Is the 2026 BMW M5 a good car?

The 2026 BMW M5 earns a 7.17/10 expert rating. The model scores 9/10 across Performance and Technology.

It’s a strong fit if you want a performance sedan that still works as an everyday car, and BMW’s own positioning leans into that dual-purpose brief. The M5’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, broad chassis adjustability, and available sedan or Touring body styles give you real versatility, while the 2026 updates are limited to a more powerful onboard charger and more paint options.

The trade-offs are just as clear: the design may be polarizing, the dashboard layout is awkward, and the interior is described as gaudy. Even so, the market signal is healthy, with 36.8% of listings classified as good or great deals.

Is the 2026 BMW M5 reliable?

The 2026 BMW M5 is presented as a highly engineered performance car with a plug-in hybrid system, a sophisticated xDrive all-wheel-drive setup, and adjustable chassis controls that are meant to broaden its usable range. Its powertrain is described as well-integrated, and the car’s Comfort mode helps it settle into a calmer, more relaxed character for daily driving.

BMW also includes a useful set of standard driver aids, and the plug-in hybrid setup adds flexibility for short electric-only trips. The 2026 update to a more powerful onboard charger should make home charging more convenient.

For used buyers, the main long-term ownership risk is that this is still a complex, high-performance machine, so maintenance and repair costs can be substantial if the car has been neglected or heavily driven.

What should I look for when buying a used 2026 BMW M5?

Accident-free inventory is excellent at 99% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.

You should still run a history report and verify that the car’s condition matches its mileage and equipment level. A pre-purchase inspection is especially important on a high-performance plug-in hybrid like this, since you’ll want to confirm that the powertrain, brakes, tires, and charging hardware are all in good shape. Pay close attention to signs of hard use, especially if the car has track-oriented options or expensive performance hardware.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The design is polarizing, the dashboard layout is awkward, and the interior is described as gaudy.
• Powertrain: The car uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a plug-in hybrid system with 717 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque.
• Safety package: Standard driver-assistance features include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with automatic speed limit adjustment, blind-spot monitors, parking sensors, and a Backup Assistant. The Driving Assistant Professional Package adds automated lane centering and Traffic Jam Assistant.
• Infotainment: The standard BMW Curved Display combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen, and the system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus over-the-air-style connected features such as YouTube video streaming and AirConsole gaming while stationary.
• Fuel efficiency: The sedan is rated at 14 mpg combined in hybrid mode, and the wagon is rated at 13 mpg combined. The sedan also has 25 miles of EPA-rated electric range, while the wagon has 24 miles.

Which 2026 BMW M5 trim should I buy?

The 2026 BMW M5 is offered in 2 trim levels: sedan, Touring.

Here's the short version:

• Base trim: The sedan gives you the core M5 formula with the standard performance hardware and the full suite of everyday usability features, while the Touring adds wagon practicality.
• Premium/top trim: The Touring is the more distinctive choice if you want the same performance with extra cargo flexibility and a more unusual body style.

The standard safety package is already well equipped, but the Driving Assistant Professional Package is the key upgrade if you want automated lane centering and Traffic Jam Assistant.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2026 BMW M5?

This looks like a moderate, selective buyer’s market, so you can shop carefully without expecting deep bargains on every listing.

• Deal availability: 36.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 193 listings available.
• Clean inventory: 99.0% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $121,304.31, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2026 BMW M5 safe?

It earns a 7/10 safety score from our experts.

Standard driver-assistance features include forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with automatic speed limit adjustment, blind-spot monitors, parking sensors, and a Backup Assistant that can automatically reverse the car out of tight spaces or driveways. The Driving Assistant Professional Package adds automated lane centering for highway driving and Traffic Jam Assistant for hands-free driving in stop-and-go traffic at speeds up to 40 mph.

BMW also gives you control over how intrusive the aids feel. A Sport setting reduces most steering and brake interventions while keeping forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking active, and a Track mode turns everything off completely.

Crash-test results from IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing, though the base 5 Series earned top “Good” ratings in the small overlap front and updated side-impact tests.

Should I buy a 2026 BMW M5 or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2026 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2026 if:

• 36.8% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Accident-free inventory is excellent at 99% — clean inventory, standard diligence applies.
• BMW’s 2026 update adds a more powerful onboard charger and more paint options.

Consider the 2025 if:

• It introduced the current plug-in hybrid M5 formula and established the model’s new performance-and-usability balance.

The bottom line: The 2026 model is the right path if you want the latest version of this M5 with the charging upgrade and current-year inventory. If you’re shopping primarily on value, the 2025 is the nearby alternative to compare closely, especially if pricing is meaningfully lower.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 21, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.