BMW E70 sat nav update
X5 E70 and X5 M: find out whether your X5 has the older CCC or the updatable CIC, and how to refresh the maps from a USB stick.
Sat nav update result
We identified your Map Update!
Enter your VIN to see which navigation unit your X5 has and whether a map update is available for it. Checking is free.
Which sat nav does the X5 E70 have?
The E70 X5 (about 2006 to 2013, facelifted in 2010) is a family SUV that many owners keep for years, often well past the point where the maps were last refreshed. Over its life BMW fitted two different units with Navigation Professional, and only the later one can take a map update from us:
| Unit | Typically fitted | Navigation | Can we update it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCC | About 2006 to 2008/09 | Navigation Professional, DVD maps | No: older DVD map format |
| CIC | From around 2009, before and through the 2010 facelift | Navigation Professional | Yes: PREMIUM maps, £39.99 |
These dates are approximate. CIC reached the X5 before the 2010 facelift rather than with it, so an E70 from 2008 or 2009 could have either unit. The build date is what counts, not the registration year, and the VIN check above reads the unit actually fitted to your car.
Easier than ever
Which map does your X5 E70 need? Just type your VIN.
We have made it easier than ever to find the right map and confirm it is compatible with your navigation unit. Type your VIN into the search box at the top of this page and we will show the unit your car was built with, the map it needs and the price. Checking is free.
From CCC to CIC: how to tell which your X5 has
The early E70s use CCC, which reads its maps from a DVD. That map format is not one we supply, so a CCC car cannot be updated through us. From around 2009 the X5 moved to CIC, which takes the PREMIUM maps from a USB stick, activated with a typed FSC code.
You can usually spot the difference from the driver’s seat. CIC came with a redesigned iDrive controller with shortcut buttons around it; the CCC controller is plainer and lacks them. Whether you are viewing a used X5 or simply not sure what yours has, the controller is the first clue and the VIN check is the final word.
- Controller with shortcut buttons: CIC, PREMIUM maps
- Plainer controller, no shortcut buttons: CCC
- Built around 2008 to 2009: could be either
- VIN check: the definitive answer
Business vs Professional navigation in the X5
Most X5s with factory sat nav have Navigation Professional, which is what the table above covers. The smaller Business navigation appears to have been rare on the E70. If your X5 does turn out to have a different setup, the VIN check will show which unit is fitted and whether a map update is available before you pay anything.
How to update the maps in your X5 E70
Check the VIN
We confirm your X5 has CIC and show the latest map version.
Pay £39.99
PREMIUM maps, a Lifetime FSC code where supported and the installation guide.
Prepare the USB
Copy the map files to a FAT32 USB stick as the guide shows.
Install and activate
Start the update in the car and type the FSC code when asked.
PREMIUM comes as East or West Europe: you install one, and each includes the main roads of the other, so pick the one that covers where you drive most. Park the X5 somewhere safe and open while the update runs. For how the activation code works, see BMW FSC code explained.
Apple CarPlay in the X5 E70
Neither CCC nor CIC has Apple CarPlay in its software, so it cannot be switched on in an E70 with an activation file. The only route for this X5 is a hardware retrofit module. Our USB CarPlay activation is for later cars with NBT EVO ID5/ID6 and Navigation Professional; does my BMW have Apple CarPlay? explains which models qualify.
The X5 after the E70
The E70 was followed by the F15 X5 from about 2013. It moved on to NBT, with a touchpad on the controller and the NEXT maps, and then to NBT EVO from about mid-2016, where later cars can also have Apple CarPlay activated. If you have moved on to the newer X5, see the BMW F15 sat nav update guide.
The X6 E71 of the same era also moved from CCC to CIC: see the BMW E71 sat nav update.
BMW E70 sat nav FAQ
Can the sat nav in my BMW X5 E70 be updated?
If your X5 has the CIC navigation unit, fitted from around 2009, yes: the PREMIUM maps install from a USB stick and are activated with an FSC code made for your VIN. Earlier E70s with the DVD-based CCC system use an older map format that we do not supply.
My X5 is a 2010 facelift. Does it have CIC?
Very likely. CIC arrived in the E70 from around 2009, before the 2010 facelift, and carried on through it. Build dates around the changeover vary, so the free VIN check is the reliable way to be sure before you order.
How do I tell CCC from CIC in an E70 without the VIN?
Look at the iDrive controller on the centre console. CIC brought a redesigned controller with shortcut buttons around it. If yours has a plainer controller without those buttons, the car is likely to have the earlier CCC system. The VIN check confirms either way.
Is the update the same for the X5 M?
The X5 M is part of the E70 generation, so the same rule applies: it is the navigation unit, not the trim, that decides the map. An X5 M with CIC takes the PREMIUM maps at £39.99, including a Lifetime FSC code where your unit supports it.
Can I get Apple CarPlay on an E70?
Not by activation. Neither CCC nor CIC includes CarPlay in its software, so an X5 E70 needs a hardware retrofit module if you want CarPlay.