BMW X5 vs VW Passat – Performance, range & efficiency compared

Here’s where it gets real: The technical differences in detail

Costs and Efficiency: Price and efficiency are often the first things buyers look at. Here it becomes clear which model has the long-term edge – whether at the pump, the plug, or in purchase price.

VW Passat has a clearly advantage in terms of price – it starts at 35700 £, while the BMW X5 costs 77100 £. That’s a price difference of around 41323 £.

Fuel consumption also shows a difference: the VW Passat manages with 0.30 L and is therefore clearly more efficient than the BMW X5 with 0.80 L. The difference is about 0.50 L per 100 km.

As for range, the VW Passat performs distinct better – achieving up to 133 km, about 28 km more than the BMW X5.

Engine and Performance: Power, torque and acceleration are the classic benchmarks for car enthusiasts – and here, some clear differences start to show.

When it comes to engine power, the BMW X5 has a convincingly edge – offering 625 HP compared to 272 HP. That’s roughly 353 HP more horsepower.

In acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h, the BMW X5 is significantly quicker – completing the sprint in 3.90 s, while the VW Passat takes 5.80 s. That’s about 1.90 s faster.

There’s no difference in top speed – both reach 250 km/h.

There’s also a difference in torque: the BMW X5 pulls significantly stronger with 750 Nm compared to 400 Nm. That’s about 350 Nm difference.

Space and Everyday Use: Beyond pure performance, interior space and usability matter most in daily life. This is where you see which car is more practical and versatile.

Both vehicles offer seating for 5 people.

In curb weight, the VW Passat is significantly lighter – 1573 kg compared to 2240 kg. The difference is around 667 kg.

In terms of boot space, the VW Passat offers slight more room – 690 L compared to 650 L. That’s a difference of about 40 L.

In maximum load capacity, the VW Passat performs hardly perceptible better – up to 1920 L, which is about 50 L more than the BMW X5.

When it comes to payload, BMW X5 a bit takes the win – 705 kg compared to 577 kg. That’s a difference of about 128 kg.

Our conclusion: The VW Passat proves to be wins the duel decisively and thus becomes our DriveDuel Champion!
Overall, VW Passat is the better all-rounder in this comparison.