6242]

I hope you aren't suggesting that Harry would ever break the speed limit. All those occasions when the camera panned away from the speedo as he floored the latest Lambo or Porsche were purely coincidental.

[@alasdairboyd7299]

Joshua Rosen wouldn’t dream of suggesting such a thing!

[@joetacchino4470]

As always Harry, your thoughts and comments are spot on. One thing I really worry about: when you start that motor to get on the highway and it has been sitting cold for days, and suddenly is fired up and runs hard, only to shut down again, what’ll that do to it over the long haul? Worry some. You’re right about the charging and it’s not just a UK issue. A friend of mine in California is a long time multiple Tesla owner. He’s just gone and traded his Model 3 for a Taycan. As he says, it’s an 8 as a car and a 3 as an EV. Electrify America is VAG’s charging network here that was set up because of Dieselgate. And he has had an absolute nightmare of a time getting it to work. Out of the 12 times he’s tried to fast charge, only 3 have been without issue. That’s not good. He misses the supercharging network for trips. Conversely, that’s why I bought a Tesla. I can easily use it for longer trips in Texas. I just did a 450 mile journey yesterday and it cost me 55 minutes of charging time. Not bad really. No bother as there is plenty of work to do while I wait. Thanks again Harry. Looking forward to how you get on with it. It’s a serious replacement candidate for my wife’s Cayenne Diesel.

[@johncollymore1697]

Great video. Usual fantastic commentary from the car-enthusiast expert Harry. Agree with your thoughts and decisions. Many thanks indeed for the info and insight, as always. Nice car, though I think I'd prefer the softer (admittedly less sporty) Merc GLE 350de PHEV with a longer EV range - is it the longest PHEV EV range? They do a petrol engine version too, I think. Cheers.

[@mty1957]

A PHEV with a good Electric only range is good.

[@sgtc4538]

@@mty1957 - As mentioned by others, the bonus of a PHEV over an EV - it's good for those that don't want to wait about at horrid exposed charging stations, assuming they can find one that works, sometimes in weird places, in winter or the dark, at the edges of deserted car parks, grapple with cold wet charging cables in puddles, in the dark and rain/snow, worry about their wife doing this in a dodgy area - but instead can charge at home overnight in the safety of their drive or garden... Shame this PHEV hasn't got a proper decent EV range! But nice car! Great review Harry!

[@UKMike2009]

In reality (and WLTP figures) there is only about 6 miles range between them - but the Mercedes is a diesel so should be much more economical, although it might find itself banned from some city centres in the near future unless it is geofenced to run electric only. The X5 does drink fuel rapidly when it is using the engine.

[@mseymour892]

@@UKMike2009 I'd take the BMW 45e over the GLE 350de: nicer to drive, and I like the interior. But the diesel would be good, 'more economical' and less need to stop to refuel - for Harry on his long Trans-Europe trips to Provence!

[@brianevans4618]

+UKMike2009 - When I looked at the GLE 350de back in June (UK spec), you couldn't get a HUD, dark gloomy interior only - I wanted a light interior - and to get a sunroof you had to buy the very most expensive version, the AMG Line Premium Plus. To my surprise, you couldn't add extras to a lower spec!

[@andybliss6538]

Absolutely on point again Harry. Look forward to the end of term review.

[@robertgrafham9336]

Another great video Harry, very informative as usual, great job. Forget buying a replacement if you can keep getting some longtermers!!! 😉

[@lestaylor7767]

Many thanks Harry for a great video, my Wife and watched the video and went through all the facts you give and so much makes sense. However people considering an ALL electric or PHEV need to look at their lifestyle first - it may not work for you. For us we currently have a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and a VW Passat estate, strong reasons for owning both one of which is we have a very large dog. My Wife works at the local hospital and the PHEV is great, one comment I will make is our electrical supply is on Economy 10 (not used for storage heaters etc - that's old history) so we get 3 cheap rates during 24hrs and the charger works on these rates. We generally don't use the PHEV for long journeys as it's range is not too good so that's where the Passat 2.0Ltr diesel comes into it's own. Our reason for studying your video is that in time we will change the Mitsubishi for an alternative PHEV and the X5 40e/45e is a possibility, sorry but not normally a fan of BMW (owned a 5 series for a while) but this ticks a lot of boxes as a possible replacement. The only thing I will disagree on is the lack of touch screen - I hate the twisty knob as I find it a big distraction (personal - some may like it) for that I love everything about the VW! Having a Son that works in the motor industry get to find out inside information and one big problem with both ALL electric and PHEV's in general is the recall on the batteries because of issues, it's not broadcast to the public but it is a big problem. Again thanks for an excellent video

[@paulkennedy477]

Great film Harry. Rapidly becoming the Orson Wells of KZbin car content!

[@petedavis8701]

All very interesting Harry, Im looking forward to the updates

[@gordonsimpson3235]

....why buy one at all Harry.....just keep using long term loaners from various Brands ! ;-)

[@joshuarosen6242]

Harry doesn't really need to worry about the expense.

[@TheBromBomb]

This is just the video that I needed to see at this time in my life, currently having a 0ersonal battle with myself between the golf GTE and the BMW 330e, to replace my range rover classic as my daily driver

[@jcfallows]

I really liked this video but I'm surprised you haven't tried a Tesla model X for a long term test. As you pointed out only Tesla has had the foresight and willingness to install there own supercharger network expanding it throughout the world. All the other big name manufacturers offering full Bev's just don't cut the mustard in range it being able to charge when you Need to. Keep up the good videos your the best.

[@paullawrence3541]

Harry. Your comment about BMW lane assist mirrors my own experience with a BMW hire car. I eventually found a way to switch it off permanently for the remainder of our hire period. It improved the driving experience no end. Paul

[@ffrrannk]

Me when I see Harry's car collection: 6:33

[@rvpsilva9213]

Mine is bend to

[@richardthompson1484]

Hit the nail on the head Harry. Couldn’t agree more!

[@Thomas-vq5pb]

Is that a vintage GMT 1675? you should do a watch collection video! thank you for great videos!

[@wg6709]

Good eye! I think it’s a 16760 Fat Lady, or maybe 16700, due to the sapphire crystal. Love the faded aluminum bezel

[@RTR_RRoomes73]

I appreciate this video as my local dealer is no longer bring in the 40i and the alternative is the 45e and I had concers...until now. Thanks

[@rberridge69]

One point to make: To be eligible for the grant, cars must cost less than £50,000. This is the recommended retail price (RRP), and includes VAT and delivery fees. So, despite Harry’s comments, the Taycan, ETron, IPace, EQC + most Tesla’s other than some Model 3’s don’t qualify. As for the diesel rant; much of that is about particulate emission as well as CO2. I also can’t agree that vans, HGV’s and agricultural vehicles will be diesel ‘for decades to come’.

[@808GT]

I cant wait until people wake up and complain about the diesel exhaust fumes and particles ending up in their veg.

[@Adrian_Nel]

Yeah, vans in particular are going to 'go electric' very quickly.

[@Kelveron]

Even as someone who is not an SUV fan (hybrid or otherwise) I've got to say Harry's clip here makes a lot of sense in terms of the X5 45e's combination of usability, emissions, comfort etc.

[@opuscat999]

Harry, how is your thumb injury healing? All good?

[@trefj1369]

Very good video. The around town electric pullaway is a great thing to point out, no stop-start noises, just roll along. Also, this kind of car removes one of the problems of an SUV - economy on the motorway vs saloon/estate cars due to the sheer size of the things.

[@dyremk1]

«we’re into Rolls Royce territory” coming from Harry, I believe it.

[@StephenJohnson-jb7xe]

Just before he said that I was thinking it was really noisy, maybe the mike makes it sound worse.

[@coolcarbon4709]

Good summary of what may be the best solution at the moment. As always, things change so I guess we need to 'watch this space' for the next step...

[@rossfripp4503]

After saying the Tesla had good range and charging station availability, why did you not go for the Tesla?

[@patrickhirschi3690]

Exactly what I thought as well... Probably as well not a real farmer's car...

[@drft1186]

Because it is CRAP😉

[@TheDoosh79]

Probably because the rest of the car is less than premium. Shame really.

[@Maurice_Moss]

I think he just tested the model 3 for a comparison, he wanted a larger suv style car, like I pace, range rover etc.

[@Howling-Mad-Murdock]

Moss type x?

[@stumoore6690]

This is probably the most informed and balanced commentary I have seen on the hybrid vs electric debate. Harry seems well off enough to have just one agenda - common sense. And just for good measure, he chucks in a few nuggets of wisdom about climate change and government policy at the end. Grant Shapps, Boris, DEFRA, somebody - listen to this man!

[@chrispenn715]

Really interesting to see a real world view. I've been against the idea of a plug in, but this seems a compelling case.....

[@reds005]

My thoughts exactly

[@jefruscione6214]

I thought the same way but I took the plunge and after owning several standard X5s I chose the hybrid. It is fantastic, great tech and the power train use can be kept to such a high percentage on electric that the mpg is incredible. However you really need to have a wall mounted charger in your house to make the best use of it. If you have one, the thing is brilliant.

[@mubblemann]

Yes yes yes. Been watching your previous video on this as it's the best in depth review of the 45e. Seriously considering this wagon. Thanks for the new vid.

[@AR-rs2dy]

Whats the impact on engine wear and tear if it's only kicking in now and again, sometimes for a few seconds under heavy load and then going off again? The issue would only be exacerbated if it was a diesel engine due to the particulate filter.

[@schmeat2717]

Hybrids are a compromise of trying to solve a problem with the wrong technology. It does impact the engine, they have tried to engineer out the issues but they have not succeeded because you cant bring a ICE up to speed that quickly. Its a marketing scam for dumb people who think they are some how saving the environment. Go full electric or full gas.

[@emiledhaene1297]

Schmeat lmao or it’s a perfectly valid alternative for people for whom it’s cheaper to run

[@andrewwillard2313]

Your experience mirrors most people's I dare say. Plug-in hybrid makes great sense as it allows the use of both of the most popular fuel's/infrastructure.

[@bobbyteoh3411]

This guy talks like all 3 Top Gear hosts (Clarkson, Hammond, May) combine

[@MaartenOosterbaan]

nooo, missing the real exuberance that both Clarkson and Hammond can have. Best combo of those three in one is still Chris Harris. Harry's good though, don't get me wrong there.

[@seancain7305]

Thanks Harry... always interested in your thoughts on this kinda car & the wider views ecology

[@Bartie96]

Mercedes does a GLE with a plug-in hybrid diesel drive train. Might just be interesting for another video

[@michaelh5722]

Great review and certainly there is no “one size fits all”. I live in a small city, so I am quite happy to drive a V8 performance car to and from work, as it’s only 4km away with some windy bits. I compare this to where I lived previously with a 30km commute, a car like this BMW would be perfect for a daily driver.

[@AlumarsX]

Hey Harry, love the channel. Just noticed something that's a bit annoying, there's quite a bit of hiss on the audio. Low level noise reduction would get rid of it real quick.

[@disuye]

It could be radio interference affecting the wireless mic; maybe the (LED?) ceiling lights in the garage? In car audio is great.

[@damianscott71]

Hi Harry, I always enjoy your videos. Just a couple of points to draw your attention to. The Tesla Model 3 Performance that you tested a few months back costs £56k (not £46k) and the £3000 OLEV grant is capped at £50k (so vehicles above that price aren't elegible). And, I think you're right, for most people the only practical EV choice is Tesla, their charging infrastructure is unique among car manufacturers and the rest of the charging network is slow and frustrating. I've had a Model 3 Performance since June (previously owned a BMW 435d), and while I miss the fit, finish and driving feel of the BMW, the speed, refinement and convenience of the Tesla is (in my opinion) a real game changer.

[@galajb]

Have a try to the new mercedes GLE 350 DE plugin with diesel engine

[@emiledhaene1297]

jorge gala curious abt that too

[@dragospahontu]

The Audi Q7 has a more efficient petrol/hybrid system i think.

[@kittonsmitton]

Good thinking Harry makes perfect sense, hybrid petrol better yet hybrid diesel! Smart man!

[@mwinner101]

Nothing worse than the proletariat in their Leafs clogging up the charging stations. 🙄

[@Hempujonsito]

If you have enough money for a 30k car, you probably are a petite bourgeois

[@sq1rlsqu4d]

Indeed, maybe I should stop charging the old i3 and roll out the red carpet for owners of newer electric cars while bowing and doffing my cap.

[@Steve_9292]

That comment got a raised eyebrow from me too. I know he meant it tongue in cheek, but what an odd thing to say even so.

[@ronnienes]

I THINK he meant there's always the chance that someone else is there and there will increasingly be more of them.. but I did also flinch at the comment as it seemed rooted in "more money more better" EDIT: and to be fair, later in the video he points out that people who can afford this car (or Porsches etc) don't need government subsidies to buy the cars. So I wouldn't read too much into it.

[@Steve_9292]

@@ronnienes That was the point he was making, but then he topped it off with that odd thing about sitting there in your fancy new Taycan and having to wait. I get what he was saying, about real life dulling the experience of an otherwise lovely vehicle, and know he didn't mean anything nasty. It's just Harry's the most "everyman" of the rich-guy KZbinrs so it just seemed an odd way to phrase it. No biggie.

[@peterbratu]

It's pretty amazing that you can test drive on such long term basis all these different cars. If I were in the market for a new car, I think all I'd get was a test drive around town.

[@eyesurgeon69]

Keep in mind that a road that narrow in the US would be considered narrow for a single lane road...it would be unheard of for that narrow road to be two-way.

[@steinfossgard5210]

Nice GMT!

[@Czechbound]

Long distance vs short distance analogies to non-car non-commercial trips; avoidance of "stop start" annoyances; subsidies misdirected away from home generation : three very good points well made. I think this will be a very practical long term test car for those thinking of making the jump to electric/ partially electric

[@M123OCT]

If anyone has seen the first generation X5 recently, doesn't it look beautiful in comparison to the latest ugly iteration? It was so restrained and classy-looking.

[@johnfoster7536]

totally agree with you the new front grills look like some one has smacked the front end into a brick wall the are butt fugly period. its a case of see who can make the biggest and crapiest front ends .

[@nealp885]

Same with most new cars the older ones have such a clean design.

[@whatthe6532]

Its a barge.

[@Gemini_0815]

completely disagree with you. the first X5 looks all wrong. The e70 was best in terms of looks. The current one will be fine after getting used to its looks, wait for it ☺

[@blxtothis]

I just suffered a channel showing a mini extract of last week’s Belgian Grand Prix with David Croft shouting his head off whenever an overtake happened, sounding like an over-excited football commentator or a teenager playing some ‘shoot em up’ online. How refreshing to re-enter Harry’s universe of calm, mature and level-headed narrative!

[@marcodebarkingville1827]

The world needs politicians with the intelligence and common sense of Harry

[@ianmedium]

As a watch lover I really liked the camera angle Harry, I was not sure if it was pepsi or coke but I saw the tell-tale blue section to go with that gorgeous ghosted red! Please Harry, would love for you to do an episode on your watches one day!

[@amcluesent]

On current trends, the value of Harry's Rolex Sub will surpass the depreciated value of the BMW X5 45e in June 2025.

[@ptr1019]

A very sensible report as always Mr Metcalfe, thank you!

[@abarratt8869]

The major barrier to entry for motorists wanting an electric car is charging. For an awful lot of people, charging from home is not an option - they live in appartment blocks, or terrace housing, and don't have a car parking spot near their residence. And, as Harry has found, charging up whilst out and about is by and large a none-starter. There's not nearly enough infrastructure for everyone to charge away from home. What we have at the moment is a complete lack of useful standards and the most extensive network being for the exclusive use of those who've bought a Tesla. For large parts of the world, getting a charging point at home is not an option. Selling hybrids to the billions who can't charge up a BEV is going to save far more CO2 than selling BEVs to the few millions for whom they can work. What we'll need to get the majority of cars switched over to BEV is five minute charging and standardised, open charging points (no per-manufacture exclusivity permitted). Tesla have done a good job of turning their charger network into their car's USP, but for BEVs to take off in the market place properly governments are going to have to take that network exclusivity away from Tesla. This is the reason why the Japanese manufacturers haven't really gone for BEVs yet. Very few people in Japan live in a place where they can plug in. For them, hybrid makes a whole lot more sense, for the moment. Toyota are apparently productionising a solid-electrolyte LION battery that'll have a 5 minute charge time, will hold more usable charge, and doesn't have a wear life / charging memory, which should do the job nicely.

[@freddiecarr7602]

Well said!

[@benmarshall787]

You make a very sensible case for hybrids. I recently as a favour drove a colleagues Lexus is300, it was my first drive of an electric vehicle, weird, uncanny, but rather fast were my impressions in a 15minute drive. I do think the cars that can charge themselves are interesting, the ones with i.c.e powered generators or helpers seem to be the way to go too, sad then that cars like the Chevy Volt, and sister Vaux Ampera didn't make it til this change in behaviour(s). That said my diesel cars can go anywhere and once turbos are spooled won't be too far behind an electric. You're also dead right re the Teslas, they really are exceptional and should be treated separately to others, it is testament to Mr Musks drive for a different way. Very thought provoking episode. Thanks. Ben

[@fhwolthuis]

I don't understand why it has to be M spec with those wide high resistance wheels. Just take the normal version with narrower wheels, it rides better and has less roll resistance so longer range

[@adrianchell]

I doubt Harry had much input into the spec. Press cars tend to be loaded with every option known to man by default, so that the writer can tell the world how wonderful the various extras are, in the hope that the punters reading the long-term tests decide to spec up their own cars when they buy.

[@DM-MayBee]

Well done Harry, very insightful ....... Great content, common sense approach, I am now "bought in" to the plug-in hybrid.

[@trails3597]

Model Y, when it arrives at the end of the year, could come close to the BMW on range convenience and price, although the BMW is larger and very nice.

[@jasondungu]

This video is the reason I ordered this car, coming tomorrow!