2025 BMW M5 Touring First Drive Review: Cool Factor

Finally.

BMW has built a long-roof M5 just two times before this, the 2025 M5 Touring. The first was the E34 generation of the early ‘90s, a rarity (just 891 units) that also marked an end of an era: the last hand-built M car. A decade later, the banshee shriek of the E61 M5’s V10 continued the bloodline. Neither car came to North America.

Well you know what they say about third times, because in one of the worst-kept secrets of the year, BMW is bringing the M5 Touring to North America next year. Ahead of this 717-horsepower wagon setting down on our side of the Atlantic, I strapped in and rocketed around the Munich area right after driving the seventh-generation M5 sedan.

BMW hasn’t even sold a 5 Series wagon in the US or Canada for a few generations now, so the Touring itself is new to us. This is a big car now: at 200.6 inches (5,096 millimeters) from light-up grille to quad exhausts, it’s longer than a Honda Pilot. It’s nearly as wide and, yes, it’s heavier. Quite a lot heavier.

Yes, the M5 has put on over a thousand pounds, and the Touring rocks another 90 or so. That’s because both models have adopted a plug-in hybrid powertrain, similar to the one found in the XM. It retains the 4.4-liter “hot vee” turbo V8, now making a slightly more relaxed 585 hp all on its own. An electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission adds its own 194 horsepower. Total system power is the aforementioned 717 hp, while torque peaks at 738 pound-feet. There was no official plug-in electric range at the time of writing, but expect it to be within spitting distance of the sedan’s 30 or so miles (50 kilometers).

Everything aft of the B-pillars is unique for the Touring. It’s a handsome thing, all long lines and a low roof for a more muscular yet elegant look than the three-boxer, especially from the rear three-quarter. BMW then piles on the aggression with flared arches, an enormous diffuser wrapped around the trademark quad exhaust tips, and a sizeable rear roof spoiler. The taillights are a different shape than those of the sedan, flicking upwards on the outer edges to enhance the tapered look of the body.

This is easy: everything I already said about the M5’s new powertrain in the sedan applies here. That V8 might officially be down on power, but it lacks none of the urgency found in the last M5. In pure petrol mode the eight-speed auto is just as good as I remembered, too. When pressing on with purpose the ‘box responds in kind, holding onto gears right up to the 7,200 rpm limiter, yet its as soft and unobtrusive as ever when we’re just rumbling around in town. Switch over to manual control via the wheel-mounted pedals and the responses are quick and decisive. The soundtrack is subdued, but the Euro-spec testers we’re in have extra particulate filters for local emissions standards.

The electrified component is mostly good. On its own, it’s great: even at this chunky curb weight, 194 horsepower is enough to move the M5 along with inner-city traffic just fine. Our short drive loop is hardly conclusive, but it suggests the Touring can essentially match the sedan’s all-electric range, too.

When both propulsion sources are working in unison however, and the adjustable M powertrain setting is set to anything other than the softest setting, the M5 can become jerky, slotting gears in with a jolt. BMW says this is for dramatic effect in the most hardcore setting, but it upsets the balance too much for my tastes.

With the tried-and-true setup of a double-wishbone front and a five-link rear suspension, the M5 Touring does the big-boned, continent-crusher thing exceptionally well. It’s not what can be described these days as truly engaging—the wheel is too mute for that—but the Bimmer is ruthlessly competent, bending the pavement to its will. BMW’s M active differential effectively divvies up power between the wheels for optimal performance. Rear-wheel steer adds further low-speed agility and iron-fisted high-speed stability. Despite the added agility, the M5 never fully convinces you it’s smaller than it is. It’s not that weight, because truth be told, it’s rarely noticeable as the batteries are all so low in the chassis. It’s the sheer size of the thing.

The M5’s steering, suspension, and even brake feel can be adjusted via the dedicated M menus. There’s a noticeable difference between all of them, all flowing from smooth and soft to remarkably stiff. Optional carbon ceramic brakes provide massive stopping power.

As was the case with the sedan, the Touring exhibits some low-speed grumble in full-lock situations, like an SUV left in 4WD.

The Touring has the same 118.3-inch (3,006-millimeter) wheelbase as the sedan, which gives it remarkable composure on the autobahn. Even at speeds around 155 mph (250 km/h)—the Touring’s stock top speed, though an M Driver’s Package bumps that to 189 mph (305 km/h)—the Touring is rock solid, with clear and consistent responses from the suspension, steering, and (especially) brakes. Dial everything back to the softest settings and other than slightly elevated exhaust noise and noisier thumps from highway expansion joints, this could be any other 5 Series in terms of ride comfort.

The excellent new M seats do change things up, mind you. Presented as a Goldilocks choice between the standard and optional M seats found in other models, they’re pretty, very adjustable, and yet still comfortable on longer hauls. BMW, please put the M5’s seats in other cars, thank you.

BMW hasn’t changed up the 5’s cabin much for M duty. There are the requisite badges scattered throughout of course, and a noticeable increase in carbon fiber content. The “interaction” bar now glows the brand colors, too. The dual M buttons continue on the flat-bottom steering wheel, offering drivers quick shortcuts to their favorite pick-and-mix drive settings. The powertrain start button is now the same too: BMW’s designer says it’s to up the drama.

Oh yeah, and the seats are now bright red, with matching swathes across the door panels. It isn’t subtle in pictures but works in practice, as it’s mostly all out of the driver’s peripheral.

The Touring adds serious luggage capability: 17.7 cubic feet (500 liters) behind the rear seats, stretching to a massive 57.6 cu ft (1,630 L) with it in full cabinet-carrying mode.

iDrive 8.5 is generally a pretty solid infotainment experience, with real usability improvements over 8.0. Surprise surprise, my criticisms from the sedan apply here too: an over-reliance on a tile-based menu, a drive mode menu that doesn’t quickly disappear, and finnicky air-con controls.

Bowers & Wilkins supplies the satisfying audio system, which comes complete with the Hans Zimmer-directed Iconic Sounds. A full range of driver assists is also standard, including limited hands-free usage.

I came away from the 2025 BMW M5 sedan impressed by its composure and capability, but disappointed with the limited feedback.

The long-roof is largely the same; a weight gain of less than 2-percent isn’t going to change that. Yet it comes with a cooler shape, the M5 Touring no longer a forbidden fruit to us North Americans. For that alone I expect it to make up a significant portion of the sales, at least for the first year or two. The big question is whether it will outsell the mechanically similar SUVs it shares a showroom with. One can only hope.

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