2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2025 Toyota Corolla

Long revered for how they make drivers feel, BMWs are credibly marketed as the ultimate driving machines. However, if the future is digital instead of analog, do driving dynamics still matter? And if not, what does BMW bring to the table? What makes one special? Desirable? Gives it a soul? Driving the all-new 2024 BMW 5 Series suggests that aside from design, technology, and comfort, the answer is not much—at least not in the 530i specification.

Verdict: Driving enjoyment is not a requirement in a luxury car. But it is in a BMW. That’s what separates a Bimmer from the crowd. While the new 2024 BMW 530i is a capable sports sedan that does double duty as a plush people mover, joy is missing from the recipe.

Armed with a deserved reputation for reliability, equipped with modern infotainment and safety technologies, and engineered to be surreptitiously enjoyable to drive, there is a 2025 Corolla for almost anyone. You can choose between a sedan or a hatchback, a gas or a hybrid powertrain, and front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The performance-tuned GR Corolla is a legitimate hot hatch, while the Corolla Cross, a small crossover SUV, adds extra utility, but this review focuses on the Corolla sedan.

Verdict: The Toyota Corolla rightfully has a reputation for being boring. However, the current 12th-generation model is also more stylish, technologically advanced, and rewarding to drive than previous Corollas. The new-for-2025 Corolla FX sedan demonstrates that with exclusive design details and sport-tuned steering and suspension.