I’ve been dying to try the new M3 and M4 since they launched four years ago. Of all the M models, this duo has the size and performance focus to match my family, fun, and track aspirations. Did you know I owned a 2011 BMW (E90) M3 for seven years? I loved that car’s practicality, thrilling engine, and track-ready dynamics, but its frequent maintenance needs ultimately kicked it to the curb.
So, what are the 2025 G80 M3 and G82 M4 like? I’m excited to sample them, as I’ve heard BMW has reworked their engines and chassis!
By chance, I snag the keys to a 2025 M4 Competition xDrive for my first test drive. The car is painted a vibrant red/orange hue and upholstered in an equally vibrant red/orange leather. The bright exterior color accentuates the grille’s bucktooth grin, but enough time has passed since the G82’s introduction that my shock and disgust at the brutalist front bumper have faded. At least I won’t have to see its funky face from the driver’s seat!
Getting into the M4 Competition xDrive is a bigger hassle than expected. The test car has BMW’s optional carbon bucket seats. These seats have extremely pronounced thigh bolsters that rise several inches above the seat bottom. As I try to plop down on the seat cushion, I end up uncomfortably perched on the rigid thigh bolster instead. With some wiggling, I drop into the bucket and find a comfortable position in the bolsters’ tight hug.
At the push of the M4’s start button, the I6 engine comes alive and hums a familiar song. For me, I6 engines are inexorably linked to the BMW brand. The M4’s S58 I6 sings the BMW anthem in gritty harmony, though it hasn’t unseated the E46 M3’s S54 I6 for vocal honors.
I put the transmission in D and start driving. Anticipating the curves at the test loop’s start, I quickly switch into Sport Plus mode to unleash the M4’s angry side.
Pulling out of the cul-de-sac and onto the curvy forest road, I dip into the throttle and let the engine hungrily gulp fuel and air. For the first time in an M4, I can feel the AWD clawing to pull me through the intersection. It’s a slight scrabbling sensation from the front tires that would have been impossible in older M3s and M4s that were exclusively rear-wheel drive.
The S58 I6 has twin turbos, and it doesn’t hide its boosted nature. When I dip into the throttle and hold, the flowing exhaust gases rev the turbines, and the acceleration increases without any additional pedal pressure. The sensation of increased acceleration as the turbos wake is a hallmark of force-fed cars.
I make a more aggressive run through the revs to explore the engine’s torque curve. Around 3k rpm, the turbos hit their stride, and the M4 becomes violently rapid. The heady power and torque hold to the 7.2k rpm redline. This top-heavy tuning works well for BMW M’s most track-focused model, which is expected to be running at the top of the tachometer when turning record lap times.
The S58 I6 is good for 523 hp, well shy of the 717 hp BMW M5 I just drove. Never mind, as even with “just” 523 hp, the G82 is antisocially fast and pulls for the horizon like no M4 before. When flogged, the 8-speed automatic transmission’s rapid upshifts are punctuated with theatrical burps from the tailpipe.
Hucking the G82 into the first few corners, I appreciate the chassis’s eagerness and control. The M4’s nose dives down towards the apex like a foxhound on the hunt; the front tires are pinned! The car has no trouble managing its 3,979 pounds and grips the corners in bear hugs.
As I zip past the apexes and get back on the gas, I can feel the rear tires fighting for grip. Although the M4 has xDrive AWD, the system is rear-biased and sends more power to the back than to the front. This gives the coupe lively dynamics when leaving corners under heavy thrust, rewarding drivers who want to pick their paths using throttle as well as steering.
The M4’s jaw-dropping thrust, confident front axle, eager-to-rotate chassis, and lively AWD have me longing for a racetrack. No wonder BMW’s Performance School uses the M3s and M4s in their advanced training!
Arriving at a bumpy section of the test route, I put the car back into calmer settings for its suspension, steering, brakes and engine.
Even at its softest, the M4’s suspension remains firm, and the bump impacts from the cracked road are clearly felt through the floorboard, seats and steering. In my old E90 M3, the taut suspension was paired with a cushy driver’s seat to keep up the comfort over deteriorated roads, but the G82 M4’s carbon bucket seats are thinly padded. I wish for more squish for my tush.
The steering is moderately weighted in Comfort mode, with quick pacing that is appropriate for the track.
All M cars get BMW’s signature fat-rimmed M steering wheel. A pair of bright red M thumb-buttons help me quickly activate my favorite drive settings, and rubberized paddle shifters protrude from the three and nine spokes for manual gear changes. When I find myself using the paddle shifters to pick my own gears, the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission serves up smooth and prompt shifts.
Behind me are a pair of backseats that look like a chore to climb into, but are large enough for adult occupants. Clearly, the M3 sedan is for those who carry backseat passengers every day.
My circuit of the forest ends quickly, and I swap the M4 Competition xDrive’s keys for an M3 Competition xDrive’s. Will I be able to suss out any differences between the sister models?
In short, no. In my second lap of the route, I find that the M3 is nearly identical to the M4 in its steering, handling, braking, acceleration, and ride comfort. Both cars make 523 hp, weigh just shy of 4,000 lbs, do 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and cost about $90k. (The M3 is ~$3k cheaper.) Yes, the biggest difference is the number of doors!
As with the M4, the M3 tester is fitted with the thinly-padded carbon bucket seats, so my overall comfort is the same. If I were buying an M3 or M4, I would skip the carbon buckets and stick with the standard seats. Hopefully, the standard seats have thicker padding, inflatable lumbar support, and less aggressive thigh bolstering to make the car easier to drive daily.
As a family man with a love of track time, the M3 sedan would be my pick. The easy access to the backseats means I can take the kids to school in the M3. The backseats are generous enough for kids in car seats or smaller grandparents, and the trunk looks family-friendly, so I could do all my travels in the M3, as long as I avoid packing a mega stroller.
That said, while I can make a compelling case for fitting the M3 into my life, the almost identical M4 is a harder sell. As a family man, a coupe is always a special occasion car, and lighter compact sport cars like the Toyota Supra or Porsche 718 Cayman deliver experiences that are completely different from any sedan, yet are equally exciting to the M4.
Mike's Steering Column 