Dwelling with BMW’s First Hybrid Tremendous Sedan

As a longtime BMW fanatic and automotive journalist, I’ve at all times had a specific comfortable spot for the M5. Through the years, I’ve pushed and lived with practically each era, from the analog precision of the E39 to the brute-force drama of the F90. So when BMW handed me the keys to the 2025 M5 G90—the primary electrified M5 ever—I knew this was going to be extra than simply one other evaluation. After greater than 4,000 miles and three months of every day driving in Chicago, I’ve quite a bit to say about what it’s wish to stay with this plug-in hybrid powerhouse.

Design Impressions: The Daring Look Grew on Me

After I first noticed the G90 M5 in individual in 2024, I wasn’t positive how you can really feel about its squared-off, aggressive styling. It seemed daring, possibly too daring, and definitely bigger than life. However because the miles racked up, so did the compliments. Random folks would stroll as much as ask about it. I even acquired thumbs-up in site visitors which doesn’t occur quite a bit these days with BMW automobiles. No matter hesitation I had concerning the design rapidly light. It has actual presence, and I discovered myself appreciating the sharp edges and muscular stance an increasing number of. But, I nonetheless really feel that the M5 Touring is the higher wanting of the 2.

Contained in the G90: Acquainted BMW Vibes, Simply Not as Premium

Sliding into the cabin, the M5 looks like a sportier, barely smaller 7 Collection—which actually is sensible. BMW’s by no means made a correct M7, and this G90 feels just like the closest they’ve come. That is I’ve been calling my M5 a mini-M7, and that’s not a foul factor.  The seats are wonderful, supportive over lengthy hauls and comfortable sufficient for on a regular basis errands. Even with two little one seats within the again, area was by no means a problem.

However I received’t sugarcoat it: some inside particulars disillusioned me. The switches really feel cheaper than what I’ve come to count on from an M5, and the Piano Black trim seems sharp for precisely 5 minutes earlier than it begins gathering fingerprints and hairline scratches. For a automobile pushing six figures, BMW ought to actually rethink that materials selection. Fortunately, my M5 got here with the Carbon Fiber Package deal and the afferent roof. However I do know there are some clients who complain about the usual glass roof which provides weight and raises the middle of gravity.

Every day Driving and Expertise: The Greatest M5 But?

Day-to-day, that is probably the most livable BMW M5 I’ve ever pushed. iDrive 8.5 lastly feels dialed-in—responsive, quick, and comparatively intuitive when you get the dangle of its difficult layers. The Driving Help Skilled system is a standout too, particularly for lengthy freeway slogs. The adaptive cruise is smoother than within the F90 M5, and the lane adjustments are extra pure.

Nonetheless, BMW retains Degree 2+ autonomy at arm’s size. The hands-free Freeway Assistant solely works beneath 40 mph for brief durations. I do want BMW supplied the upgraded model, aka the Freeway Assistant. I get it that the G90 M5 is supposed to be pushed, however in the event you do a whole lot of freeway driving, the additional self-driving options would have been nice. I’ve a good friend who has a G90 M5 and he disagrees with me. He feels that the brand new M5 remains to be a driver’s automobile, so I suppose completely different strokes for various of us.

Three Personalities in One Automobile

The fantastic thing about this new 2025 BMW M5 is the way it morphs relying on the way you configure it. More often than not, I go away it in Hybrid mode and let the automobile kind out one of the best ways to get round. However in stop-and-go site visitors, I flip it to EV mode and dial up the regenerative braking. It’s good for metropolis crawls—quiet, easy, and environment friendly.

What stunned me most was how good EV mode feels. Round city, it glides like an i5 M60. No engine noise, simply instantaneous torque and silence. Then, while you need to wake it up, Sport Plus transforms the M5 into a distinct animal. The throttle sharpens, the V8 barks to life, and out of the blue you’re gripping the wheel a bit tighter. That duality—whisper-quiet one second, brutally quick the following—is what actually makes this M5 particular.

After all, the transition from electrical to fuel isn’t at all times good. In chilly climate, the V8 wake-up can really feel a bit tough—a light vibration and a barely delayed response. It’s not jarring, nevertheless it’s there. Nonetheless, this method is smoother and faster than within the XM, which regularly felt prefer it was pondering too exhausting.

Suspension and Journey High quality: Chicago Exposes the Flaws

Chicago isn’t precisely a suspension improvement paradise. Or possibly it needs to be. Potholes, development zones, and tough pavement make for a relentless problem. On these streets, the G90’s experience may be hit and miss. On smoother pavement, it’s unbelievable. The Michelin Pilot Sport 5S tires are a lot quieter and extra refined than the Hankooks I drove on a earlier G90 M5, and the experience feels composed and calm.

However hit a pointy bump or a velocity hump, and the phantasm cracks. Low-speed damping is agency to the purpose of being harsh. The automobile can really feel overly stiff over fast vertical adjustments, and mid-corner bumps can upset the rear in a approach that feels un-M-like. I discovered that Sport mode supplied one of the best steadiness—Consolation was too floaty, and Sport Plus felt too inflexible for every day use. My spouse disagrees, although. She thinks the Consolation mode is ideal on this automobile, particularly when hauling youngsters round. Who am I to disagree together with her?!

Dealing with: Surprisingly Succesful for a Heavyweight

Despite the fact that Chicago doesn’t provide many nice driving roads, I nonetheless sought out the few corners and sweepers I may discover to check the M5’s limits. And lately, I had the chance to drive the G90 M5 within the Alps—a really perfect proving floor. It was there that I totally appreciated what this chassis is able to.

Sure, it’s heavy—practically 5,400 kilos—however one way or the other, BMW has discovered how you can cheat physics. On a twisty street, you’re feeling the mass, however the automobile simply handles it. Preserve your nook entries clear and the M5 rewards you with spectacular grip and exit velocity. The AWD system and rear differential do a unbelievable job placing the facility down, rotating the automobile, and supplying you with that M automobile magic, even when Newton would say in any other case.

It’s not razor-sharp like a smaller M2 and even an previous E60 M5, nevertheless it’s competent, composed, and surprisingly keen. Throughout spirited driving in Austrian mountain roads, I averaged over 40 mpg, regardless of driving the M5 like I stole it. Effectivity like that, in a automobile with this a lot functionality, is not only spectacular—it’s sensible.

The Drivetrain: Clean, Responsive, and Addictive

I’ve mentioned it earlier than, nevertheless it’s value repeating: this drivetrain is an enormous enchancment over the XM’s. The hybrid transition is quicker, the shifts are smoother, and it feels extra pure. There’s nonetheless that satisfying pause-thump within the gear adjustments, virtually just like the previous SMG automobiles from the E60 M5 days—however now it sounds and feels higher. From a roll, the electrical torque fill is unimaginable. You get this easy, unbroken surge of energy that makes conventional turbo lag really feel historical. We timed the M5 to 60 mph in about 3.2 seconds (with 1 foot rollout) utilizing full Sport Plus mode and launch management. It’s brutal—in one of the best ways.

And although it won’t match the F90 on the ragged fringe of monitor efficiency, I’d argue this G90 offers you one thing much more helpful: a every day drivable M5 that also does M5 issues while you need it to. After all, in the event you’re coming from an F90 or F10 M5 even, you is likely to be disillusioned. This new M5 feels and drives utterly completely different. The earlier iterations have been actually extra of a driver’s automobile, together with on the monitor, however much less of a every day driver. It’s additionally BMW M’s fault in a approach as a result of the F90 M5 Competitors was practically the proper automobile. Robust to high that one…

Braking and Charging: Thoughts the Mass

Braking takes a little bit of psychological adjustment. The nostril dives greater than I anticipated, at each high and low speeds. You must recalibrate your footwork—brake a bit earlier and extra gently than you’ll within the F90. It’s not unhealthy, simply completely different.

Charging is the place issues fall a bit brief for me. The usual 7.4 kW onboard charger is sluggish, taking on three hours at a public Degree 2 station. The brand new 11 kW unit for Mannequin 12 months 2026 ought to have, actually, been there from the start. That mentioned, with about 35–40 miles of real-world EV vary, I used to be in a position to deal with most of my commuting with out burning gasoline. It’s additionally good for quiet morning departures while you don’t need to wake the neighborhood.

A Completely different Form of M5—And That’s OK

Occasions are altering, and the M5 needed to change too. Making a twin-turbo V8 something in 2025 is already a miracle due to emissions laws. However BMW pulled it off, and we needs to be grateful. Sure, it’s heavy. Nevertheless it’s additionally extremely succesful. Some would argue a mild-hybrid V8 would have been okay additionally…

In the long run, this isn’t the M5 for monitor days and ten-tenths driving. It’s the M5 for individuals who need luxurious, tech, effectivity, and sure—efficiency—wrapped in a bundle they will stay with day by day. It’s not good. The suspension nonetheless wants fine-tuning, and a few inside decisions baffle me. However would I purchase one?

Completely. If I had $140,000 to spend on a every day driver, this might be on the high of my listing. In comparison with different high-performance hybrids just like the AMG GT 4-Door 63 S E-Efficiency or the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid (critically, these names…), the 2025 BMW M5 is extra reasonably priced and, in my view, extra well-rounded.