The 2025 BMW 5 Series Review: Luxury Meets Performance

The 2025 BMW 5 Series doesn’t just bridge luxury and performance it nails both. Sleeker, smarter, and smoother than ever, it’s the kind of car that makes every drive feel like a statement. Whether you’re carving up highways or gliding through city streets, the new 5 Series reminds you why BMW still owns the balance game.

The Look

So first, the design. It’s… bigger. It looks huge in person, not gonna lie. But it’s also… handsome? It’s got this presence. The front end is aggressive but not ugly, and the side profile has these cool little Hofmeister kink things going on. The rear is a bit plain, but in a good way, like it’s not trying too hard. It’s not a shocker like the 7, it’s more… confidently grown-up. I think it’ll age really well.

The Interior Tech

Oh man, step inside and it’s just screens. Everywhere. It’s the new BMW Curved Display, so it’s this one giant piece of glass for the gauge cluster and the infotainment. And you know what? It works. It’s running iDrive 8.5, which is so much better than the older versions. It’s quick, the graphics are insane, and the voice assistant is actually useful. It feels properly futuristic without being gimmicky. Mostly.

The Materials

This is where you feel the luxury. The base seats are great, but if you get the optional ventilated and massaging ones… oh boy. It’s like a first-class airline seat. There’s this new optional “Interaction Bar” across the dash, it’s this crystal-like strip with ambient lighting that also has touch controls. It’s a bit… much, but it looks cool at night. Overall, it feels expensive. As it should, for a car starting around $60,000.

The Powertrains

Okay, so there’s a few. The 530i has the four-cylinder, which is… fine. It’s quick enough for daily stuff, gets good gas mileage. But the one you want is the 540i. That’s the inline-six. And it’s just… sublime. So smooth, so much power, and it makes a nice little growl. It starts around $65,000. And then there’s the all-electric i5, which is a whole other conversation. The i5 M60 is stupid fast.

The Ride Comfort

This was a surprise. It’s so comfortable. Like, way more comfortable than the old one. The suspension just soaks up bumps. You can get it with the adaptive M suspension, which firms things up, but even the standard setup is just… plush. It’s quiet, too. It’s definitely moved more towards the Mercedes E-Class in terms of comfort, which, for a daily driver, is a good thing. Honestly.

The Driving Dynamics

But don’t think it’s gone soft! It hasn’t. The steering is still sharp, it feels planted in corners. It’s not a raw sports sedan anymore, but it’s this incredible grand tourer. It covers ground so effortlessly. It’s fast, it’s stable, it’s just… incredibly competent. It makes you feel like a better driver than you are. That’s the 5 Series magic.

The i5 Electric

We gotta talk about the i5. It looks almost identical to the gas one, which is smart. The eDrive40 has great range, like 295 miles. But i5 M60… that thing is a monster. 590 horsepower. It launches like you’ve been shot out of a cannon. It’s expensive, though, starting at like $85,000. But if you’re going electric, it’s a fantastic alternative to a Tesla Model S or a Mercedes EQE.

The Tech Gimmicks

Okay, some weird stuff. You can get a built-in Amazon Fire TV for the passenger screen. Which is… cool, I guess? For long trips. And there’s this new Automated Lane Change feature that’s way smoother than Tesla’s. It feels like a real person is doing it. Some of it is maybe overkill, but it’s fun to play with.

The Practicality

It’s a big car now, so the back seat is massive. Legroom for days. The trunk is huge. It’s a proper executive sedan, you could easily be chauffeured in this. It’s just so… usable. It’s the kind of car that does everything well. School run, road trip, a fun blast on a back road… it doesn’t complain.

The Competition

So who’s it fighting? The Mercedes E-Class is the comfort king. The Audi A6 is the techy, understated one. The Genesis G80 is the value pick. But the 5 Series? It sits right in the middle. It’s got more sportiness than the Merc, more personality than the Audi, and more brand cachet than the Genesis. It’s the all-rounder.