The death of the split tailgate
It started in 1999, and it ends now.
For over two decades, the BMW X5 had a split-folding tailgate. A staple. While other manufacturers dropped the gimmick ages ago—look at the Land Cruiser—the X5 held out. Until this week.
The new fifth-gen X5 arrived at its Spartanburg launch. Everyone talked about the five global powertrains. Gasoline. Hybrid. Electric. Big headlines. But the real story was missing hardware. The split tailgate is gone.
I asked Philip Koehn, Director of Luxury Class Cars for the BMW Group’s Luxury, BMW Alpina, and Rolls-Royce brands, why they killed it. His answer felt thin.
He blamed customer feedback.
‘Any average person with average arm length struggle. The low-end opening… a normal-sized person will struggle to load or unload the boot.’
Average arms. That’s the problem?
There were no statistics. No hard data. No percentage of customers who found it difficult. Just a claim. Meanwhile, social media tells a different story. Owners love the split. They keep it. It’s functional.
Sleeker looks or cost cutting?
Koehn tried again. He pivoted to design.
He said the new X5 has a faster roofline. The top part of the tailgate moved down. Height reduced. Width increased. A wider aperture, supposedly. Easier loading? Maybe. But losing the hinge entirely isn’t just about width. It’s about simplicity. Or cost.
Who knows which is it?
The 2027 model hits dealers late 2026. You’ll have your powertrain options. The electric iX5 might benefit from a streamlined back end. Improved aerodynamics? Perhaps. Or maybe it’s just cheaper to make one big door instead of two hinged ones.
We suspect it’s the latter. We suspect BMW is chasing range and cutting expenses while pointing fingers at “average people.”
It’s gone now. One less SUV with that clever, useful setup. We miss it. Do you?
