2025 BMW M2 Review

BMW’s 2025 M2 is a compact sports coupe starting at $64,900. This production year, the M2 will be equipped with the new iDrive 8.5 operating system, and climate controls will move from physical buttons to the 14.9” display, which is likely to divide drivers. BMW has also redesigned the M2’s steering wheel, which has a leather covering, a flat bottom, and a red center marker.

Motopickers Rating: 8.2/10

Black Vernasca leather M Sport seats with red accent stitching are now available, and several new exterior color choices provide increased customization. Additional color changes include standard black exhaust tips and a silver border on the front and rear badges.

The noticeable upsides of this BMW are its robust inline-six engine, six-speed manual options, and responsive handling that remains comfortable during routine drives. Since it’s nearly fully loaded, you won’t have to worry about driving up this vehicle’s starting price too much, but the rear seat and cargo area are cramped.

The 2025 M2’s starting price is neither too high nor low for what it offers, but our review will help you more accurately determine its value. Drivers can overlook the M2 in favor of the M3, so we’ll include comparisons to the M3 throughout our evaluation.

Exterior spotlight

The 2025 M2 offers an available M Carbon roof, optimizing aerodynamics with its weight that’s 48 lbs. less than its standard moonroof counterpart. This optional roof also establishes a lower center of gravity, helping form the vehicle’s exceptional grip during cornering. The M2 is wider than you may expect, and the rear contains a new black quad exhaust for sporty aesthetics and sound.

High-performance wheel options include:

• 19/20” M dual-spoke black 930M wheels
• 19/20” M dual-spoke bicolor 930M wheels
• 19/20” M dual-spoke silver 930M wheels

The 2025 M2 offers a Wide color palette consisting of:

• Alpine White (non-metallic)
• Sao Paulo Yellow (non-metallic)
• Zandvoort Blue (non-metallic)
• Black Sapphire (Metallic)
• Portimao Blue (Metallic)
• Brooklyn Grey (Metallic)
• Skyscraper Grey (Metallic)
• Frozen Pure Grey (Metallic)
• Vegas Red (Metallic)
• Frozen Portimao Blue II (Metallic)
• Grigio Telesto (Metallic)

Side mirrors are auto power-folding, and the kidney grille features high-gloss black twin slats along with an M2 designation. The trunk’s lid contains M2 badging, the rear spoiler is exclusive to the M class, and the Shadowline exterior trim provides glossy black accents instead of traditional chrome accents. Headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs) contain LED tech.

Alternatively, the 2025 BMW M3 has L-shaped LED tail lights, but some of these light compartments contain smoked glass, which doesn’t look great alongside more vibrant shades like light green. The mid-tier BMW M3 Sedan trim features adaptive LED headlights, which adjust their brightness and angles in real time for a better view of the road behind the wheel.

Both the 2025 M2 and M3 contain an integrated rear diffuser, which helps optimize airflow under the car to reduce drag and increase downforce, resulting in more stability at higher speeds. The 2025 M3 also shares the M2’s lightweight carbon fiber roof, but this feature is standard on trims such as the M3 Sedan instead of available.

Interior close-up

BMW has redesigned the 2025 M2’s interior air vents to better fit the cabin’s minimalist design philosophy. These changes include sleeker air vents integrated into the dashboard instead of a standalone position. The vents’ positioning also optimizes airflow. This compact coupe’s new M leather steering wheel contains a 12 o’clock M badge, which helps drivers more easily determine their wheels’ position. BMW enhances the steering wheel’s aesthetics with M color stitching and available M Alcantara.

Memory settings apply to the driver’s seat and outside mirrors, and each front seat receives power lumbar support and a center armrest. Rear seat headrests fold to supply better driver visibility. You’ll probably keep these rear seat headrests folded down most of the time since barely anybody can fit in the second row. The rear seats contain a 40/20/40 split fold-down configuration if you need additional storage space. Trunk capacity is moderate at 13.8 cubic feet (cu. ft.), and the upholstery is black Vernasca leather with red, red/blue, or blue accents.

Interior trim options include M fine brushed aluminum, aluminum rhombicle Anthracite, and carbon fiber. The headliner is anthracite, and multi-color adjustable ambient lighting is present.

Separate unique M-specific design components distinguishing this interior are:

• M door-sill finishers
• M1/M2 buttons on the 3-spoke steering wheel
• An M gear shift lever

Black High-Gloss trim brings some of the exterior’s refinement into the cabin, and the rearview/driver’s side mirrors are auto-dimming to reduce glare from other cars’ lights. Additional interior features are a power glass moonroof with a sliding electric sunshade, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a storage compartment package offering more storage solutions for stowing smaller items.

The M3 differentiates itself with:

• Optional galvanic metal controls (window, side mirror, and door lock/unlock buttons)
• M-specific pedals with rubber treads
• Larger interior dimensions

However, the 2025 M2 and M3 share many interior features, such as carbon fiber bucket seats.

Power and performance

This iteration of the M2 contains a BMW M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine with 473 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine uses bi-turbo turbochargers with variable valve and lift control and high-precision direct injection to help produce this horsepower level, which is the M2’s largest yet.

The 2025 M2 is a rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicle with adaptive M suspension and an active M differential optimizing handling. M compound brakes increase stopping capability and come with blue or red calipers. Dynamic stability control further improves stopping power with brake fade compensation, start-off assist, brake drying, and brake stand-by features.

Drivers can equip the 2025 M2 with an 8-speed automatic sport or standard 6-speed manual transmission. Selecting an 8-speed automatic transmission results in a 0-60 MPH rate of 3.9 seconds, while a 6-speed manual raises this time to 4.1 seconds.

M-tuned exhaust helps elevate this model’s sportiness, while features like a track-ready cooling system keep performance components in check. In addition to exterior elements like a rear diffuser, aerodynamics benefit from a front apron air curtain streamlining airflow around the vehicle’s front, and a lightweight front and rear subframe. Auto start-stop engine tech helps this BMW achieve a decent fuel economy of 16 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway.

By comparison, the 2025 M3 sedan registers a 4.1-second 0-60 MPH time, the M3 Competition a 3.8-second rate, and the M3 Competition xDrive (all-wheel drive) a 3.4-second time. The base grade M340i has an M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine producing 386 horsepower. An M3 sedan matches the M2’s 473 horsepower, while the M3 Competition offers 503 maximum horsepower. Ultimately, the performance differences between the 2025 M2 and M3 aren’t that significant, and even if you select the M3 Competition, the discrepancy in horsepower is only 30.

Tech overview

Entering the 2025 M2 reveals an M-specific curved display with a 12.3” digital instrument cluster and a 14.9” central information display where you can access data like performance stats. The digital displays now utilize BMW’s new 8.5 operating system, which you can command using your voice, the touchscreen, or the touchpad controller. BMW’s 8.5 operating system contains a cleaner interface, refining your access to vehicle features with an improved menu structure similar to a smartphone.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the Harman Kardon audio system contains 14 speakers. By adding the optional Live Cockpit Professional feature, you can digitally project information onto this vehicle’s windshield within your driving line of sight via the head-up display (HUD). The My BMW App helps you remotely connect to the 2025 M2 for wireless commands, including but not limited to engine starts.

Opting for the Connected Package Professional gives you perks such as:

• Real-time traffic updates
• On-street parking info in select cities
• Weather
• Navigation

The 2025 M2’s navigation system continually evolves with wireless over-the-air software updates for map data, and hands-free Bluetooth wireless tech increases convenience. BMW offers roadside assistance for four years and unlimited miles from purchase. Memory settings cover climate control settings, mirror and seat positions, lighting preferences, and more.

BMW’s 2025 M3 also features a 14.9” central display and 12.3” digital instrument panel. However, the 2025 M2 doesn’t contain the M3’s augmented reality navigation system. The system shows a real-time view of a driver’s front road perspective on the 14.9” display with live animated information like turn-by-turn directions.

Safety capabilities

After studying the car’s crash protection and headlight capabilities, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2025 BMW M2 its second-highest passenger rating of Top Safety Pick. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also evaluates passenger crash protection, has not yet rated the 2025 M2.

Several of the 2025 M2’s most significant safety features include:

• Forward collision mitigation
• Active blind spot detection
• Lane keeping assistant
• Speed limit info
• Cross traffic warning (rear)
• Rearview camera
• Active guard with automatic city collision mitigation and braking

Forward collision mitigation warns when the chances of frontal contact with another car, pedestrian, or cyclist increase. The system will respond to drivers who fail to react to these audible and visual warnings with automatic braking to mitigate or avoid a collision.

Active blind spot detection will warn you if a vehicle is entering your blind spot, but it won’t provide automatic steering assistance if you begin to switch lanes. However, the Lane keeping assistant will implement subtle automatic corrective steering if you begin to drift from your lane unintentionally without an active turn signal. Speed limit info will communicate posted limits onto your display in case you miss physical road signs, and reverse driving is easier thanks to the rear cross-traffic warning and rearview camera.

Those frequently driving in urban areas may want to consider the 2025 M2 for its active guard feature with automatic city collision mitigation and braking that utilizes forward collision mitigation and emergency automatic braking at lower city speeds. In contrast, some competitors’ systems only function at higher speeds. Other systems may function at low and high speeds but lack the active guard’s design, which is specifically for cities.

Trim guide and owner considerations

BMW’s 2025 M2 is only offered in one trim: the M2 Coupe. If you want trim diversity, the 2025 M3 has the M340i, M3, and M3 Competition trims. The 2025 M3 also offers all-wheel drive (AWD) options in addition to standard RWD. While our review highlights several similarities between the 2025 M2 and M3, it’s worth noting that any significant differences between the two models won’t occur until the M3’s self-titled mid-grade trim, which starts at $76,000—almost $12,000 more than the M2’s base price.

Drivers who purchase a 2025 BMW M2 get a basic warranty lasting four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first, and powertrain coverage lasting the same amount of time or miles. Both the 2025 M2 and M3 offer the same mileage of 16 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. If you purchase a performance-oriented vehicle like the 2025 M2, the high-performance tires will assist in areas like cornering grip; frequently pushing this vehicle’s limits will result in faster tire wear.

The 2025 M2’s primary downsides are its limited trunk and second-row space, so if this is a problem, the M3 might be a better choice for your driving needs.

Final verdict

BMW has done a great job enhancing the 2025 X2’s value with more horsepower than ever, tasteful accents like darkened Shadowline exterior trim, and a steering wheel with the 12 o’clock M badge. The curved display combining the digital instrument panel and central infotainment touchscreen into one unit is another excellent addition, especially with its new 8.5 operating system.

While the 2025 M2 isn’t cheap, it offers a cost-effective, quality alternative to the mid-and high-grade M3 variants, which is why we’re giving it an 8.2/10 overall rating.