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STYLING8.0/10
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Safety9.0/10
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PRACTICALITY8.0/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS7.0/10
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FEATURES9.0/10
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POWER9.0/10
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COMFORT8.0/10
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DRIVING FEEL7.0/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8.5/10
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VALUE8.0/10
It offers drivers oodles of power, scads of comfort, and more modern technology than you can shake a stick at. While it manages to be an impressive vehicle in almost every respect, it falls just short of being a perfect one.
Driving Feel: 7/10
Much has been made of the weight and size of the new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) M5, but as AutoTrader’s own Jeff Wilson pointed out in his first-drive report on the wagon variant, the car has always been big. Meanwhile, fellow AutoTrader contributor Kunal D’souza had a chance to drive the new car on the track and came away impressed. That’s hardly a surprise given the wild amounts of power on tap here (more on that shortly), not to mention the fleet of advanced technologies keeping it glued to the road. From a high-tech differential to electrically-boosted all-wheel drive to an adaptive suspension, and even four-wheel steering, the M5 is as full of the latest engineering technology as a university textbook.
However, while the engineering trickery allows the M5 to do some truly impressive stuff, when you add it all up it starts to feel like there’s something separating the driver and the road. All the steps between you and the surface below muffle the information being communicated through the steering wheel, the pedals, and the seat of your pants. In its efforts to offer performance and luxury and comfort and electrification and size and technology and the kitchen sink, the sense of connection that makes a smaller, simpler, nimbler car feel truly exciting has been lost in the M5. Unfortunately for BMW, the thrill of a perfectly kissed apex has been muted here in a way that some of its closest competitors manage to avoid. Fortunately, the riotous power unit helps distract you.
Power: 9/10
A whopping 717 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque are generated by the PHEV powertrain, which pairs a twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 engine with BMW’s latest electric motor. The power gets funnelled to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of acceleration, BMW quotes a zero-to-100 km/h time of 3.5 seconds, which isn’t as impressive as you might think given that the M5 has around 100 more hp and 100 more lb-ft of torque than its closest competitor, the Audi RS 7. If manufacturer estimates are anything to go by, that Audi will just barely outhustle the M5 to 100 km/h by a tenth of a second.
Despite what’s on the spec sheet, actually launching the M5 is hugely impressive. In a reckless mood, on an empty stretch of two-lane highway, I kicked the throttle in my tester and the force of the acceleration was such that I half expected stars to start streaming by the windows, as if I had engaged warp speed. The numbers here don’t tell the full story, and only keyboard warriors will be disappointed by the acceleration. Owners will not.
Features: 9/10
The incredible powertrain isn’t the M5’s only strength, either. BMW Canada has done a good job of balancing standard features against optional ones. With a starting price of $135,000, you would hope for a lengthy list of features, and you get it. From the luxurious (excellent stereo, heated seats all around, a panoramic glass roof, and self-parking) to the sporty (adaptive suspension, four-wheel steering, and a fancy rear differential), the M5 feels like a complete product from the get-go.
The available options feel like extras, not necessities. These include the $4,000 package of carbon fibre exterior pieces that replaces the standard roof with a lighter-weight carbon alternative and does the same to the mirrors and rear spoiler. The carbon-ceramic brakes with gold callipers may also tempt buyers, though they come at a cost of nearly $11,000. And, blessedly, BMW has also decided to offer a wide variety of exterior paint colours. Although the really expressive options will add another $6,000 to your price tag, the nine standard colours include a handsome green, a tasteful blue, and a pretty good red.
Safety: 9/10
While the list of standard equipment is good, there is one exception to my assertion that the options feel like extras, not necessities. It’s a bit frustrating that features like collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control are all part of an optional package. However, the package only costs $2,000 and also includes BMW’s latest driver-assistance system, which can adjust your speed, keep you in your lane, and even change lanes for you. On the less technological side, the 5 Series aced all of its crash tests when it was evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
User-Friendliness: 7/10
As with the standard 5 Series, the M5 is equipped with BMW’s latest infotainment system, which is alright, though I find it to be overloaded with menus and submenus. Unfortunately, the M5 only complicates matters further thanks to the addition of M modes, which bring even more menus for drivers to play with (or get lost in). Even though BMW tried to reduce complexity by adding physical M buttons on the steering wheel, it complicated the execution by making them customizable.
Fuel Economy: 8.5/10
While fuel economy tends not to be a talking point for vehicles with 700 hp, this being the first M5 to ever feature a PHEV powertrain inevitably brings it into focus. Although the electric motor was primarily designed to improve performance, it also generates enough power (194 hp) to move the car on its own. In my week with the M5, this was a great boon, as the 18.6-kWh battery handled the majority of trips around town. It’s officially rated to go 43 km on a full charge, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and the M5 will consume just 4.7 L/100 km of fuel if the battery is charged. For reference, that’s 0.1 L/100 km better than an all-wheel-drive Toyota Prius, whose engines cannot be set to warp speed, no matter how hard you kick the accelerator.
However, you should be forewarned: if you let the battery drain completely, the M5 consumes 17.3 L/100 km combined, which is somewhere between the Ford F-150 Raptor and the F-150 Raptor R in terms of fuel economy.
Comfort: 8/10
Avoiding the penalty at the pump isn’t the only reason to keep the battery charged. As with all large sport sedans, the M5 has two natures. On the one hand, it’s a meathead jock with taut muscles. On the other, it’s a big, comfy luxury machine, and its ability to drive around in sumptuous, electrified silence is a major factor contributing to the M5’s luxury appeal.
In addition to its smooth electric propulsion, the M5 also has a variety of drive modes that help soften the suspension and soak up bumps. The seats may be sporty, and do a good job of preventing you from sliding across the cabin, but they’re also large and endlessly adjustable. There may be more comfortable vehicles out there, but they certainly don’t have 700 hp.
Practicality: 8/10
While the BMW M5 is no minivan, it does offer a reasonable array of storage options. The door pockets can hold water bottles and trinkets, there’s a compartment to hide objects under the centre armrest, and there are two cup holders ahead of the infotainment control wheels.
Elsewhere, the M5 sedan sacrifices 26 L of trunk space compared to the all-electric i5, but the compartment is still generous. Buyers who are really concerned about practicality (and exclusivity) will likely opt for the M5 Touring (BMW speak for the wagon) whose cargo capacities rival those of the X3 SUV.
Styling: 8/10
The M5 Touring isn’t just practical — it’s rad. Wagons are prized among car enthusiasts these days, and the M5 is a fine example of why. Its long roof and incredible performance combine like salty and sweet to make something wildly craveable. As to the sedan, its looks are a little subtler for better and worse. Its big, uncomplicated body panels make it look as if it was carved out of granite, especially in the Frozen Deep Grey II Metallic paint our tester was finished in. Again, that’s a positive and a negative. Although it looks solid, it also looks heavy. While I don’t think the M5 sedan is a triumph of design, it does a good job of looking purposeful and aggressive without being excessive or brutish.
Value: 8/10
In some ways, it feels like the 2025 M5 is the first of a next-generation of German performance sedans. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t currently sell a direct competitor to it, while Audi’s RS 7 is getting a little long in the tooth. Despite that, its starting price is about $10,000 richer than the M5’s, it makes around 100 fewer hp, and it has no all-electric driving mode. The closest competitors in terms of powertrain are the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. While the Mercedes makes more power, the Porsche does not, and both cost nearly $100,000 more that the BMW.
If you want a similar amount of power, in a similarly-sized sedan, with a comparable (though not an equivalent) amount of luxury for less money, you’ll have to go for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Admittedly, it makes around 50 fewer hp but it’s offered with a manual transmission, costs around $30,000 less, and the driving experience was good enough to make it AutoTrader’s premium performance vehicle of the year in 2024.
Despite there being a cheaper option, the 2025 BMW M5 offers a ton of performance, a wagon-load of brand cachet, and ample luxury for what amounts to a reasonable price in the segment.
The Verdict
The 2025 BMW M5 sedan falls just shy of being a perfect vehicle, but it comes admirably close to being the car for all drivers. Whether you want to take it onto a racetrack, impress your passengers with its rocket-ship acceleration, or tool around town in luxurious quietude, it does a really good job. And to top it all off, it does it all while being cheaper than some of its closest rivals.
Engine Displacement | 4.4L |
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Engine Cylinders | Plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V8 |
Peak Horsepower | 717 hp |
Peak Torque | 738 lb-ft |
Fuel Economy | 20.4 / 13.5 / 17.3 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb; 4.7 Le/100 km |
Cargo Space | 466 L |
Model Tested | 2025 BMW M5 Sedan |
Base Price | $135,000 |
A/C Tax | $100 |
Destination Fee | $2,480 |
Price as Tested | $176,011 |
Optional Equipment
$38,431 — Est. luxury tax, $12,781; M carbon ceramic brakes, $10,900; Frozen Deep Grey II Metallic paint, $6,000; M carbon exterior package, $4,000; Advanced Driver Assistance package, $2,000; High gloss carbon fibre interior trim, $1,000; Side sunshades and power rear sunshade, $1,000; Black staggered wheels, $750
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