BMW M2 vs M3 or: Do You Really Need That Extra Set of Doors?

There’s a bit of a sibling rivalry brewing at BMW.

We all know the M3 and M4 are essentially the same; heck, they were the same until BMW decided coupes needed to be even-numbered across the lineup about a decade ago. (And then came the four-door versions, but we digress.) But the M2 has grown up as well and, thanks to a slight horsepower bump for this year, now boasts the exact same 473-horsepower output as its bigger brothers.

Naturally, we had to see just how different M2 and M3 now were. To do it, I bravely dropped behind the wheel of the pugnacious purple M2; Mike Schlee would commandeer the same sweet Dakar Yellow M3 I drove late last year, now wearing appropriate summer shoes.

Kyle Patrick: They both sure look different, right?

Mike Schlee: Although I’m still not sold on the big angular nose, the current design language is less out of place on the M3. Plus, it looks better than the awkward M2 styling, which is a various array of blocky bits.

KP: Yeah, the M2 is not a pretty car. Not that M cars have traditionally been very pretty; more muscular than anything else, and from the rear three-quarter the littlest M does look mean, all squat stance, big arches, and short wheelbase. But that nose, with the blocky jowls—oof. There's a distinct angry-bulldog look to it, being nine inches shorter tip to tail than the M3, and I can see how that can be appealing: it's certainly different.

As specs go though, this is a pretty good one, the dark purple paint contrasting nicely with the burnished, spindly-spoke wheels.

MS: Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engines have become synonymous with the BMW 3 Series. In the M3, it makes 473 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. That’s the lowest output for the 2025 M3 which is perfectly fine by me. Although some other M3 sedans have over 500 horsepower, they are not available with a six-speed manual transmission. Yup, my tester has the slick six-speed, and it features gear shift assist, which is basically rev-match downshifts.

KP: What luck: the M2's 473 horsepower is also the lowest output of its 2025 lineup. Heck, it was the highest too, right up until BMW debuted the M2 CS, which has an M3 Competition xDrive-matching 523 horsepower, but with pure rear-wheel drive.

In fact, the M2 is only available in rear drive, because while it has packed on the pounds—more on that in a bit—it remains a simpler, more focused driver's car. Ditching the auto 'box does drop the torque figure and bump up the straight-line sprint times, but we're still talking 4.2 seconds to 62 mph (100 km/h).

The M2 has the same rev-matching feature found in Schlee's sedan, and the shifter itself is all but identical. It's a little rubbery, and not as tightly defined as the sweet setup in the Z4 I drove last year, but it's nonetheless both easy and satisfying to row through the gears.

MS: Despite this M3 being rear-wheel drive, it still rockets to 62 mph (100 km/h) in an M2-matching 4.2 seconds. That’s not as quick as its all-wheel drive siblings, but drivers of those automatic-transmission-only-cars are just passengers. I’m actually physically driving through the gears as the car scampers down the road.

The automatic rev match downshifts are like putting the car on easy mode, but they never miss and allow the engine to bark, pop, and snarl down through the cogs. With nearly the same drivetrain, unsurprisingly, in a straight line there’s not much to distinguish the M3 from the M2.

KP: The M2 is a dense nugget of car. Somehow, despite the smaller dimensions it weighs 3,814 pounds (1,730 kilograms), or not even one-percent less than the M3. I don't have a geiger counter handy, so I can't rule out BMW hiding some depleted uranium in this thing...

On the plus side, BMW quotes an "almost perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution" and that shows up in the more eager, tail-led driving experience. This M2 is playful and friendlier than the last M2 I drove on the road, but swapping back and forth between it and the M3, it's clear the M2 is lacking in chill. It wants to party all the time. I do want to highlight BMW's 10-stage traction control: there are noticeable differences with each tick, as the electronic nannies subtly alter their grip.

MS: The weight distribution of the M3 is near perfect in the traditional front engine/rear-drive sense. It’s 52.9% to 47.1%, and at 3,840 lb (1,742 kg), the M3 only weighs a few pounds more than the M2. Yup, the bigger M3 is almost the same weight as Kyle’s smaller M2. Ha!

That stated, the BMW M3 is the more practical choice compared to the M2, it has rear doors after all, and the brand has leaned into this. Although it still has incredible responsiveness and mechanical grip, the M3 is a bit less frantic. Kyle needs to drive a bit more on edge, even in subdued driving situations, whereas I can relax more.

The secret lies in the adaptive M suspension. In the more hardcore M Dynamic Modes, it really stiffens the chassis up; like, a lot. The 275/35R19 front and 285/30R20 rear tires provide oodles of grip, while the six-piston front brake calipers bring all that speed to a stop. But switch it to a more comfort-orientated mode, the M3 becomes quite livable. It quiets down, absorb bumps acceptably, and offers liveable comfort. I can also see out of my BMW all around better than the M2.

KP: There is zero appreciable difference between these two cabins, at least from the driver's seat. The architecture is the same, the displays are the same, the cupholders are still awkwardly located for the manual and larger drinks will rub up against the few physical controls still left below the screens. The M2 has brushed aluminum trim, red highlights along its seats, and some light-up M-color trim in the door panels that I strangely don't hate. How's it over in your big sedan, Mike?

MS: I made a big deal earlier that the M3 is larger, but inside, it’s only marginally. The rear seat does have its own entry through a set of back doors, but passengers only get 35.6 inches (904 mm) of legroom and 37.8 inches (960 mm) of headroom. Taller adults, or those with exceptionally long legs or stretched torsos will not find it all that spacious. I can carry 16.9 cubic feet of luggage in the trunk though.

Even if actual interior space is a bit scarce in places, my tester does include options to make it a more enjoyable experience. These include M Drive Pro, Parking Assistant Plus, Surround View, the Harman/Kardon sound system, BMW Drive Recorder, Digital Cockpit Professional, Head-Up Display, Video Augmented Reality navigation, and more.

KP: This was a fun one—no surprises there. Not just because it gave me a chance try the M3 out on proper summer tires, but because I got to hear how right I am from Mike. The more powerful (and pricier) M3 models might get all the attention, but this modestly-specced "base" model still feels properly special, an old-school, row-your-own four-door sports sedan.

But this sibling rivalry also put the M2 in a brighter light. The facelifted model's tweaks are subtle—and honestly, you won't really notice (or miss) the 20 horsepower—and while it still feels heavy, that effervescent attitude now feels less like a drawback and more like a matter of taste. The M3 is silky smooth, and the M2 has a bit of an edge; we see the appeal of both. But we'd still take the M3 if either of us found an extra 100,000 loonies lying around.

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