The 2019 BMW X5 marked the start of the fourth generation of this popular luxury SUV, bringing with it not only enhanced performance and technology but also impressive safety features. Prospective buyers and current owners alike are often concerned with vehicle safety, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provides comprehensive testing to help understand how vehicles perform in various crash scenarios. This article delves into the 2019 BMW X5 safety ratings from the IIHS, providing a detailed overview of its performance in key crashworthiness tests.
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test simulates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with a narrow object like a pole or tree. The driver-side small overlap test is crucial for evaluating the structural integrity and occupant protection in such demanding frontal impacts.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5 earned a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test, the highest rating awarded by the IIHS. Key evaluation criteria and their corresponding ratings are detailed below:
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/thigh | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
Action shot during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of the 2019 BMW X5, illustrating the vehicle’s structural response to the impact.
The structural performance of the 2019 BMW X5 in this test was commendable. The safety cage held up well, contributing to excellent driver survival space maintenance.
Dummy positioning relative to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the 2019 BMW X5 driver-side small overlap crash test, showing effective occupant compartment preservation.
Analysis of the dummy’s position after the crash further reinforces the “Good” rating. The dummy’s position relative to the vehicle’s interior components indicated that the driver’s survival space was effectively maintained.
Frontal and side curtain airbag deployment in the 2019 BMW X5 during the small overlap front test, demonstrating effective head protection.
The airbag system, including frontal and side curtain airbags, performed as intended, effectively protecting the driver’s head from contacting hard structures or external objects.
Footwell integrity of the 2019 BMW X5 after the driver-side small overlap crash, indicating minimal risk of leg and foot injuries.
Measurements taken after the test confirmed minimal intrusion into the driver’s space, particularly in the lower extremities area, suggesting a low risk of injuries to the legs and feet.
Technical Measurements – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 1 |
| Footrest (cm) | 12 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 9 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 5 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 1 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 1 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 1 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 114 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 8 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 1.4 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 1.3 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 5 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 5 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.41 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.52 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 2.3 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 0.8 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 94 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 38 |
About the small overlap front test
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Evaluation
Similar to the driver-side test, the passenger-side small overlap front test assesses occupant protection on the passenger side in a similar frontal collision scenario.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5 also achieved a “Good” rating for passenger-side small overlap frontal protection. This rating is based on tests conducted by BMW and assessed by IIHS.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | Good |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/thigh | Good |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/thigh | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Lower leg/foot | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
Technical Measurements – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Footrest (cm) | 20 |
| Right toepan (cm) | 16 |
| Center toepan (cm) | 3 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 0 |
| Center dash (cm) | 1 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 2 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 3 |
| Right lower dash (cm) | 3 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 114 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.4 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 14 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.19 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 2.0 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 2.1 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 3 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 5 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.64 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.40 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 2.1 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 2.5 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 55 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 85 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 49 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 9 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.17 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 28 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 1.2 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 0.6 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 3 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 2 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.43 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.48 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 1.3 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 0.9 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 71 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 67 |
About the small overlap front test
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test evaluates vehicle performance when the front of the vehicle impacts a deformable barrier, covering a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end than the small overlap test.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5 again secured a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test, demonstrating robust frontal crash protection.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, left | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/foot, right | Good |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | Good |
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion – Footrest (cm) | 2 |
| Footwell intrusion – Left (cm) | 2 |
| Footwell intrusion – Center (cm) | 2 |
| Footwell intrusion – Right (cm) | 1 |
| Footwell intrusion – Brake pedal (cm) | 1 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Left (cm) | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement – Right (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column movement – Upward (cm) | -3 |
| Steering column movement – Rearward (cm) | -8 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 161 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.5 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.27 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 33 |
| Legs – Femur force – left (kN) | 3.0 |
| Legs – Femur force – right (kN) | 2.5 |
| Legs – Knee displacement – left (mm) | 6 |
| Legs – Knee displacement – right (mm) | 4 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.48 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.43 |
| Tibia axial force – left (kN) | 2.1 |
| Tibia axial force – right (kN) | 1.8 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 50 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 41 |
About the original moderate overlap front test
Side: Original Test
The side crash test simulates a vehicle being struck by another vehicle in a typical intersection collision. This original side test is a standard evaluation of side impact protection.
Rating: Good
In the original side impact test, the 2019 BMW X5 demonstrated “Good” performance, indicating effective protection in side collisions.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Driver head protection | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/leg | Good |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good |
Technical Measurements – Side Original Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -26.0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 77 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 19 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 28 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.94 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.37 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 0.9 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.4 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.2 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.2 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 34 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 28 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 50 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.6 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 6 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 12 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 9 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.87 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.06 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 17 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 16 |
About the original side crash test
Side: Updated Test
The IIHS updated their side crash test to be more demanding, reflecting higher-speed crashes and a heavier striking barrier. The 2019-2025 BMW X5 models were also evaluated under this more rigorous test.
Rating: Good
Even under the updated, more stringent side crash test, the 2019 BMW X5 maintained its “Good” rating, showcasing its continued commitment to side-impact safety.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Good |
| Structure and safety cage | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | Good |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis | Good |
| Driver head protection | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/neck | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | Good |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis | Good |
| Rear passenger head protection | Good |
Technical Measurements – Side Updated Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -28.5 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 35 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.6 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.4 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 12 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 21 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 18 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.85 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.12 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 2.9 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 36 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.7 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 6 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 0.4 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 16 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 11 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 1.58 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.12 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.1 |
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test evaluates the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash, crucial for occupant protection in such events.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5 earned a “Good” rating for roof strength, indicating a strong roof structure capable of providing protection in rollover scenarios.
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,825 lbs |
| Peak force | 25,368 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.26 |
Head Restraints & Seats
Evaluations of head restraints and seats are important for minimizing neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5’s head restraints and seats received a “Good” dynamic rating and a “Good” rating for seat/head restraint geometry, indicating effective whiplash protection.
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | Good |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | Good |
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Seat type | Power leather seat AHR |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 14 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | -19 |
| Seat design parameters – Pass/fail | Pass |
| Seat design parameters – Max T1 acceleration (g) | 10.5 |
| Seat design parameters – Head contact time (ms) | 35 |
| Seat design parameters – Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces – Max neck shear force (N) | 8 |
| Neck forces – Max neck tension (N) | 281 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Headlights
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime driving safety. IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare. The 2019 BMW X5 has two different headlight variations tested.
Rating: Good (for specific trims)
The “Icon Adaptive Headlights with Laser Light package” available on certain 2019 BMW X5 trims earned a “Good” overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | Good |
These headlights, featuring LED projectors for low beams and LED reflectors for high beams, along with curve-adaptive functionality and high-beam assist, provide good visibility in various driving conditions with acceptable glare.
Rating: Poor (for standard trims)
However, the standard LED projector headlights on other 2019 BMW X5 trims received a “Poor” overall rating due to excessive glare from the low beams.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | Poor |
These standard headlights, while also LED projectors with curve-adaptive and high-beam assist features, produce excessive glare which impacts their overall rating.
About the headlight evaluation
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems are evaluated for their ability to avoid or mitigate collisions with other vehicles. The 2019 BMW X5 has multiple front crash prevention system variations.
Rating: Superior
All three variations of the front crash prevention system available on the 2019 BMW X5 achieved a “Superior” rating.
- Standard Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation: Avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests.
- Optional Frontal Collision Warning with Extended Collision Mitigation (Driving Assistance Professional Package): Avoided collision at 12 mph and reduced impact speed by 23 mph in the 25 mph test.
- Optional Frontal Collision Warning with Extended Collision Mitigation (Active Driving Assistant + ACC Package): Avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests.
About the original front crash prevention test
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
The ease of use of LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) systems for child seat installation is also evaluated.
Rating: Good
The 2019 BMW X5 LATCH system was rated “Good,” indicating user-friendly child seat anchor access.
| Overall evaluation | Good |
|---|
The 2019 BMW X5 has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and one additional position with a tether anchor.
About the child seat anchor evaluation
Conclusion: 2019 BMW X5 – A Safe Choice
The IIHS safety ratings for the 2019 BMW X5 clearly demonstrate its strong safety performance. Earning “Good” ratings in all crashworthiness tests, and a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention, the 2019 BMW X5 stands out as a safe vehicle in the luxury SUV segment. While headlight ratings vary by trim, the availability of “Good” rated headlights with the Icon Adaptive Headlights with Laser Light package provides an option for optimized nighttime visibility. Overall, the 2019 BMW X5 offers peace of mind with its robust safety features and excellent crash test performance, making it a compelling choice for safety-conscious buyers.
