Plug-in hybrid powertrains are helping and hurting some of our best cars. Case in point: the 2027 BMW M5. The PHEV system increases power and adds 29 miles of electric driving range, making the car far more efficient. However, the system adds complexity, cost, and weight. Bottom line, the M5’s PHEV system makes it more practical but less fun. So, is it worth it?
The seventh-generation BMW M5, introduced for 2025, uses the same twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 as the last generation, but here it makes 577 horsepower versus 600-627 hp last time around. However, a synchronous electric motor in the eight-speed automatic transmission aids acceleration or powers the car on its own with 194 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, increasing total output to a very healthy 717 hp and 738 lb-ft. A 14.8-kWh battery pack gives the car its electric driving range but also contributes to its 5,390-pound curb weight, 1,294 pounds heavier than the last-gen M5.
The M5 is still lightning quick. With the electric motor’s torque accessible from a stop, there is no hint of turbo lag. All four tires simply hook up and the car rockets forward, building speed incessantly as the transmission fires through its gears. Activate launch control and the launch becomes violent as the 0-60 mph sprint flashes by in just 3.4 seconds. That’s fast, but the 2022 M5 Competition was quicker; its 627-hp V8 catapulting the car from 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds in Car and Driver testing.
The upside of the PHEV system is efficiency. The M5 can be set to run solely on electric power via an M Hybrid button on the center console. Electric mode works as long as there is charge in the battery, and the driver doesn’t exceed 87 mph or press the throttle past a detent deep into its travel. If you’re dealing with monotonous city traffic or freeway travel, it makes sense to drive this way. The motor gives the M5 the power of a Honda Accord, and that’s enough for everyday pursuits.
The hybrid system also has modes for best hybrid efficiency and dynamic hybrid assist to add power as much as possible. Over 176 miles of mixed city, highway, and spirited backroads driving, I averaged 22.3 mpg. That’s far above the M5’s 14 mpg combined EPA rating after the battery is depleted. Charging the battery takes only a few hours on a 240-volt outlet thanks to the car’s 11-kW onboard charger. The M5 also charges the battery on its own with regenerative braking, the engine, or both. During my drive, the battery gained eight miles of charge after about 15 miles of rowdy driving on backroads.
A little slower 0-60 mph acceleration is a small price to pay for improved fuel economy. The bigger trade-off made for the PHEV system is the excess weight’s effect on handling. The plug-in hybrid system isn’t the only reason the M5 put on a few pounds, though. At 200.6 inches long, it stretches 3.2 inches longer than the last-generation. More mass equals more weight. BMW does a great job of masking the weight in part by saving unsprung mass with front suspension components made from aluminum and a unique sheet-metal construction. Several M-specific braces also increase the body’s longitudinal and torsional stiffness.
The M5 handles well on a twisty road. It feels planted, the body leans little in turns, and the wide and wider 285/40ZR20 front and 295/35ZR21 rear Pirelli P Zero R tires offer a lot of grip. The variable ratio steering gets quicker the more the wheel is turned, and while it’s quite direct, it needs more feel and a bit more heft.
Enter a turn with too much speed, and the M5 can resist rotation. This can be corrected with lift-off oversteer – letting off the throttle to lighten the rear, which helps the car rotate. At the turn’s apex or even a little before, you can get back on the gas, and the standard electronically controlled locking rear differential will put the power down efficiently to send you vaulting out of the corner. Standard rear-axle steering aids stability mid-corner and can turn the rears up to 1.5 degrees opposite of the fronts for better agility at low speeds.
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It’s fun to play with such a massive car on a twisty road or in a roundabout, but my concern is during track time. That little bit of push you get at safe road speeds can become a lot of understeer on a track because it’s too hard to slow down so much weight and get it moving in another direction. Most drivers will never take their M5s to the track, but I’d like to see a version without the PHEV components to serve as the lighter-weight, higher-engagement, purist’s track machine.
A big set of optional ($8,500) M carbon-ceramic brakes can help mitigate part of that problem. These huge 16.5-inch front rotors clamped by six-piston calipers and 15.7-inch rear rotors with single-piston calipers provide more stopping power and less tendency for overheating than iron brakes. They also save another 55 pounds of unsprung weight. The PHEV system also has a negative effect on ride quality, but it’s not a deal breaker. The ride is firm even with the dampers in their Comfort mode, but it’s not harsh. It gets too rough with the dampers in their Sport modes, though.
The M5 often has an extroverted interior. It boasts metal pedals and a red 12 o’clock marker on the steering wheel, and buyers can pick from red and black, Kyalami Orange and black, or Taupe Grey and Deep Lagoon (turquoise) Merino leather upholsteries (solid black is available, too). The leather is contrasted by oak, aluminum, or carbon-fiber trim, and it all looks and feels sporty and high in quality. The front sport buckets are supportive and comfortable for bigger backsides, and the back seats are work well for two adults and even three when needed.
The cabin is also tech-forward with a standard curved display that comprises a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster mated with a 14.9-inch touchscreen. The screens are bright and crisp, and the center screen lets occupants play games or stream YouTube videos when parked. Voice commands can be used for the usual navigation locations and radio stations, and they also work for such in-car controls as setting the temperature or adjusting the seating position.
The 2027 BMW M5 starts at $126,850, including a $2,100 gas-guzzler tax (despite the PHEV system) and a $1,450 destination fee. Its plug-in hybrid system can make it far more efficient than M5s of the past. It’s quick in a straight line and highly capable on a canyon road. But it doesn’t offer the engagement of previous M5s, and it’s too heavy for best track performance. Is the PHEV system worth it? For most daily driving, yes. But for the true enthusiast, I say no.
Images: BMW
