2027 BMW M5 Touring Review + Video

That the 2027 BMW M5 is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will do little to enamour the environmentally aware.

Oh, sure — it’s capable of a bit of emissions-free driving; an estimated 40 km on a full charge, for those wondering. But this isn’t a car that relies on its battery pack and related components as some sort of altruistic effort towards a greener future. No, anyone who knows anything about BMW’s M division will tell you that stuff exists for the sole purpose of power and plenty of it.

It also means this particular M5 has been accompanied by at least a little controversy, since it’s the first car of its kind to get the electrified treatment. That’s enough to draw the ire of purists everywhere, even when it’s done in the pursuit of ever-more performance. That the sultry wagon version weighs upwards of 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) has only made matters worse, as if the M5 has ever been the kind of car to be lauded for its svelte figure — relative to the times, of course.

But no matter — all it takes is one stint behind the wheel to realize how wrong the haters have been from the start. Yes, it’s probably at its best hauling die kinder down the autobahn at especially high speeds. But unleashed on a Canadian road, or even a race track, there’s little sense this M5 has been saddled with any unnecessary heft — only high-dollar hijinks.

Driving Dynamics: 8/10

There are at least a few cars in the BMW lineup that are better tailored to track days than the M5. That’s true of the sedan as well as this wagon, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t equipped the right way regardless. Beyond the hearty V8 under the hood, or the PHEV components that augment its performance, this big-bodied Bimmer has been packed with chassis mounts and braces that make it rigid and responsive when changing direction, as does the suspension.

Similarly, the rear axle features an electronic locking differential that reduces understeer through torque-vectoring technology — more motive force is shuffled to the outside wheel when cornering — as well as supplemental steering for improved stability and agility. While it’s not necessarily the most communicative car to drive, it isn’t especially numb, either. Instead, what you’re treated to is subdued aggression, sort of like an angry Dobermann wearing a muzzle.

Powertrain: 10/10

What’s under the hood is much less restrained, with a twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8 that makes 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque — impressive figures on their own that would put the M5 a short step behind its rival Audi RS 6 in terms of output. But this being a PHEV, it gets an electrified assist to the tune of a truly astonishing 717 net hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. Beyond the wow factor, it’s enough to send this sled from a standing start to 100 km/h in a claimed 3.6 seconds.

That’s certifiably quick, and it’ll push you and the family firmly into your seatbacks faster than you can say kraftfahrzeug-haftplichtversicherung. That’s the especially long-winded German name for automobile insurance, by the way, which is sure to see a significant rate hike should you be caught by the local polizei putting the M5’s launch control system to the test in public.

Efficiency: 7/10

Should you prefer to use the electric power for a greener good (if not necessarily a greater one), the drive mode selector can be set to burn through the battery in its entirety before the gas engine kicks in. Doing so restricts performance at least a little, with velocity capped at a more-than-reasonable 140 km/h, while the advertised emissions-free range is 40 km. However, the M5 Touring tested here could consistently cover about 50 km with its 14.8-kWh battery charged.

Likewise, real-world fuel consumption proved significantly more impressive than the dismal numbers published by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Yes, plenty of this week-long test’s roughly 850 km were accumulated on the highway; but then launch control was put to good use, while no winding road was wasted as far as fun goes. Yet the M5 burned through 93-octane gas at an indicated rate of 12.2 L/100 km compared to its expected average of 17.5 combined.

User-Friendliness: 7/10

Getting acquainted with a car like the M5 takes time. Between its multitude of menus and assortment of capacitive and physical controls, finding even the most mundane feature can be frustrating. Hunting for the onboard navigation system, for example, never got any easier over the course of a week together, while even the HVAC setup has its foibles. A note to BMW: touch-sensitive sliders for opening and closing the air vents are a bad idea, plain and simple.

In a related matter, the crystalline dial on the console that’s used as a redundant infotainment controller manages to reflect sunlight in such a way that a fast food napkin was draped over it on a particularly bright day during this test. (Yes, really.) It’s especially annoying if only for the fact that the main screen has full touch functionality. And the controls around it could be simpler, with capacitive buttons that often required more than one tap to call up a corresponding feature.

That’s where you’ll find shortcuts for the powertrain and performance parameters, many of which can be customized. The suspension, steering, brakes, and even the all-wheel-drive can all be adjusted, including the ability to put the M5 in a tail-happy rear-wheel-drive setting. Meanwhile, the M buttons on the steering wheel can be used for quick access to preferred drive modes, plus pulling the downshift paddle can uncork all the power for 10 seconds at a time.

Comfort: 7/10

Even with the chassis in its so-called comfort setting, the adaptive dampers have the compliance of raw denim. Indeed, this is an M car through and through, with exceptionally short suspension travel and virtually no perceptible body motion — perfect for fast cornering, but less so for daily driving, when at least a little more forgiveness would go a long way. That doesn’t mean the M5 is uncomfortable out on the open road, although ride quality isn’t outstanding.

On the bright side, the front seats feature wide bolsters that work well with occupants of various shapes and sizes, keeping torsos secure without squeezing too tightly. They’re also heated and ventilated, while the steering wheel features the former, as do the back seats. And they’re all wrapped in supple leather that was finished in a tasteful two-tone black and violet in this tester.

Design: 8/10

Spending $1,000 on purple upholstery might seem unnecessary, but then it looks positively stunning when set against the Sepia III Metallic paint pictured here — a pricey proposition at $6,000, but a head-turning hue that manages to alternate between purple and gold, depending on where you’re standing and how the sun is shining. It’s the kind of combination a car like this deserves, adding to its sense of specialness that the sedan version simply can’t match.

Indeed, there’s something about fast wagons, with their high-performance add-ons standing at odds with the inherent emphasis on usefulness that comes with the extra cargo room inside. While the grille is a little odd looking, with its nostril-like openings far from flattering, it’s almost forgivable for the way the rest of the styling comes together. And look at the bright side: this fascia is far easier on the eyes than the bucktooth aesthetic shared by its M3 and M4 siblings.

Everyday Usability: 10/10

Getting back to the uniqueness of the M5 Touring’s long roof, the accompanying cargo hold is the kind of asset that will constantly come in handy, especially in a family car. Better still, there’s barely any penalty as far as performance, with the sedan accomplishing the sprint to 100 km/h in a claimed 3.5 seconds — no discernible difference beyond what a stopwatch will tell you.

OK, it weighs a bit more, too — about 63 kg (139 lb), according to the specs — but that’s not something you’ll notice beyond a racetrack environment, and even then it’s unlikely to stand out. What will, however, is the 500 L of space behind the 40/20/40 split-folding back seat, which expands to 1,630 L with it stowed. That’s only a little less than what’s inside the X5 M Competition sport utility, which has 650 L with the rear bench upright and 1,870 L with it folded.

Equipment: 9/10

Beyond all the performance upgrades, the M5 Touring comes with most of the stuff you’d expect in a six-figure car. Four-zone automatic climate control, multi-way adjustable front seats with memory settings for the driver’s side, onboard navigation with augmented reality, an impressive stereo, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and a whole host of USB-C ports — it’s all included. There’s also ambient lighting inside and a fixed panoramic glass roof.

Safety: 8/10

The advanced safety suite is equally robust, with all kinds of modern features, although not all of them are standard. There’s forward collision warning and pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, safe-exit assistance that can warn of vehicles and cyclists approaching from behind, and lane departure warning. However, lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control are bundled in an optional $2,000 package.

Value for Money: 7/10

The 2027 BMW M5 Touring starts at $147,900 before options, freight, and taxes — no small sum, but a reasonable $5,000 premium compared to the sedan model. It’s worth noting that the Audi RS 6 costs less ($142,065), while the X5 M Competition is more ($156,900). However, as with those alternatives, it’s easy to add to the bottom line, and this tester had more than $20,000 in upgrades including the carbon-ceramic brakes, which cost an eye-watering $10,900 alone.

The Verdict

The M5 Touring is uniquely rewarding, with the performance of a true M car wrapped up in the proportions of a proper wagon. It can simultaneously appeal to your sensible side as well as your wicked one in a way few others are capable of, although it’s probably more Jekyll than Hyde — just as the M5 has always been. There’s something special about such a dignified sports car experience, and all the better that it’s one you can share with the entire family in tow.