Every year, the BMWBLOG team spends thousands of miles behind the wheel. Press cars, prototypes, long-term testers, track sessions, road trips, mountain passes, and daily commutes all blend together into one long highlight reel. By December, it becomes surprisingly difficult to single out just one car.
And yet, that’s exactly what we asked our team to do.
Not the fastest BMW. Not the most expensive. Not the one with the best spec sheet. Just the BMW that left the strongest impression in 2025—the one that reminded us why we care about driving in the first place. The answers this year span decades, drivetrains, and philosophies. So let’s dive right ine.
Sean Kealey: 2025 BMW M2 Six-Speed Manual
For Sean, the answer was immediate: the 2025 BMW M2. This year’s updates—more power, interior refinements, and expanded color choices—didn’t change the M2’s core mission, and that’s precisely why it resonated so deeply. The G87 M2 represents something increasingly rare: a rear-wheel-drive, inline-six-powered coupe that prioritizes engagement over abstraction.
On canyon roads around Los Angeles, the M2 felt both potent and playful. It delivered real performance without intimidation, inviting the driver to push harder rather than stepping in too early. For Sean, it recalled a formative memory—riding along as a passenger while his father drove a then-new E46 M3 Coupe. That sense of joy, balance, and mechanical honesty is still alive here.
What surprised him most, though, was how complete the package felt. In calmer drive modes, the M2 settled into daily-driver duty with ease. The cabin remained quiet, the ride compliant, and the suspension refined when not pushed into full attack mode. The rear seats are usable, the trunk practical, and nothing about the experience felt compromised.
In today’s market, Sean sees the M2 as something close to a unicorn: a manual, rear-wheel-drive sports car with genuine everyday usability and near supercar performance at a price that still feels attainable. For him, it wasn’t just the most fun BMW of the year—it was a reminder of what BMW does best.
You can watch the full review below:
Nate Risch: BMW M2 CS and BMW M5 Touring
Nate’s picks sit at opposite ends of the BMW spectrum, yet both left equally strong impressions. His first choice, the BMW M2 CS, builds directly on an experience he had two years ago at the BMW Performance Center. The standard M2 impressed him then for being almost too easy to drive quickly. The CS takes that formula and sharpens it.
Suspension upgrades, increased power, and the familiar CS carbon-fiber treatment—bucket seats, weight reduction, and a prominent rear spoiler—transform the M2 into something far more focused. Nate describes it as a modern interpretation of the classic M3 ethos, infused with motorsport aggression. Every on-ramp feels like the exit of Turn 1 at Circuit of the Americas. Every drive feels deliberate.
It’s not just a fast car. It’s a car that makes you want to wake up early just to drive.
His second pick surprised even him.
Long a fan of wagons and equally skeptical of big, heavy vehicles, Nate didn’t expect to fall for the BMW M5 Touring. But it completely rewrote his definition of a great daily driver.
On paper, the numbers are staggering: 717 horsepower, immense weight, and genuine utility. On the road, the M5 Touring somehow defies physics. It carries gear like an X3, accelerates like a super sedan, and still feels eager and responsive when pushed. BMW’s engineering makes its mass feel almost irrelevant.
The duality sealed the deal. One moment, it’s a refined long-distance cruiser returning up to 54 MPGe. The next, it’s capable of running 11-second quarter miles without breaking a sweat. For Nate, it’s the ultimate Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde machine—and one of the most impressive all-around vehicles BMW has ever built.
Chuck Vossler: BMW X5 xDrive50e
Chuck’s favorite BMW of 2025 is a reminder that greatness doesn’t always shout. His pick, the BMW X5 xDrive50e, may not be the obvious choice among M cars and performance icons, but it made sense the moment he explained why. The X5 has long been one of BMW’s best-selling models, and living with the plug-in hybrid version revealed exactly why.
It’s a superb long-distance companion. The cabin is comfortable and thoughtfully appointed, the elevated seating position inspires confidence, and features like heated and ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel matter when you actually use a car year-round. For Chuck, who spends time in Colorado’s snowy mountain regions, the combination of all-wheel drive and ground clearance made the X5 feel effortlessly capable.
What truly surprised him, however, was how it drove.
Rather than a detached hybrid experience, the xDrive50e delivered genuine athleticism. With a 0–60 mph time of 4.6 seconds and seamless electric-assisted torque, it felt lively and responsive. Fully charged and fueled, total range exceeded 500 miles—ideal for road trips without constant planning.
With the M Sport package and a trailer hitch for a bike rack, the X5 xDrive50e became the perfect fit for Chuck’s lifestyle. Practical, efficient, and quietly engaging, it proved that a BMW doesn’t need to be loud to be special.
Kanon: BMW iX xDrive50 (and a Motorrad Honorable Mention)
For Kanon, choosing a favorite BMW each year is never straightforward. With countless drives—and rides—blurred together, narrowing it down requires reflection.
He briefly considered being cheeky and naming a 1973 BMW 3.0 CS, one of the most beautiful cars BMW has ever built. But his final pick was far more unexpected: the BMW iX xDrive50.
As BMW’s current EV reference point, the iX impressed Kanon by how cohesive it felt. Luxury, performance, interior design, and technology all worked together without drawing attention to themselves. Power delivery was effortless, the cabin genuinely inviting, and the technology intuitive rather than distracting.
What stood out most was the iX’s real-world efficiency relative to its size, combined with a sense of calm and refinement that made it easy to live with. It didn’t try to replicate a combustion-era BMW—it simply worked on its own terms. For Kanon, it was the quiet confidence of the package that made it his favorite BMW drive of the year.
As BMWBLOG’s resident Motorrad expert, he couldn’t leave things there.
His favorite two-wheeled BMW of 2025 was the 2025 BMW R 1300 RT. Completely redesigned, the new RT brings genuine sport back into sport touring. Despite its size, it proved agile, engaging, and endlessly capable.
Days spent riding through the Southern Appalachian mountains of North Georgia and Alabama marked the highlight of his riding year. The R 1300 RT entertained, surprised, and impressed at every turn—proof that touring bikes can still be deeply involving machines.
Horatiu Boeriu: BMW iX3 (Neue Klasse)
For me, the choice was clear. My favorite BMW of 2025 was the BMW iX3, a car I uniquely experienced twice—first as a prototype, and later in production form. That rare opportunity offered a clear view into what BMW’s Neue Klasse philosophy truly represents.
Both times, the takeaway was the same: exceptional driving dynamics.
Despite being a fully electric SUV, the iX3 proved capable on track while remaining an outstanding daily driver. The balance between agility and comfort felt intentional, not compromised. Much of that comes down to Neue Klasse technology and the new Heart of Joy central computer, which integrates power delivery, braking, regeneration, and chassis control into a unified system.
With an EPA-estimated range of around 400 miles and ultra-fast charging capability of up to 400 kW, the iX3 addresses real-world EV concerns without turning them into marketing slogans. It simply delivers.
It was not only my favorite BMW of the year—it’s my next car, and one I believe will redefine expectations for BMW and the EV segment as a whole.
Steven Paul: 1999 BMW M Coupe
Steven’s pick takes us back 26 years. His favorite BMW of 2025 wasn’t new, wasn’t electrified, and wasn’t chasing performance records. It was a 1999 BMW M Coupe, driven for the first time only after he had already bought it.
Thanks to its close ties to the E30 and E36 3 Series, the M Coupe felt immediately familiar. The steering is wonderfully communicative, the S52 inline-six delivers power with character, and the car’s famously unconventional styling feels purposeful rather than quirky. The limits are approachable, encouraging exploration rather than intimidation.
Driving it rekindled Steven’s love for BMW and reminded him why he became an enthusiast in the first place—and ultimately, why he ended up at BMWBLOG. In a year dominated by cutting-edge tech and massive performance figures, his favorite drive was a reminder that some of BMW’s greatest achievements have already stood the test of time.
Respect your elders.
What These Picks Say About BMW in 2025
Taken together, these choices tell a compelling story.
BMW’s future is electric, fast, and technologically ambitious—but its past still matters. Whether it’s a Neue Klasse iX3, a 26-year-old M Coupe, a plug-in hybrid X5, or a fire-breathing M2, the common thread is connection. The best BMWs of 2025 weren’t just impressive—they were the ones that made us want to keep driving.
And that, more than anything, is still very much a BMW trait.
