2025 BMW M3 Review
By Damon Minks
| Updated 3 Days Ago
BMW’s 2025 M3 is a performance sports sedan offered in three different models, with the entry-level M340i starting at $59,600. This iteration of the M3 features a light update, with tweaks inside and out. New arrow-shaped headlights give the front a sleek and refined profile, while the M Shadowline package boasts new exterior accents. These exterior touches include but aren’t limited to, gloss black trim around the windows and blacked-out grille surrounds.
MotoPickers Rating: 8.7/10
Inside, you’ll find a new steering wheel with a sporty flat-bottom design and a red marker at its 12 o’clock position, assisting drivers in their ability to determine which angle their wheels are pointing. Tech updates are found within the updated iDrive 8.5 operating system, which expands its voice command capability and redesigns its user interface for easier accessibility. Drivers of the 2025 M3 can now utilize an available head-up display projecting augmented reality navigation directions onto the windshield.
Regarding performance, Competition xDrive 2025 M3 models receive a 20-horsepower increase to 523. Prices across the 2025 M3’s inventory are slightly higher than last year, and BMW has dropped the M3 CS. The German automaker continues to stick with its highly controversial M Series’ new grille, which debuted on the 2021 M4.
These specs add up to the 2025 M3 offering a thrilling experience complemented by features like a twin-turbo inline-six engine and a six-speed manual transmission option. The updated M3 can operate as a daily driver or high-performance track competitor.
Speaking of competition, primary rivals going up against the 2025 M3 include:
- Audi’s RS5
- Audi’s RS7
- Audi’s S4
- Mercedes-AMG’s C43
- Mercedes-AMG’s C63
- Alfa Romeo’s Giulia Quadrifoglio
- Cadillac’s CT5-V Blackwing
- Genesis’ G80 5.0 Ultimate
Primary sections of our review will include comparisons with one or more of these competitors so you can gain a fuller sense of the 2025 M3’s place in the market.
Exterior spotlight
M340i
BMW’s 2025 M340i has L-shaped LED rear lights and contemporary smoked glass compartments, reflecting a sporty attitude. However, this smoked glass doesn’t always complement certain brighter exterior color options, like a vibrant green.
The 2025 M340i offers an available M Aerodynamics Package, which optimizes the exterior’s aerodynamic capabilities with touches like an integrated rear diffuser. This performance sedan also contains a spoiler elevating rear contact pressure for greater stability and overall handling. Competitors like Audi’s S4 contain a more integrated rear spoiler, with less emphasis on contact pressure optimizing handling.
BMW M3 Sedan
The M3 sedan model’s exterior contains adaptive LED headlights, which adjust their light intensity and angle in real-time to optimize your view of the road ahead. Flared wheel arches contribute to this grade’s excellent road grip, while black M side gills and BMW M3 badges signal this car’s luxury performance.
BMW M3 Competition
You can equip the 2025 M3 Competition with available M Shadowline Lights, which decorate the main headlights with surrounding black accents. The exterior further benefits from the optional M carbon package, which includes a sleek rear spoiler, diffuser insert, and mirror caps. This M3 model’s carbon fiber roof reduces vehicle weight and lowers its center of gravity for greater stability and agility.
Rival comparison (exterior)
Many 2025 M3 Competition rivals have distinctive LED headlights, but competitors like the 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S lack unique touches like this BMW’s Shadowline aesthetics. Audi’s 2025 RS5, while light, doesn’t include a carbon fiber roof. It’s fair to say that all of the 2025 BMW M3’s grades hold their own or exceed the competition on the exterior front, minus the controversial front grille.
Interior analysis
M340i
BMW’s 2025 M340i has a steering wheel with molded thumb rests, enhancing comfortability. Competing models like Audi’s S4 similarly have a flat-bottom steering wheel but don’t contain these ergonomic molded thumb rests. BMW enhances this M3 grade’s interior form with optional galvanic metal controls for window, side mirror, and door lock/unlock buttons. The M340i rounds out its interior design with its black Vernasca leather upholstery seats with blue contrast stitching.
BMW M3 Sedan
The 2025 M3 sedan offers an available M Alcantara leather steering wheel with a non-slip grip, complemented by interior accents, including M badging and M tri-color stitching. BMW adds M-specific pedals to this M3 variant’s stainless steel cabin with rubber treads. Optional M carbon bucket seats are supportive while maintaining a race-inspired look.
BMW M3 Competition
BMW’s 2025 M3 Competition also offers available M carbon bucket seats, which contain an illuminated M badge and stylish carbon accents. Additional optional carbon fiber trim supplies the cabin with another layer of sporty luxury, while an available M steering wheel contains an M badge and M tri-color stitching.
Red M1/M2 buttons on this steering wheel streamline your access to M drive settings, such as:
- M Drive Professional: fine-tuning of traction and stability control for optimal track performance
- M Drive: Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus drive modes adjusting steering, throttle, and suspension response
- M Dynamic: Increases traction and stability control leniency for the track
- xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD)
The mid-level M3 grade is the only 2025 M3 variant without an AWD option.
Power and performance
Regarding 0-60 MPH times, the 2025 MW3 sedan clocks a 4.1-second time, the M3 Competition a 3.8-second time, and the M3 Competition xDrive a 3.4-second time. Learn more about how these trims achieve these impressive 0-60 MPH specs below.
M340i
The entry-level M340i contains an M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine with 386 horsepower. This motor receives support from M Sport brakes with internally ventilated front discs that optimize form and function with supreme stopping power and eye-catching looks via optional high-gloss red calipers containing an M logo. BMW’s 2025 M340i delivers solid traction with an M Sport Differential that excels in situations like tight cornering.
By comparison, Mercedes-AMG’s C43 offers 402 standard horsepower, Genesis’ G70 365 horsepower, and Alfa Romeo’s Giulia Quadrifoglio 505 standard horsepower.
BMW M3 Sedan
An M3 Sedan ups the ante with 473 horsepower via a high-performance 6-cylinder BMW M TwinPower Turbo engine boasting an aggressive exhaust note. Its Adaptive M Suspension automatically adjusts to changing road conditions in real-time for consistent comfort. At the same time, the manual transmission keeps you in control with a gear ratio design, sending all the power to the wheels.
A 2025 Mercedes-AMG C63 S produces 671 standard horsepower through a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Audi’s 2025 RS5 offers slightly less horsepower than the 2025 M3 Sedan at 444 through its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6.
BMW M3 Competition
The 2025 M3 Competition boasts 503 horsepower, while its AWD counterpart delivers 523 horsepower. Its powertrain includes an M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder gasoline engine with an engine note distinguishing itself from the M3 Sedan. An 8-speed M Steptronic Sport Transmission fosters greater driver engagement with automatic or manual modes.
It’s worth noting that Audi’s 2025 RS7 beats the 2025 M3 Competition in the horsepower department with 621 horsepower. Still, plenty of 2025 model year rivals fall short of the 2025 M3 Competition’s horsepower, such as Lexus’ RC F Track Edition and Cadillac’s CT4-V Blackwing.
Tech overview
Display and BMW Operating System 8.5
Each 2025 BMW M3 variant contains a new curved display featuring a 12.3” gauge cluster and a 14.9” infotainment screen, both of which are powered by updated iDrive 8.5 tech. BMW’s 8.5 operating system boasts a cleaner interface, streamlining your access to vehicle features with an improved menu structure akin to a smartphone.
For example, 2025 BMW M3 grades offer an iDrive home screen, which continually shows navigation in a large format or a different selectable view. QuickSelect within 8.5 tech fosters a flatter menu structure, helping drivers select functions without exiting the home screen and entering tedious submenus. The 14.9” display helps you access features like wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via a customizable widget bar containing easily accessible icons.
QuickSelect is an iDrive 8.5 tech addition that simplifies ventilation and climate control functions following complaints regarding BMW’s decision to eliminate these features’ physical controls. Drivers can also operate these features utilizing voice commands with natural language recognition.
The augmented reality navigation system optimizes navigation within all 2025 M3 grades by showing a live view of a driver’s front road perspective on the 14.9” display with real-time information like turn-by-turn directions. Drivers can use the My BMW app to prepare for routes by entering destinations, view vehicle performance data in areas like fuel consumption, and more.
Standard safety capabilities
As of now, neither the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) nor the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) have released crash protection ratings for BMW’s 2025 M3, but evaluating this performance sedan’s safety-related tech can give us a better idea of its capabilities. Before we dive in, it’s worth noting that the 2024 BMW 3 Series received the NHTSA’s highest crash protection rating of five stars.
The 2025 BMW M3 will contain a blind spot and lane departure warning accident avoidance system. This tech keeps you aware on all sides with audible and visual alerts when other cars are approaching your blind spot or if you begin to drift from a lane. Drivers who don’t respond to lane departure warnings can receive assistive steering inputs to re-center their position.
The rear cross-traffic alert system warns you of oncoming traffic approaching either side of your vehicle when reversing, and the driver attention alert will initiate a prompt for a break when detecting distracted or drowsy driving patterns. BMW’s pre-collision safety system can detect increased risks of frontal collisions with vehicles or pedestrians and automatically apply brakes when necessary. Emergency braking preparation brings the brake pads closer to the discs when predicting a collision for a prompt response.
In the event of a crash, the post-collision safety system will cut off the vehicle’s fuel supply, unlock doors, and activate hazard lights to mitigate any remaining hazards. The remote anti-theft alarm system can monitor signs of forced entry and take measures like immobilizing the 2025 M3’s engine when you’re away from your car.
While the 2025 M3 focuses more on performance, it still offers many of the standard safety capabilities you’ll find in BMW models geared toward family daily driving, like the automaker’s X5 SUV. The IIHS and NHTSA will likely score the 2025 M3’s safety capabilities under the brand’s 3 Series label.
2025 M3 owner considerations
BMW offers 2025 M3 buyers a four-year or 50,000-mile basic warranty, whichever comes first, and four years or 50,000 miles of powertrain coverage. These warranty periods are standard, matching competitors like Audi and Mercedes-AMG. BMW Ultimate Care will cover 2025 M3 maintenance for up to three years or 36,000 miles.
As with most performance sedans, the vast majority of drivers who buy an M3 know they’re in for higher-priced repairs if something goes wrong. However, if you’re seeking some of the best warranty coverage within this segment, don’t overlook Jaguar. The British automaker offers a five-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty with every new purchase.
Conclusion
BMW’s 2025 M3 is ideal for drivers looking to balance daily driving with high-performance road or track outings. While the standard performance of its grades may fall slightly short of some competitors, each variant impresses—especially the M3 Competition AWD, which receives a 23 horsepower increase.
If you’re not vehemently opposed to the 2025 M3’s front grille design, the lineup’s exterior is one of the best in the entire market when it comes to optimizing form and function. Its aerodynamic-friendly design is ultra-impressive, and sporty elements like Shadowline packages help it outshine rivals.
Tech enthusiasts should also find themselves pleased with the 2025 M3’s upgraded 8.5 operating system, which BMW complements with its Intelligent Assistant. The curved display seamlessly fits into the dashboard, streamlining driver operations with a simpler interface. We also love subtle touches, like the new red arrow marker on the steering wheel’s 12 o’clock position, helping drivers more accurately determine wheel positions and the wheel’s ergonomic thumb rests. Check out each variant’s starting prices below:
- M340i Sedan ($59,600)
- M340i xDrive Sedan ($61,600)
- M3 Sedan ($76,000)
- M3 Competition Sedan ($80,200)
- M3 Competition xDrive Sedan ($85,300)
The 2025 BMW M3 deserves a solid 8.7/10 overall rating.