Test Drive: 2025 BMW M5 is the Splenda Super Sedan

I’ve settled into the BMW M5’s extremely comfortable front seat and found its start button only to be startled by theatrical “bbbuuuwhaaahh” power-up noise.  The welcome noise gives me a flashback to the THX intro sounds from 2000’s movie theaters.  (Yes, the driver is now listening.)  

The sounds are accompanied by a building glow in the cabin, as the BMW’s dashboard lighting has come to life in M blue and red.  The instrument cluster and iDrive screen illuminate, too, completing the techno glitz.  Is this the way of modern M?

It may well be, as the 2025 BMW M5 is the most tech-forward M5 to date.  It is AWD (a fixture since 2018), computer-packed and—new for 2025!—a plug-in hybrid, too.  The twin-turbo V8 is reinforced with ~900 lbs of motors and batteries that contribute 194 e-ponies to the stable’s 717.  Add in the adaptive suspension, brake-by-wire binders, and advanced stability control, and the M5 is more computer-controlled and software-defined than ever.  Have I just powered on a car or a Gundam battle bot?

I start my short test route in Hybrid mode, quietly slipping out of the cul-de-sac and onto the main road.  As soon as I join the larger boulevard, I flick into Sport mode, eager to test the M5’s formidable performance.

Now the deep V8 grumble penetrates the cabin.  The noise intrusion appears carefully engineered—and undoubtedly amplified by the stereo system—as nothing else from the outside world can be heard through M5’s hefty doors.  The M5 shares a platform with the 7 Series, and thus, it has flagship luxury NVH considerations baked into its engineering. Only the curated engine noise and a bit of tire whir penetrate the thick glass and body.

As I accelerate up to speed and pull a paddle for the next gear, a bassy upshift “whoomp” reverberates through the cabin.  M Division’s giggle-worthy gear change spreads a smile on my face, just as it did when I heard BMW’s upshift sound track in the M8 Competition.

Now that I’m up to speed, I take stock of the M5’s steering.  The steering has measured pacing and heavy resistance, and communicates the cracks in the road. The heft I feel in the wheel is well matched to the corpulent M5; this super sedan is no lithe coupe to steer with fingertips.  I’m not feeling surface textures through the fat leather-wrapped steering wheel, but then again, these smooth roads don’t have much grain.

I try a few squirts of half-pedal acceleration and find the hybrid drivetrain is responsive and powerful. The electronic motors immediately respond to my pedal prods, covering for any delay that the 4.0L twin-turbo V8 might have when called to action. This drivetrain was also fitted to BMW’s XM Label, and it is as impressive in the M5 as it was in the SUV.

As I enter the forest, a set of bends appears, and I take them with measured pace. The M5 traces the arcs without any sweat; the car feels capable of high cornering speeds, and the all-wheel drive is shifting torque to balance the front and rear traction.

Leaving the woods, the pavement degrades, becomes cracked and undulating.  I’ve heard tales of the M5’s horrid ride quality, so I flip the M5 in Road mode to give it a fighting chance.  Road mode puts the shocks in their Comfort setting, but the ride is still taut and well-controlled.  The M5 does the M thing of offsetting its firm suspension with soft seats, so while I can feel the cracks and bumps under the car, I ultimately remain comfortable.  (I admit that this road is better paved than urban Los Angeles or the 405.)

I pause in a parking lot to take photos of the deep green M5. This generation of M5 has added aggression, with creased haunches and an illuminated kidney grill. The car’s face means business, though it has lost some of the grace of its forebearers.

The M5’s back seats have reasonable head and leg room, and they are oh-so comfortable to sit in.  The M5 would be an excellent transporter for four adults over long distances.

I find the interior styling to be tech-heavy and a little obscene—how does carbon fiber trim help in a 5,390-pound sedan, and why do the red M steering-wheel triggers look ready to fire missiles?  Yet, I can accept the brash dog-whistles in a car with so much computer-controlled performance. The tech has been carefully massaged for the M5: the accent lighting changes colors with the drive modes, the iDrive controller pad has shortcut buttons for the traction control, M modes and the drive mode setup page.

After I’ve soaked up the M5’s interior and exterior styling cues, I slide back into the driver’s seat and power it up for another romp. 

This time, I double-press the M2 button to put the car into Sport Plus, 4WD Sport, and M Dynamic Mode (MDM).  The mode choice changes the character of the M5 significantly. The V8 engine noise is louder, fuller and more staccato than before, and the throttle response has sharpened.  

At a Y junction, I squirt away from a stop sign and feel the rear tires momentarily writhing before MDM rights them, and we burst away with frightening speed.  This M5 is capital-F Fast! 

The fun continues as the road bends back through the forest: The M5 accurately turns into the corners, adeptly managing its weight and fighting body roll, but its tail steps sideways when I feed in the gas. The sensations are familiar from my old Focus RS, which would intentionally overdrive the outside rear tire to pivot the car towards the apex.  Either the M5 is playing the same torque-vectoring game, or the 4WD Sport mode is deliciously rear-biased and easily overwhelms the rear traction.  No matter the method, the result is the same: I have to back off the throttle or unwind the steering to keep the M5 on my intended arc.

And as quickly as my test drive started, I’m back at the cul-de-sac and my drive loop ends.  The M5 powers off with an equally theatrical “uuuhhzzzzpp.” 

I’m impressed with the M5’s technological superiority and its balance of driving chops and passenger comfort.  The M5’s 4WD Sport dynamics have me dying to try the car in a more permissive environment, where I could explore the many drive modes and see the breadth of driving styles the M5 allows.

And, I’d like to have the M5 for several days, to test its ride comfort in my home environs and learn if its tech tricks have long-lasting appeal.  Because from this first impression, the M5 is a super sedan that promises to do all things well, and I want to put those promises to the test.