Compare the2024 BMW X5VS 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the X5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW X5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The X5 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X5 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the X5 and the Range Rover Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The BMW X5 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Range Rover Sport has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the Range Rover Sport’s (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Range Rover Sport.

There are over 72 percent more BMW dealers than there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the BMW X5 xDrive50e’s reliability 23 points higher than the Range Rover Sport and the BMW X5 is rated 52 points higher than the Range Rover Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. With 11 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Land Rover.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Land Rover is rated below average.

The X5 has more powerful engines than the Range Rover Sport:

As tested in Car and Driver the X5 M60i xDrive 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid is faster than the Range Rover Sport P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the X5 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Range Rover Sport running its gasoline engine:

The X5 has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Range Rover Sport P550e’s standard fuel tank (21.9 vs. 18.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The X5 has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port on the xDrive50e which lock and unlock with the power locks. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the BMW X5 as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

The X5 stops much shorter than the Range Rover Sport:

The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Range Rover Sport SV’s 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X5 M60i xDrive handles at .86 G’s, while the Range Rover Sport SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The X5 has 1.4 inches more front headroom and .7 inches more rear headroom than the Range Rover Sport.

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Range Rover Sport with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 31.9 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Range Rover Sport with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 53 cubic feet).

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Range Rover Sport’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Land Rover. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 51% lower rating, Land Rover is ranked 30th.

If the windows are left open on the X5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Range Rover Sport can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the X5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The X5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Range Rover Sport’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The X5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® chose the BMW X5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport isn't recommended.

The BMW X5 outsold the Land Rover Range Rover Sport by over six to one during 2023.