Summary
Described by Top Gear as “perhaps the most complete and composed super saloon of them all”, the BMW M5 is a four-door performance saloon – the ‘M’-tuned version of the BMW 5 Series executive car.
The current M5 is the sixth generation and was launched back in 2018. It is the latest in a long line of acclaimed BMW super saloons, which have all been hailed as benchmarks for their combination of performance, comfort and relative subtlety.
Here in the UK, we get the M5 Competition model, which is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine (a bit more powerful than the standard M5 in Europe) to produce 617hp and a 0-62 sprint time of 3.1 seconds.
The range also includes the limited edition BMW M5 CS (Competition Sport), which the manufacturer says is the fastest ‘M’ performance model ever produced – due to its lighter bodywork and few extra horsepower.
Carwow comments that the M5 range is just as usable day-to-day as a regular 5 Series saloon, with the first-class interior build quality and finish that we have come to expect from a BMW executive car. At the same time, Autocar says that the car has “remarkably high standards on handling poise and driver engagement”.
“Its has all the performance and dynamic ability of a supercar”, Evo explains, “and supercars simply don’t come cheap, even when they’re clothed in a saloon body.” An entry-level BMW M5 Competition comes with a six-figure price tag, which What Car? calls a “shame”.
Adding that the M5’s engine soundtrack lacks the audible drama of the Mercedes-Benz E63 S, Autocar concludes that the super saloon “lacks a bit of authentic V8 hotrod charm, but it’ll be a driver’s car of many facets for the few who can afford it.”
One point to consider is that the 5 Series in general, and the M5 in particular, has reliability concerns. In August 2022, the M5 was ranked tenth in a list of the least reliable used cars (up to ten year old) on sale in the UK by Warrantywise. The 5 Series range overall also has a very poor reliability score according to our own data. Full details in the ‘Reliabilty rating’ section below.
As of July 2023, the BMW M5 currently holds an outstanding Expert Rating of 88%, based on 17 reviews published by UK media sources.
M5 highlights
- First-class build quality
- As practical as a standard 5 Series
- Exceptional performance and driving dynamics
- Comfortable cabin
M5 lowlights
- Rival brands offer more practical estates
- Expensive, entry-level and up
- Rather subdued engine soundtrack
- Uprated M5 CS is a strict four-seater
Key specifications
Body style: Four-door saloon
Engines: petrol
Price: From £107,520 on-road
Launched: Summer 2018
Last updated: Spring 2021
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: M5 CS
Score: 10 / 10
“It’s easy to be cynical about cars such as the M5 CS. A lightweight, track-orientated saloon that’s five metres long and weighs more than 1,800kg is neither light nor a track car in the traditional sense. But the most powerful BMW road car is also a thoroughbred M model, and the detailed changes made to the M5’s chassis make it a standout super saloon. Bravo BMW.”
Read review
Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“The legendary executive express, the BMW M5, adds even more power and four-wheel drive to its arsenal.”
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Autocar
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“Supreme handling dynamism and versatility take the BMW M5 close to perfection.”
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Model reviewed: M5 CS
Score: 10 / 10
“The M5 Competition certainly eclipses the regular M5’s already remarkable high standards on handling poise and driver engagement. However, what it gains in those terms isn’t quite worth what it surrenders compared with the standard M5 as regards ride suppleness and general suitability to the full gamut of road surfaces on which you might drive it in the UK.”
Read review
Model reviewed: M5 Competition
Score: 8 / 10
“Revised super saloon has pace, poise, purpose and adaptability in spades. Still lacks a bit of authentic V8 hotrod charm, but it’ll be a driver’s car of many facets for the few who can afford it.”
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Car
Model reviewed: 4.4-litre petrol automatic M5 Competition
Score: 10 / 10
“The new 2020 BMW M5 Competition is still one helluva super-saloon. We already rate the regular M5 very highly and this addition just adds more drama, more finesse, more outright muscle to make it even better.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed:
Score: 8.4 / 10
“Buyers in the market for a supersaloon will find it hard to look past the BMW M5”
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Carwow
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW M5 Competition is a ferociously fast, yet practical and comfy saloon.”
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Evo
Model reviewed: M5 CS
Score: 10 / 10
“Nonsensical on paper, but sublime in practice. Never has a modern supersaloon been more tactile or more engaging.”
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Model reviewed: Competition F90
Score: 9 / 10
“The BMW M5 is now only available in Competition trim in the UK, but this is no bad thing as it remains a finer-honed version of the standard M5.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“BMW sorted out what few criticisms there were of the M5 with the Competition model, and, sensibly in the UK it’s the only offering. It’s a shame it’s only a saloon, rivals offering estate versions, but if you need, and want, a saloon that really can do everything then the M5 is a compelling solution.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed:
Score: 10 / 10
“The BMW M5 is that rarest of things in the car world, more than just a flagship model it’s become an icon, a car that gives performance car buyers a family five-seater without compromising on the sort of pace they’re used to.”
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: CS
Score: 10 / 10
“The BMW M5 CS has all the performance and dynamic ability of a supercar – yes, it really is that good. And supercars simply don’t come cheap, even when they’re clothed in a saloon body.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: M5 CS
Score: 9 / 10
“A collector’s item? Not immediately. History tells us that M5 prices tend to drop a long way before picking back up. But one day we will look back on the M5 CS and remember it as being perhaps the most complete and composed super saloon of them all.”
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Model reviewed: Competition
Score: 8 / 10
“The quickest M5 ever is also the comfiest M5 ever. Maybe the most complete super saloon of them all.”
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What Car?
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“For the last word in driver interaction, the M5 Competition is still the king.”
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Which?
Model reviewed: Range overview
“The BMW M5 Competition is a fitting new addition to the brand’s high-performance line-up. With luxury saloon levels of comfort and space, but with every aspect of its performance optimised by BMW’s motor racing outfit (BMW M), it’s thrilling and civilised in equal measure.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: April 2017
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 85%
Vulnerable road users: 81%
Safety assist: 59%
The BMW M5 shares its safety rating with the regular BMW 5 Series saloon range, which was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2017 and awarded a five-star rating.
Eco rating
No eco rating
As of July 2023, the BMW M5 has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
Total claims: 576
Average repair cost: £1169.91
Last updated: December 2022
Reliability score
All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims
The BMW 5 Series range (including the M5) has a poor reliability score of 26% as of December 2022, according to extended warranty data provided by our commercial partner, MotorEasy. This covers both the current (2017 onwards) model as well as earlier generations of 5 Series.
The most common problems reported for the 5 Series relate to the suspension, which account for more than a third of all warranty repairs. It’s also worth noting that engine problems make up nearly a quarter of all problems, and they’re expensive to fix with an average repair cost of nearly £2,000. Gearbox problems are even more expensive to fix, but so far they appear to be far less common.
However, it’s not just our data that has flagged reliability issues with the BMW M5. In 2022, warranty provider Warrantywise ranked the M5 tenth in a list of the least reliable used cars (up to ten year old) on sale in the UK.
So if you own or are considering buying a used BMW M5, it’s certainly worth considering a used car warranty that covers all of the potential trouble spots shown in the charts above.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Fuel consumption | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Petrol models | 25 mpg | E | 25 – 25 mpg | E – E |
| CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Petrol models | 254 g/km | D | 252 – 256 g/km | D – D |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 50 | F | 48 – 50 | D – F |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £669 | D |
| Year 2 | £1,587 | D |
| Year 3 | £3,244 | E |
| Year 4 | £4,090 | E |
| Year 5 | £5,435 | E |
| Overall | £15,025 | E |
As well as its £100K-plus price tag, the BMW M5 is an expensive car to run, according to data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our commercial partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
It probably won’t come as any great surprise to know that fuel consumption and servicing costs are very poor, while the M5 automatically cops a maximum Group 50 rating for insurance from the UK assessors, Thatcham Research. That earns it the worst-possible insurance score of ‘F’ from us.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the BMW M5 has received
2022
- Autocar Awards – Car of the Year (M5 CS)
2018
- iF Design Awards – Automotive Design Award
- World Car Awards – Performance Car of the Year
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the BMW M5, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio | Audi RS 7 | Bentley Flying Spur | BMW M3 | Jaguar XE Project 8 | Mercedes-AMG E63 | Porsche Panamera Turbo
More information
More news, reviews and information about the BMW M5 at The Car Expert
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