X5 Gen 2
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Sunseeker's wire-free, all-wheel-drive mower, with no aerial to put up. It suits large, open lawns with slopes and borders you want trimmed close. It won't mow where satellite reception is weak, so shaded gardens are a gamble.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Sunseeker Elite’s range
- X3 Gen 2Smaller Gen 2 model for lawns up to 800m²
- X4Laser-guided instead of satellites · £1,082.50
- X5 (first generation)Needed a satellite aerial; mobile connection was optional
- X5 Gen 2This model
- X7 / X7 Plus Gen 2Big all-wheel-drive model for lawns up to 6,000m²
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What we know
inside digital mowed a German test garden with it in August 2026 and got a clean cut and edging few rivals can match. It also refused to mow areas with poor satellite reception, didn't spot a garden hose, and trimmed its way into a flower bed. Trusted Reviews liked the first-generation X5, but that model used a satellite aerial in the garden, so its findings don't carry over.
inside digital, hands-on, Aug 2026 (Tested without the optional base station) · Trusted Reviews, hands-on, Jun 2025 (tested on the X5 (first generation); A test of the first-generation X5, which used a satellite aerial instead of the Gen 2's mobile corrections.)
It needs strong satellite reception
This is the big one. inside digital tested it as Sunseeker sells it, with no base station, and it refused to mow parts of the garden where reception was poor, something no rival at the price had done. The reviewer recommends the X5 Gen 2 only for gardens with excellent sky coverage and warns off town gardens with trees. Sunseeker sells a base station to fix this, though the test was run without one.
Clean cut, fierce edges
The six-blade floating disc cut the grass cleanly in inside digital's garden. The extra edge-trimming disc was the standout: on the closest edge setting the mower sometimes drove over the boundary and trimmed the border thoroughly. That's great beside open edges, but the tester had to protect a flower bed, so set no-go zones round your beds before letting it loose.
Clear hoses off the lawn
Instead of a laser scanner, it sees with a pair of cameras by day and a depth camera at night. In inside digital's test it didn't recognise a garden hose and would have shredded it if the tester hadn't hit stop. Put hoses and small objects away first. It can mow at night, but a growing number of German councils restrict that to protect hedgehogs.
Grip, width and height
Three independently driven wheels, big off-road front tyres and suspension are rated for 60% slopes, per the specifications. inside digital points out that its 22cm cut is about half as wide as some rivals for the same lawn size, so it needs more passes. Cutting height is set with a dial on the mower rather than in the app, which the reviewer found hard to accept at this price.
Inside Digital tested the X5 Gen 2 without the optional base station. Trusted Reviews tested the first-generation X5.
Our take
Should you buy the X5 Gen 2?
Best for: Large, open lawns with a clear view of the sky. Skip it if: Trees or buildings block the sky over much of your lawn.
Consider it if you have a large, open lawn with a clear view of the sky, some slopes or rough patches, and borders you want trimmed close. If trees or buildings shade parts of the garden, or hoses and toys get left out, look elsewhere: the Segway Navimow X420 and Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD cover the same size of lawn and have more testing behind them.
The X5 Gen 2 is the middle of Sunseeker's second-generation range, above the X3 Gen 2 and below the bigger X7 Gen 2. Unlike the first X5, which needed a satellite aerial in the garden, it gets its position corrections over a built-in mobile connection and uses cameras to see where it's going, day and night. Three driven wheels and independent suspension are meant for bumpy, sloping lawns, and a small extra disc trims the edges.
The trade-off is that it depends on good reception. Where the signal is weak, it may simply leave patches unmown unless you add Sunseeker's optional base station. The mobile service is free for two years, then carries a yearly fee. The cutting height is set with a dial on the mower, not in the app.
Inside Digital found the cut clean and the edging better than most rivals manage, but it missed a garden hose and trimmed into a flower bed. So set no-go zones round your beds and clear the lawn before it runs.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it need a clear view of the sky?
Yes. It has no aerial and relies on satellite corrections sent over mobile data, per the specifications. inside digital found it refused to mow areas with weak reception and recommends it only for gardens with excellent coverage. You can add an optional base station, but none of the reviews we use has tested one.
Does it need a boundary wire?
No. You draw virtual boundaries in the app, and it works out where it is by satellite and cameras, per the specifications. inside digital found setup quick, though driving it round by hand to map the lawn felt imprecise, and it sometimes went further than intended.
How close does it cut to the edge?
Very close. Sunseeker claims its extra edge disc cuts within 3cm of edges, per the specifications. On the closest setting, inside digital found it sometimes drove over the border, trimming thoroughly but threatening a flower bed. Set no-go zones round beds.
Do I have to pay a subscription for 4G or anti-theft?
Yes, after a while. Two years of the mobile and positioning service are included, then there's a yearly fee, and the service stops if you don't pay, per the specifications. inside digital notes some rivals keep their positioning service free. It also has PIN lock, live tracking and geofence alerts.
Will it cope with my slope?
Sunseeker rates it for 60% (30°) with three-wheel drive, per the specifications. inside digital didn't measure a slope, and points out that rivals such as the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD and Segway Navimow X420 are rated steeper.
Alternatives
Other robot lawn mowers to compare.
X4 series
Why consider it: A four-wheel-drive mower for big, hilly lawns up to 2,000m² that three tests found fast, sure-footed and kind to the turf.
The compromise: It's heavy and too wide for narrow gaps, and edges are its weak spot.
LUBA 3 AWD
Why consider it: Climbs slopes most rivals can't and leaves wide, tidy stripes on big, awkward lawns.
The compromise: It's heavy, expensive and can scuff soft ground when it turns.
X7 / X7 Plus Gen 2
Why consider it: Sunseeker's bigger Gen 2 model, which two long tests found dependable once it was running.
The compromise: Both testers had a bumpy setup.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the X5 Gen 2?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
- inside digital: Sunseeker Elite X5 Gen 2 im Test ↗80 / 100Hands-on · Tested without the optional base station
- Trusted Reviews: Sunseeker Elite X5 Review ↗Hands-on · Tested on the X5 (first generation) · A test of the first-generation X5, which used a satellite aerial instead of the Gen 2's mobile corrections. (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
- Sunseeker Elite UK: X5 Gen 2 product page ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Sunseeker Elite: Sunseeker Elite | X5 Gen 2 Installation Guide-US ↗
- Poderak: COMPATTO Sunseeker Elite X5 Gen 2 ROBOT TAGLIAERBA PER SPAZI STRETTI 2026 ↗
- Search YouTube for Sunseeker Elite X5 Gen 2 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.