New BMW M5 review

BMW invented the super saloon 40 years ago with the original M5 (E28) but it’s never been afraid to tweak the formula – and the seventh-generation BMW M5 we're reviewing here makes the most radical leap yet.

For the first time in BMW M5 history, plug-in hybrid tech enters the fray. An 18.6kWh battery and a single electric motor work in harmony with a twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, delivering a staggering 717bhp. And as with previous-generation M5s, you can have all that in an estate car body, as the M5 Touring.

Performance? Colossal. BMW says 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph – or 189mph with the optional M Driver’s pack. That’s supercar territory. But at the press of a button, you can tap in to an official electric-only range of up to 43 miles. This might be the first M5 you could sensibly run as a company car.

You don’t get PHEV tech without a weight penalty of course. With a battery, e-motor and four-wheel-drive system, this is the heaviest BMW M5 ever, tipping the scales at nearly 2.5 tonnes. So the question is – can BMW’s engineers mask that heft? And how does the M5 compare with the best performance car rivals? Read on to find out...

For several generations now, the BMW M5 has gone big on configurability, starting with the arrival of the E60 in 2005. Back then you could fine-tune the gearbox response, the dampers and even how much power the engine served up. It seemed needlessly complex at the time, but compared to the new M5, it feels laughably simple.

Now, you have control over the M5's, suspension, brake-pedal feel, hybrid modes, exhaust, stability control and four-wheel-drive. You could lose hours chasing the perfect set-up. Thankfully, once you’ve cracked it, you can save two configurations to the M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel so you can return to them instantly.

Before diving into the M5’s wilder side, a simple press of the red starter button brings the car to life in its calmest form. The drivetrain defaults to electric mode and the suspension eases into Comfort mode.

If there's charge in the PHEV battery, it behaves like a relaxed electric car with 197bhp and 206lb/ft at your disposal – enough to glide through traffic with little effort. The suspension soaks up city scars effortlessly, aided by rear-wheel steering, which makes this the most manoeuvrable BMW M5 yet.

At up to 43mph the rear wheels turn opposite to the fronts to enhance agility. Above that speed they turn in sync for added stability.

Silent it is not, though. Even in electric mode, there’s an artificial but convincing V8 hum, rising and falling in sync with your accelerator inputs. The sounds helps to mask the transition to petrol power – unless, that is, you’re in Dynamic mode. Here the shift to petrol power comes with a soft kick that lets you know the fuel gauge is about to drop.

Ease harder on the accelerator pedal and the thrust is staggering. It feels as if the new M5 is powered by something beyond an internal combustion engine – more SpaceX rocket than BMW car model. Even at speeds that would see you locked up in the UK, it accelerates with brutal, linear force and with the electric motor filling in any turbo lag means there’s instant response, no matter the gear.

It’s almost too effective for its own good. The V8 revs eagerly to 7,200rpm, but with such a potent mid-range there’s little reason to chase the redline.

BMW has worked to enhance the soundtrack with artificial augmentation, yet the 4.4-litre V8 still lacks the visceral appeal you might expect. That said, with modern exhaust regulations muting most engines, it’s a clear step ahead of the latest Mercedes-AMG C63 or Porsche Panamera.

However, we always knew the new BMW M5 would feel quick. The raw numbers tell you that. What we were more concerned about was the car's mighty kerb weight. Could BMW's engineers really conceal it? 

The answer is yes… mostly. You see, BMW has invested in bespoke tyres, adaptive suspension and rear-wheel steering to help make a car that weighs more than a Bentley Bentayga steer and turn like a proper M-product.

When you're driving the M5 at eight-tenths, that rear-wheel steering in particular injects some real energy into direction changes. As does the steering, which is quicker and lighter than before – a bit like in an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. 

But there is a limit. When you push beyond it carrying a fraction too much speed into a series of quick transitions, the weight starts to show. The suspension, with its steel springs and adaptive dampers, can’t fully contain the body’s movements.

A slight wiggle through the platform reminds you of the M5’s mass, urging restraint. It’s more noticeable in the more top-heavy M5 Touring (unlike the saloon you can’t specify the Touring with a carbon-fibre roof) and is enough to make you dial it back a notch and adopt a smoother, more measured rhythm.

In fact, the M5 feels more like one of the BMW-based Alpina performance cars than an M car in its road manners – precise, luxurious, and startlingly fast, rather than razor-sharp and raw like a BMW M3. It makes you wonder why BMW retained RWD mode for the all-wheel drive system because when the M5 lets go it does so very quickly and very abruptly – it’s a system best saved for the track.

The Alpina parallels don’t stop there. Refinement is a high point – this is the quietest M5 ever. At Autobahn speeds, the air slips past with barely a murmur. Even the wide tyres are well-muted and road noise stays this side of intrusive.

The M5's brakes are well-integrated, with the regenerative braking system blending seamlessly into the feel of the optional carbon ceramics. It is, in other words, a properly grown-own "Bahn-stormer".

“Most owners won’t care that BMW has replaced the physical gearshift lever with a switch, but as a car enthusiast I think it's sad that the experience of banging up and down the gears is no more.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

If there was one gripe with the previous BMW M5, it was that its interior didn’t feel sufficiently distinct from the standard BMW 5 Series. Not so with this seventh-generation M5. It seems as though the design brief was: “Wherever the driver’s eye lands, they should be reminded they’re in the ultimate M car.”

The result is a flat-bottomed steering wheel, carbon-fibre shift paddles and generous helpings of optional carbon-fibre trim. A bright-red starter button adds a dash of theatre while M Division-coloured seatbelts, an M-embossed iDrive rotary controller (yes, really) and configurable ambient lighting in shades of blue, violet and red provide further flourishes.

Is it all a bit much? The lighting might be, but the rest serves to liven up what is usually a fairly understated interior.

Gone are the unforgiving carbon-fibre-backed bucket seats from the M5 CS. The seats in the new BMW M5 are far more forgiving, offering a great balance between lateral support and comfort, with an impressively low driving position.

If you opt for the Ultimate Pack they can even be ventilated – though prepare for a rather hefty price tag.

Visibility is acceptable, although the M5’s width can make threading it into tight spaces a challenge. Thankfully, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and autonomous parking assistance are all part of the standard package. If you wish to park your M5 with your phone you’ll need to specify the Parking Assistant Professional pack.

As for the M5's infotainment system, the 12.3in digital driver's display and 14.9in central touchscreen are housed together in one panel to give a sleek, almost panoramic look. The driver's display is supported by a standard head-up display, which can show everything from your speed to full-colour maps.

BMW’s latest iDrive system, powered by a 5G connection, is one of the best on the market, with crisp graphics, swift responses, and a largely intuitive interface. You can control it using the touchscreen or – for less distraction – a rotary dial.

Our only real criticism of the M5's interior? Adjusting the interior temperature requires a trip to the infotainment touchscreen or voice control (good old-fashioned physical buttons or dials are so much more user-friendly).

“The M5's lead designer told us any button that’s red actually does something – referring to the bright red starter button and the two programmable buttons that when pressed have an immediate impact. I like that design logic." – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

The new M5 is capable of out-running small passenger planes, but that doesn’t mean BMW has compromised on practicality.

Here, the only real difference from a standard BMW 5 Series is the wider front sports seats. They give the driver and passenger more lateral support, yet still offer ample head and leg room for six-footers.

While BMW removed the centre storage cubby of the last-generation M5 CS to save weight (yes, really), in this new M5 storage space is plentiful with a pair of cupholders, a cubby beneath the central armrest and large door bins.

As for rear space, it's comparable with what you find in key rivals such as the Audi RS6 and Porsche Panamera, meaning two six-footers will be comfortable, but a central rear passenger gets a narrower seat and straddles a hump in the floor. The M5 Touring doesn’t address either of these issues, but you do get more head room and a more airy feeling passenger compartment thanks to taller more squared-off side windows.

As for the M5's boot space it has 466 litres of storage (a regular BMW 5 Series has 520 litres). It’s therefore a touch smaller than what you get in a BMW M3, and rather than being a simple square shape, the load bay is full of contours that can be restrictive when trying to load in bulky objects. We’ve yet to test it but we suspect it's big enough to swallow around six carry-on suitcases.

For better practicality, there's also the M5 Touring. The estate car version can take 500 litres of luggage below its load cover, expanding to 1,630 litres with the rear seats dropped. For comparison, the Audi RS6 (which is only available as an estate car) has 565 litres of boot space.

As standard, the M5’s rear seats split and fold in a 40/20/40 configuration, matching the flexibility offered by the RS6 and Porsche Panamera.

“The volume of the M5 Touring’s boot is technically identical to that in the M3 Touring, but I suspect the M5’s boot will prove more useable because it's wider and longer.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Only you can decide whether spending a six-figure sum on a 700bhp super saloon makes logical sense, but in relative terms in both saloon and Touring forms, the BMW M5 is competitively priced, undercutting an equivalent Audi RS6 or Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. 

As a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), the new M5 should also be quite a bit cheaper to run than an RS6 – if, that is, you keep the battery charged up. BMW quotes an official figure of 141mpg, but with a fully discharged battery expect to see around 25mpg. 

Speaking of charging up, you can fill the PHEV battery in about two hours, 15 minutes using an 11kW three-phase home car charger, or use the engine to top it up instead. The efficiency will plummet if you use the engine but the upside is that you’ll have the full 717bhp to deploy when you reach an empty stretch of road.

For business owners, the 43-mile electric range (41 miles for the Touring) means the M5 qualifies for the 8% BIK tax bracket, making it much cheaper to run as a company car than an Audi RS6. That said, an electric car such as an Audi e-tron GT or Porsche Taycan will be even cheaper. And let’s be honest, any savings on BIK tax will be offset by annual servicing costs and your hefty tyre bill.

The new M5 comes pretty well equipped as standard, with goodies such as keyless entry, M multifunction seats with memory, four-zone climate control, wireless phone-charging, a panoramic glass roof, adaptive suspension, adaptive LED headlights, a light-up grill, a heated steering wheel and an electric tailgate. 

However, we can see a high proportion of buyers ticking the box for the appropriately named Ultimate pack. It will cost more than a Renault Clio but gets you carbon-ceramic brakes, heated rear seats, an M Carbon exterior package, ventilated front seats, Alcantara headlining and extra driving assist features such as adaptive cruise control with a Stop&Go function for city traffic.

The safety experts at Euro NCAP haven’t tested the M5 specifically but the BMW 5 Series it’s based on scored five stars out of five when it was assessed. The M5 has a host of electronic driver aids, including blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and rear cross-traffic alert as part of the standard-fit Driving Assistant Pack.

In the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, BMW finished eighth out of the 31 manufacturers ranked, above Audi (24th), Mercedes (22nd) and Porsche (21st).

“Carbon-ceramic brakes are the most expensive piece of kit on the BMW M5 options list but I think they'll be a popular choice among buyers.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

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