BMW M3 review

Is the BMW M3 a good car?

More rounded and versatile, but still able to deliver the thunderous performance M cars are famous for, the BMW M3 hits the mark. You might not be sold on the way it looks, but you can’t argue with the fact that it has been refined and honed in every way and is more than worthy of that famous badge.

How much does the BMW M3 cost?

Since its birth in the 1980s, the BMW M3 has been, to many, the definitive performance saloon car. Expectations rise with every succeeding model, which brings added pressure to this eighth-generation M3. Playing it safe would have been easy, but BMW has rolled the dice big time.

Along with a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, the M3 boasts four-wheel drive for the first time and the kind of divisive styling we’ve grown accustomed to from modern BMWs. There’s only one version available in the UK, the M3 Competition, which, following an update in 2024, offers 523bhp and 650Nm of torque. Enough for a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph, although this can be raised to 180mph.

With prices starting from around £86,000, the M3 Competition isn’t cheap, and that’s before you’ve selected one of the expensive options packs. But performance saloons with a big petrol engine are a dying breed, so you need to enjoy cars like this, the Mercedes-AMG C-Class, Audi RS4 and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio while you still can.

This review focuses on the BMW M3 saloon; click here to read about the BMW M3 Touring.

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One of the first things you notice is the improved seating position; it’s much lower than before, and feels more purposeful, especially if you add the excellent but costly (£15,275) M Race Track package that contains carbon bucket seats, carbon ceramic brake discs and carbon fibre interior trim.

Then there’s the steering and turn-in. There’s a slight numbness to the steering, but it's fast and sharp, allowing you to point the nose of the car into a corner with more aggression and accuracy than before. It’s not quite as sweet as the steering in an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, but it’s much sharper than it was. 

That is most welcome considering that the M3 weighs a whopping 1,855kg. The saloon masks its weight incredibly well, though, feeling light on its feet and more nimble than its portly kerbweight would lead you to believe.  

The 3.0-litre engine certainly plays a part in that because it delivers a thunderous punch of torque once the revs climb beyond 2,500rpm. It’s ferociously quick on the road, and despite the vast amount of power going through the rear wheels, there’s excellent traction.

In early 2024, BMW increased the power output from 503bhp to 523bhp, with peak torque unchanged at 650Nm. The zero to 62mph sprint time has been improved to just 3.5 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 155mph, although this can be raised to 180mph with the £2,175 M Driver’s Pack fitted.

Such is its chassis balance, the M3 never feels wayward or uncontrollable like the old M3 could, yet BMW has introduced a new piece of tech to help manage the car’s power. M Traction control allows the driver to set the system to one of 10 positions, which dictate how much slip is allowed at the rear axle; it works very well and allows you time to familiarise yourself with the car’s balance and learn how the car behaves the more enthusiastically you drive.

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Running costs are likely to be low on the list of priorities for a BMW M3 owner, so be prepared for regular visits to the petrol station and a shock when the annual tax bill comes in.

Officially, the BMW M3 saloon will deliver around 28mpg on a combined cycle, but you can expect this to drop into the high teens if you make the most of the 523bhp available on tap. Meanwhile, CO2 emissions of 227g/km to 230g/km and the high purchase price place the M3 in one of the highest bands for VED, resulting in £2,340 of tax in the first year, followed by £600 for five years from the second time the car is taxed.

The high CO2 emissions also mean company car drivers will pay the top rate in Benefit-in-Kind (BiK), while servicing and parts will be more expensive than the regular BMW 3 Series. On the plus side, insurance groups of 41 and 42 should keep premiums in check, and the M3 is expected to hold on to its value better over three years or 36,000 miles than the AMG C63, with the BMW maintaining 47 per cent of its original value versus 39 per cent for the Mercedes.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our valuation tool...

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BMW updated the M3 in the summer of 2024, tweaking the exterior styling and rolling out several interior changes. Visual upgrades included a new set of LED headlights with arrow-shaped daytime running lights, the option of M light-alloy wheels in silver for the first time, and a rear M3 badge accented by a silver-coloured surround. Inside, the M3 gained a new three-spoke M steering wheel with multifunction buttons and a red 12 o’clock marker, plus the availability of a wheel trimmed in Alcantara.

The interior is as well built as the regular 3 Series, with enough upgrades to set it apart from the standard version, especially if you choose one of the option packs. At £15,275, the M Race Track Package is an expensive option, but it does include excellent carbon bucket seats, carbon fibre interior trim, and improvements to the infotainment system.

The dashboard is dominated by a pair of high-resolution screens merged into a single display, and although the system is easy to use, we’re disappointed that the climate control settings have been relegated to the touchscreen.

Standard equipment includes a carbon roof, M light-alloy wheels (19-inch front and 20-inch rear), LED headlights, LED rear lights, M sports seats, leather upholstery, heated seats, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting, cruise control and front and rear parking sensors.

The £2,375 Technology Pack adds adaptive LED headlights, an electric boot lid, a high beam assistant, keyless access with automatic unlocking, plus a suite of driver assistance systems. Alternatively, you can upgrade to the Ultimate Pack, which adds a heated steering wheel, Parking Assistant Plus, Shadow Line lights and an M Carbon Exterior Package.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The M3 comes with a fully customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a large 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. BMW’s latest Operating System 8.5 is designed to be operated by voice and touch control, and it’s one of the most intuitive systems on the market. It’s good enough to be used without syncing your smartphone, although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available as standard.

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Surprisingly good practicality has always been a hallmark of the BMW M3, and this latest model is no exception. The rear seats offer enough legroom and headroom for three adults, although the M3 works best as a four-seater, with the centre rear armrest folded down for additional comfort and to use the cupholders.

The standard sports seats are excellent, and although the optional M carbon bucket seats are superb, they’re best reserved for people who intend to take to the track in their M3 on a regular basis. There are plenty of storage pockets and compartments throughout the cabin, including wide door bins, a compartment below the centre armrest and a space for wirelessly charging a smartphone.

There’s a large 480-litre boot behind the rear seats, which can be split and folded 40:20:40 for improved flexibility. For even more practicality, check out the BMW M3 Touring, which offers 500 litres of luggage capacity with the rear seats in their upright position, but up to 1,500 litres of space with the seats folded down. It’s also suitable for carrying a dog, which isn’t something you can do in the saloon.

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Safety experts Euro NCAP haven’t tested the M3 specifically, and it differs too much from the regular 3 Series that it can't share the latter’s five-star rating. The same is true of the AMG C63 and RS4.

What’s more disappointing is that besides a standard lane departure warning system and traffic sign recognition software, many safety assistance features are reserved for pricey option packs. 

For example, you’ll need to get the Driving Assistant pack that’s bundled into the Technology Pack in order to get automatic emergency braking and rear cross traffic alert with an automatic braking feature. If you want adaptive cruise control to take some of the strain out of long drives by maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front, that comes with the Driving Assistant Professional pack.

The 3 Series finished 18th out of 50 on the list of the best cars to own, based on the results of the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, making it the highest ranked BMW and one of the best performing premium cars. The BMW brand finished a middling 14th out of 32 brands on the list of manufacturers, but this was up from 21st in 2023, and is a lot higher than its main rivals, such as Mercedes in 25th place, or Audi in 27th position in the same manufacturer table.

BMW M3 alternatives

The most obvious alternative to the BMW M3 saloon is the BMW M3 Touring, which is around £2,000 more expensive, but offers improved practicality and more exclusivity. Alternatively, you could consider the less practical but arguably more stylish BMW M4, the larger BMW M5 saloon and BMW M5 Touring, or the smaller BMW M2 Coupe.

Looking beyond BMW, the M3’s arch nemesis has always been the Mercedes-AMG C-Class, along with the Audi RS4 and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.