BMW? Check. M5? Check. And it’s a Touring wagon, and it’s coming to Canada? Check, check, and check. It’s the third time the German automaker has issued an M5 Touring alongside its sedan sibling, with the first unboxed in 1992; and a follow-up in 2007 made to match the fourth-generation M5 sedan. Those wagons never made it to our shores, but this newest one will be, making it the first-ever such BMW performance wagon offered in Canada when it goes on sale early in 2025, with a starting price here of $138,000.
On top of that, it’ll be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), making 717 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque and with an estimated sprint of zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds. After it’s plugged in and charged, it’ll take you about 40 km (25 miles) on electricity only, and at speeds of up to 140 km/h (87 mph). Once that depletes, it’ll automatically revert to gas-electric hybrid operation, self-charging its hybrid battery with regenerative braking, and driving for as long as there’s gas in the tank to prevent any “range anxiety.”
All-wheel-drive, known as xDrive in BMW-speak, is standard equipment. The new Touring is based on the fifth generation of the 5 Series sedan, which was released for 2024, and which added a plug-in hybrid for 2025.
The first M5 Touring for Canadian roads
So why a Touring now, when the last ones were forbidden fruit? As we reported back when we first heard about it, BMW Canada said it’s because it got a “yes” from 7,200 Canadians when it asked in an online campaign if it should bring the new Touring here. We think the decision was already made, and that campaign was just to drum up publicity, but it does show there’s an interest in liftgate-equipped vehicles that aren’t sport-utilities.
The M5 Touring may be primarily about performance, but it also has a practical side, with an estimated 500 litres (17.7 cubic feet) of cargo volume; and up to 1,630 litres (57.7 cu ft) when the seats are folded, making it ideal for weekend getaways — or to get the groceries home really fast before the ice cream melts.
This was just a look-see, not a chance to drive it, although of course we’re itching to do that. It’ll be built at BMW’s plant in Dingolfing, Germany alongside the equally-new M5 PHEV sedan, which will also be offered in Canada later this year.
What powers the 2025 BMW M5 Touring?
Under the hood is a twin-turbo 4.4L V8 that, on its own, makes 577 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. The key is the electric motor that’s wedged into the eight-speed automatic transmission – sorry about that, stick-shift fans – that adds another 194 horsepower and 207 lb-ft to achieve those combined 771/738 numbers, and with the immediate torque that electric motors deliver. The 14.8-kWh lithium-ion battery is stored under the floor.
Top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) but if you order an optional M Driver’s Package, that lifts to 305 km/h (189 mph). Drive modes take the Touring from comfort to dynamic, and include a Boost Control that provides a momentary shot of speed when the vehicle’s anywhere between 30 and 150 km/h (19 and 93 mph). The xDrive system can also be tweaked, including a sport mode that provides more rear-wheel bias than the default setting; or a rear-wheel-only mode that can be selected once the stability control setting is turned off.
In addition to the song naturally provided by the V8, an auxiliary “M Sound” system generates internal-combustion sound to either augment what you’re already hearing in hybrid mode; or, when the Touring is running on electricity alone, to pipe in a sound with a tone determined by what your foot is doing on the throttle.
The 2025 M5 Touring’s styling
The signature “kidney” grille is redesigned, with the M badge pinned to it. The M-specific front styling includes a front apron with centre split, body-colour side air intakes, and four-unit LED headlights with black trim.
The side profile combines a sloping roof with angles ahead of the wheels, created by the air intakes at the front and the door dogleg at the rear. The roofline combines with the ground-hugging suspension to give the M5 a long-and-low look that’s pretty impressive. The rear includes a roof spoiler and M-traditional quad taillights; the double-spoke alloy wheels are 20-inchers at the front and 21-inch at the rear.
The chassis includes M-specific bracing to stiffen everything up, and BMW is promising us close to a “nearly perfect” weight distribution of 50-50 front to rear. Many of the greasy bits are M-specific, including the five-link rear axle that reduces unsprung weight; and redesigned steering with a variable ratio that focuses on comfort or performance, depending on the driving mode selected. Four-wheel steering is standard, with the rear wheels turning up to 1.5 degrees opposite to the front tires to tighten the turning circle.
Also included is an adaptive suspension with electronically controlled dampers to minimize body roll in corners and smooth out the ride. The standard brakes can be swapped out for a carbon ceramic variety which reduce weight by some 25 kilograms.
The M5 Touring’s Cabin
The interior can be ordered with choice of aluminum, carbon fibre, or wood accents. The dash is dominated by a curved display handled by the newest iteration of iDrive, toggled via a centre-console controller or simply by touching the screen. You can also ask the voice-controlled assistant to look after you even more, since that function now identities such requests as adjusting the seat or turning up the electronic engine sounds.
That big screen incorporates a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch infotainment screen. The new flat-bottom steering wheel has a red centre marker and incorporates some function buttons as well.
The multi-function seats will come in combinations of black, red, or orange, and in calendar-year 2025, dark violet and grey will be offered as well. New ambient lighting options include a high-definition version that creates a contoured look between the cabin’s higher and lower points.
A panoramic roof is standard; other features will include an 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, hands-free power liftgate, head-up display, cloud-based navigation system with augmented live-video view, and games in the centre display that can be operated when the car is stopped.
Driving the 2025 BMW M5 Touring will be the final link in all of this, of course, but judging by its looks, this first-ever version for Canada should be a worthy addition to the lineup. Wagons may have fallen out of favour with the general public in favour of SUVs, and those people-haulers are still going to be BMW’s bread-and-butter overall, but there are still lots of long-roof fans who are looking forward to this newest 5 Series entry. If this is the future of fast, bring it on.
Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.