Residing with BMW’s First Hybrid Tremendous Sedan

As a longtime BMW fanatic and automotive journalist, I’ve all the time had a selected delicate spot for the M5. Over time, I’ve pushed and lived with almost 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 overview. After greater than 4,000 miles and three months of every day driving in Chicago, I’ve lots to say about what it’s wish to reside with this plug-in hybrid powerhouse.

Design Impressions: The Daring Look Grew on Me

Once I first noticed the G90 M5 in individual in 2024, I wasn’t certain methods to really feel about its squared-off, aggressive styling. It regarded daring, possibly too daring, and definitely bigger than life. However because the miles racked up, so did the compliments. Random individuals would stroll as much as ask about it. I even obtained thumbs-up in site visitors which doesn’t occur lots these days with BMW vehicles. No matter hesitation I had in regards to the design rapidly pale. It has actual presence, and I discovered myself appreciating the sharp edges and muscular stance increasingly. 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 seems like a sportier, barely smaller 7 Collection—which actually is smart. 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 nasty factor.  The seats are wonderful, supportive over lengthy hauls and delicate sufficient for on a regular basis errands. Even with two baby seats within the again, area was by no means a difficulty.

However I received’t sugarcoat it: some inside particulars upset 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 automotive 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.

Day by day Driving and Expertise: The Finest M5 But?

Day-to-day, that is essentially 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 hold 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 modifications are extra pure.

Nonetheless, BMW retains Degree 2+ autonomy at arm’s size. The hands-free Freeway Assistant solely works underneath 40 mph for brief durations. I do want BMW provided the upgraded model, aka the Freeway Assistant. I get it that the G90 M5 is supposed to be pushed, however for those who do a number of freeway driving, the additional self-driving options would have been nice. I’ve a buddy who has a G90 M5 and he disagrees with me. He feels that the brand new M5 continues to be a driver’s automotive, 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 depart it in Hybrid mode and let the automotive 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 excellent for metropolis crawls—quiet, easy, and environment friendly.

What shocked 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, if you need to wake it up, Sport Plus transforms the M5 into a unique animal. The throttle sharpens, the V8 barks to life, and abruptly 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 all the time excellent. 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, but it surely’s there. Nonetheless, this technique is smoother and faster than within the XM, which frequently felt prefer it was pondering too laborious.

Suspension and Journey High quality: Chicago Exposes the Flaws

Chicago isn’t precisely a suspension growth paradise. Or possibly it must be. Potholes, building zones, and tough pavement make for a relentless problem. On these streets, the G90’s trip will 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 trip 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 automotive can really feel overly stiff over fast vertical modifications, and mid-corner bumps can upset the rear in a approach that feels un-M-like. I discovered that Sport mode provided the most effective 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 automotive, particularly when hauling youngsters round. Who am I to disagree together with her?!

Dealing with: Surprisingly Succesful for a Heavyweight

Though 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 absolutely appreciated what this chassis is able to.

Sure, it’s heavy—almost 5,400 kilos—however someway, BMW has discovered methods to cheat physics. On a twisty street, you’re feeling the mass, however the automotive 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 automotive, and providing you with that M automotive magic, even when Newton would say in any other case.

It’s not razor-sharp like a smaller M2 and even an outdated E60 M5, but it surely’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 automotive with this a lot functionality, isn’t just spectacular—it’s sensible.

The Drivetrain: Clean, Responsive, and Addictive

I’ve mentioned it earlier than, but it surely’s value repeating: this drivetrain is a large 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 modifications, nearly just like the outdated SMG vehicles 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 though it may not match the F90 on the ragged fringe of observe efficiency, I’d argue this G90 offers you one thing much more helpful: a every day drivable M5 that also does M5 issues if you need it to. After all, for those who’re coming from an F90 or F10 M5 even, you could be upset. This new M5 feels and drives utterly completely different. The earlier iterations had been actually extra of a driver’s automotive, together with on the observe, 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 almost the proper automotive. Powerful 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. It’s important to recalibrate your footwork—brake a bit earlier and extra gently than you’ll within the F90. It’s not dangerous, simply completely different.

Charging is the place issues fall a bit quick for me. The usual 7.4 kW onboard charger is gradual, taking on three hours at a public Degree 2 station. The brand new 11 kW unit for Mannequin Yr 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 excellent for quiet morning departures if you don’t need to wake the neighborhood.

A Totally different Sort 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 because of emissions rules. However BMW pulled it off, and we must be grateful. Sure, it’s heavy. However 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 observe days and ten-tenths driving. It’s the M5 for individuals who need luxurious, tech, effectivity, and sure—efficiency—wrapped in a package deal they’ll reside with day-after-day. It’s not excellent. The suspension nonetheless wants fine-tuning, and a few inside selections baffle me. However would I purchase one?

Completely. If I had $140,000 to spend on a every day driver, this is able to be on the high of my record. 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 (significantly, these names…), the 2025 BMW M5 is extra reasonably priced and, for my part, extra well-rounded.