Intro
Hi guys, and welcome back to Petrolhead Podcasts. I recently had the opportunity to drive BMW’s M2, M3 and M4 at a track day event organized by BMW USA. Here are my impressions of how they compare in terms of driving dynamics, and which is the best overall buy, after driving them hard on track and after spending a lot of time looking at their exterior and interior differences. Today, we will be focusing on the 2025 BMW M2, which starts at $69,375, with the 2025 BMW M3, which starts at $77,875, and the 2025 BMW M4, which starts at $82,475.
Exterior Styling
I think all three look great but my favorite is the M2. Without the oversized grill up front, it looks more classically styled, and the overall proportions, being shorter and more upright remind me of the iconic E46 M3. The huge wheelarch flares also look menacing. The M3 and M4 look similar up front but overall I prefer the M3’s look more, as the sedan bodystyle, being more upright, seems to suit the large grill more. The 2025 updates, including the arrow-shaped daytime running lights, look great, and the proportions with the significantly wider wheelarch flares than the standard three series and the quad exhausts round back are attractive. The M4 seems a little less cohesive to me, not only because the grill suits it less, but also the side profile, where the rear overhang seems too big, although round back, the new M4 CSL style OLED taillights do look amazing and much better than the taillights on the M2 and M3.
2025 BMW M2
2025 BMW M3
2025 BMW M4
Interiors
All three share the same basic dashboard layout, dominated by the BMW curved display running the latest iDrive 8.5 system and M-specific graphics for the infotainment and gauge cluster, however, there are still meaningful differences. The M3 has the best overall interior. The practicality of the three series body style means rear seat leg and headroom and access and overall trunk space is the best of the three cars. Additionally, differences in door card design means there is more ambient lighting available on the M3 versus the M4 and M2. Material and build quality are both excellent, and the full-merino leather option can make the interior feel truly premium, with its leather covered and stitched dashboard and door cards. The M4 is mostly the same inside as the M3, except for having a less usable rear seat, as well as a different door card design, but the same high-level finishes and materials carry over to the M4. The M2, being the cheapest of the three, is not available with a leather dashboard and the softer Merino leather, instead only the harder Vernasca leather is available. To be honest, the Vernasca leather is not as bad as some people online say it is and it will probably wear less over time than the softer Merino leather options. Additionally, some features such as 360 degree cameras and ventilated seats are also not available on the M2. The M2’s door cards also feels a little cheaper, with harder plastics used on the lower parts compared to the M3 and M4 and a different, more youthful-oriented design with the M-logo patterns. Rear seat space and overall practicality is also not as good as the M3 and M4.
The M3’s interior is the most practical of the three cars
The M4’s interior shares the M3’s high quality feel but is less spacious
The M2’s interior has more hard plastics than the M3 and M4
Drivetrains
The M3 and M4 are superior and identical in both offering either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive options with automatic transmissions, as well as a rear-wheel drive manual option. The three drivetrain options all have different power levels, with the all-wheel drive automatic option being the most powerful and quickest to accelerate. The M2 is currently offered only in one output, with the automatic model having more torque and is faster to accelerate. Rumors suggest that an all-wheel drive model may be coming in future, but for now, only rear-wheel drive options are offered with the M2.
The M3 and M4 offer three different power levels for the rear-drive manual, rear-drive auto and all-wheel drive auto versions
The manual and auto versions of the M2 share the same power output but the auto version has more torque and a faster 0-60 MPH time
Heart of the beast: the venerable BMW S58 engine powering the M2, M3 and M4
Driving Experience
There are a lot of common elements among all three, including the magnificent S58 inline 6-cylinder twin turbocharged engine, which is extremely smooth, linear, has an incredible soundtrack and encourages you to rev it all the way to redline. Additionally, on track, body roll is very well contained in all three, although the tradeoff is the ride quality of all three cars is on the firmer side, not matter which drive mode you are in. The 8-speed automatic transmission on all three are extremely smooth and fast to shift. Also, the steering feels direct in all three but also slightly lacking in feel. In terms of how they differ, to my surprise, the best driving of the three for me was the M2. While it is down on power on paper compared to the M3 and M4, on track it felt just as powerful and relentless in its power delivery as its more expensive brothers. Additionally, there is an extra degree of lightness and nimbleness of the M2 thanks to its shorter wheelbase and lower weight that made it more enjoyable to hustle around the corners and reminded me a lot of cars like the Z4 M40i, which I also had the chance to drive on the same day. The M3 and M4 I tried were both the Competition xDrive models, and they do impress with the crazy amount of grip and traction they have on track and feel they are always ready to play with you no matter what speed you dare to attack the track at. However, they feel less light on their feet than the M2, which just feels a little more playful than the M3 and M4.
All three offer a thrilling experience on track, thanks in part to the magnificent S58 engine
Conclusion
Which is the best buy between these three cars? Personally, for me, the M2 is the best overall choice. It takes the best bits from the M3 and M4, including the magnificent S58 engine, the 8-speed automatic transmission, as well as the same basic interior layout, while adding a little extra dynamism to the mix, while being by far the cheapest vehicle of the three. As it is not currently available in all-wheel drive, it is compromised a little in terms of all-weather traction and grip, as well as having a less usable interior and slightly less luxurious finishes, but overall I do think this is the best vehicle to buy. In second is the M3. The M3 is by far the most practical choice and doesn’t sacrifice any performance to the M4. However, it is significantly more expensive than the M2 and doesn’t feel quite as agile. In last is the M4, which is the most expensive to buy, is less practical than the M3, and in my opinion the least well resolved in terms of design.
Comments
One response
Great Article!