2025 BMW M3 Review: Keep It Einfach

It was a very M-filled year.

I was fortunate enough to drive a great many of BMW M’s products the last 12 months. From the contentious new M5 (including the cool Touring), the classic E39-generation M5, to the now-discontinued M8 Coupe, and more of the light-strength models like the X1 M35i—there’s something for everyone at BMW’s tri-color speed shop.

For a certain generation of enthusiasts, however, it’s the M3 that remains the core of the M brand. Not the wild M3 CS—oh yeah, another one—but this, the bog-standard 2025 BMW M3. After spending a week with it, I’m convinced there’s something special here, all because BMW keeps it simple.

What’s New for 2025:

The whole M3 and M4 lineup came in for an upgrade this year. I already drove the other end of the spectrum in the 2025 M4 Competition xDrive Cabriolet: the all-wheel drive models get an additional 20 horsepower, bumping them up to 523 hp. Opting for the Competition is the only way to then check the AWD box, and all Comps stick to the admittedly excellent eight-speed automatic. Only the standard M3 and M4 come with the six-speed manual found here, and produce the same 473 hp as before, which is now what the baby M2 is packing.

Styling changes consist of new head- and taillights, plus the requisite color and wheel selection tweaks. In the cabin, drivers will find BMW’s latest infotainment system running across the curved display.

Exterior Style:

As I said with the M4, time has dulled the shock of that big vertical grille on M’s welterweights. It’s certainly not pretty, but hey, at least it doesn’t light up. Those new taillights are cool as heck, too. To these eyes, the M3 is the better-looking choice, the four-door shape getting a bit of a touring car vibe with its pumped-up rear fenders. Classic Dakar Yellow II is a solid reminder that BMW has one of the best color palettes in modern automotive.

Powertrain and Fuel Economy:

Less is more in the entry-point M3. I’m not talking about the 40-pony deficit it has compared to its droptop xDrive sibling—or, for that matter, 50-percent fewer driven axles. It’s the torque figure.

The M4 Competition hauls like a freight train, with a wall of torque (479 pound-feet) arriving early on and sticking around for a good while. Imagine my surprise to then see that this variation actually has a wider torque band: it only has 406 lb-ft, but the goods arrive at 2,650 rpm and stay right to 6,130 rpm. Those numbers don’t accurately portray the satisfying way power builds in the M3, the way it encourages the driver to dig in and enjoy each gear. That’s easy to do, since the six-speed manual is positive and well-spaced. The gates are just a little notchier, the shifts rubberier, than what I experienced in the sweet Z4 manual last fall.

It’s not as if the base car is anything less than quick, either: 62 mph (100 km/h) still arrives in just 4.2 seconds, and that’s the official quote. The M3 sprints to speed with a smooth but not entirely evocative soundtrack; just a little more attitude wouldn’t hurt. It’s weirdly fuel efficient, too: officially the M3 will do just 19 mpg (12.6 L/100 km) combined, but I was seeing closer to 22 mpg (10.7 L/100 km).

Handling and Drivability:

Even on winter rubber—props to the team for okaying a manual M3 for winter press fleet duty, by the way—the M3 has a classic, approachable balance. The steering is quick and light, possibly too light considering the pace the car is capable of. Switch over to a sportier drive mode, or custom tailor the steering in the dedicated M menu to have more heft, and while it gains more resistance, it doesn’t solve the helm’s somewhat mute responses.

That being said, there’s a sweetness here that was lacking in the full-fat M4 Cabriolet I drove a few weeks earlier. Throw the M3 into a corner and there’s a clearer sense of what the front end is doing. Without the need to also send power to the tarmac, the front-end feel is cleaner, sharper, and easier to judge. Sure, the M2 now offers the same amount of power in a more compact package, but the M3’s advantage is that it spreads the weight out across a larger footprint. The result is a smoother, more confident, and predictable drive.

It’s important to point out that the winter tire package is uniquely square—a 275/35 19-inch tire at each corner—instead of the staggered diameter and width found on the summer rubber.

The brakes are plenty strong as well, hauling the BMW down in short order. Like many modern Bimmers there’s a sharp initial bite, but move past that and there’s wonderful progression.

Ride Quality and Comfort:

The winter rubber does little to upset the equilibrium of the M3. It’s barely harsher to daily than an M340i, the adaptive suspension allowing it to breathe with the road in a way the smaller M2 simply can’t. The long wheelbase keeps it stable and smooth on the highway as well.

The standard M bucket seats are excellent. There’s good bolstering to remind you this is something special, but not too much as to scare away passengers. BMW’s steering wheels are still too thick for my tastes, though this one feels better in-hand.

Space is adult-capable if not outright adult-friendly in back, as there’s less legroom than you might expect given the current M3’s length—it’s larger than the mighty E39 M5 in every direction. The flip side to that is an enormous trunk, making this a very practical daily.

Interior Style and Quality:

Traditionalists will appreciate that the M3 features a familiar BMW cabin. Yes, the move to a curved display on the dashboard sadly also comes with a reduction in physical switchgear in the lower center console, but everything else is laid out clearly. The center console keeps its straightforward selection of buttons for parking, drive modes, and of course the various iDrive options surrounding the rotary dial. The new steering wheel keeps the same center—with all the same buttons, thanks—but does the whole racy red-stripe-and-flat-bottom thing. Alright, sure; I’m actually more pleased with the structural metallic trim on the six o’clock spoke.

It’s all put together with typical German precision, even if this all-black interior is hardly the most imaginative color scheme. The orange of the last model we tested would work quite well with the Dakar Yellow…

Tech and Safety:

After the steep learning curve of iDrive 8.0, this 8.5 iteration rights some of the usability wrongs. The main screen keeps plenty of pertinent info right there, including from paired devices. This keeps menu-diving, a weakness of the previous iteration, to a minimum. Wireless pairing is done quickly, though there’s some occasional pauses and skips in audio playback.

The rest of the tech suite is standard BMW. The head-up display is bright and clear, providing a great spot for directions and audio info. This car gets a useful surround-view camera as well. (Side note: I appreciate that BMW actually colors the on-screen car to match, which is not a guarantee in the premium segment.) You won’t find as many driving assists here as you will in the auto-equipped models, however.

Value Dollars and Sense:

American pricing for the ’25 M3 kicks off at $77,875 including destination. Matching the spec of this tester, then adding the oft-quoted $4,500 for the Individual paint, brings the sticker to $85,975.

This Canadian-spec tester is pleasantly (and surprisingly) light on options. The only additions atop its $94,730 CAD (including destination) starting price are the pricey paint ($5,000 CAD), color-coded exterior bits ($750 CAD), M Compound brakes ($750 CAD), and the useful Premium Package ($4,000 CAD), which adds a drive recorder, parking assist, surround view camera, updated infotainment with HUD, H/K sound system, and expanded M Drive Pro.

Final Thoughts:

The 2025 BMW M3 was a surprise. It didn’t bowl me over right away, but wormed its way into my heart over the course of the week. It’s still sensationally capable, but the basic model forgoes the all-wheel drive and super-quick auto ‘boxes found elsewhere in the lineup for an experience that’s more delicate, more involving. Knowing M has already introduced its last-ever new manual model, this one will be a keeper.

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