2026 BMW 8 Series

Name: 2026 BMW 8 Series Review
Brand: BMW

Release Date: Available now

Estimated Price: Starting at $92,875

The 2026 BMW 8 Series convertible is a well-rounded machine. Its comfortable interior and smooth ride make it a great long-distance cruiser, and it's also fun on curvy back roads and when making a quick getaway from stoplights. The powerful M850i xDrive model adds a huge dose of performance while remaining highly comfortable.Read full review

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2026 BMW 8 Series Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Both available engines offer ample performance
Comfortable for long-distance cruising
More cargo room than you might expect
Luxurious and refined interior

Cons

Rear seats aren't of much use
Swoopy styling reduces outward visibility
Getting advanced driver assist tech requires two packages

What's new

The BMW 8 Series returns with no significant changes for 2026
Part of the second 8 Series generation introduced for 2019

Overview

When it's time to move on from that large four-door luxury barge into something smaller, sportier and more stylish, the 8 Series coupe and convertible have you covered. But these two-doors won't send you to the chiropractor; their plush seats and silky ride make any kind of trip a pleasant experience. Fortunately, the 8 Series hasn't forgotten its BMW roots. It can still put a smile on your face with its effortless power and stable handling. Since its introduction in 2019, the 8 Series has been an excellent grand tourer, but its interior and exterior design are starting to age. We expect something new is around the corner.

Edmunds spotlight: An abundance of models to choose from

There's an 8 Series for just about anyone, as long as you can afford its $100K starting price. To start, the 8 Series is available as a coupe, convertible or sporty four-door called the Gran Coupe, which is separately reviewed. All three body styles are offered in base rear-wheel-drive 840i and all-wheel-drive 840i xDrive models. There's also an M850i xDrive performance model that packs a V8 for power-craving shoppers with a larger budget. However, the top model is the 617-horsepower high-performance M8, which is only available in Gran Coupe or convertible form. The M8 coupe has been discontinued. If the 8 Series' price tag is too high, check out BMW's smaller 4 Series that offers a similarly varied lineup.

Competitors to consider

Mercedes-Benz has two alternatives to consider: the impressive but convertible-only SL and the recently introduced CLE. The CLE coupe and convertible are similar in size and are more affordable. There's also the Lexus LC, a stunning two-door available as a coupe or convertible and with a V8 or hybrid powertrain. However, the king of the class is the iconic Porsche 911. It sports a sky-high price tag, but if you can afford it, make sure it's on your short list. For a full rundown of the 8 Series, check out our test team's Expert Rating below.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict

^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the 8 Series drive? The 840i with the base six-cylinder engine has more than adequate power, and the eight-speed automatic transmission delivers smooth, lightning-fast shifts. At our test track, our 840i convertible test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in a quick 4.8 seconds. Dynamic back-road driving from this big grand tourer is impressive too, with relatively flat cornering and impressive braking performance.

There are a few drawbacks to the base 8 Series convertible, including heavy but vague steering, poor throttle calibration at slow speeds, and a lack of braking feel. Those are small gripes when you consider the car's overall aptitude.

Comfort

9/10

How comfortable is the 8 Series? The 840i's ride quality is excellent. The adaptive suspension soaks up almost all road imperfections. It's still smooth sailing even in Sport mode. Combine that with one of the quietest cabins in its class, and you've got a car that begs to be taken on a long road trip. The front seats are very comfortable for hours on end. The rear seats are a bit less comfortable, but they're adequate for small children, which is expected in this class.

The buttons for the climate control are a bit confusing at first, but the air conditioning and heated seats work well. The seat ventilation feature, on the other hand, doesn't provide much cooling effect.

Interior

8/10

How’s the interior? The cabin's look and feel are impressive. The primary controls are well placed and require little attention to operate. But there's little room in the back for anyone other than small children. The seats are essentially two nicely upholstered luggage buckets.

The front seats are highly adjustable, so there's no issue finding an ideal position. Visibility is slightly compromised due to the thick pillars and lack of visual references, but the optional blind-spot warning and surround-view camera system help. Overall, none of these drawbacks are unusual for this class.

Technology

8/10

How’s the tech? The standard audio system is powerful and clear enough that you don't need to bother with the optional (and pricey) Bowers & Wilkins upgrade. But if you're willing to shell out the extra cash, it does provide excellent sound quality, even with the top down. The infotainment system features a crisp, responsive screen and easy-to-navigate menus. Alternatively, you can use voice controls if you don't want to fiddle with the iDrive controller. The system is quite accurate, but because it is cloud-based, it can be slow to respond. All of the 8 Series' advanced driving aids work well.

Storage

7/10

How’s the storage? It can be tough to criticize the trunk space in a convertible, but the 840i is neither small nor inexpensive. As such, we expected a bit more efficient use of space. With the top up, the trunk has a decent capacity of 12.4 cubic feet. That puts it well ahead of the Porsche 911 Cabriolet and the Lexus LC 500 convertible.

But all that capacity vanishes if you'd like to put the top down as you need to deploy a trunk divider, which essentially leaves space for two half-full grocery bags. The rear seats do fold for longer items — assuming the top is up — but the opening is quite narrow.

It's much better on the inside, where both front passengers will find ample room for their personal items, especially in the long, padded door pockets. The rear seats do have anchors for car seats, but they're better used for holding bags and jackets.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The 840i convertible gets an EPA fuel economy estimate of 24 mpg combined (21 city/29 highway), which is a bit higher than most rivals. Our test car got 23.4 mpg on our highway-heavy 115-mile evaluation route. That's a bit disappointing considering the bias toward highway driving on our route.

Value

8/10

Is the 8 Series a good value? You're bound to have high expectations when you're shopping for a six-figure convertible, and the 840i delivers. It has premium build quality, along with excellent interior materials. We would avoid the optional glass controls and a few other packages, though, to keep the cost down.

BMW's four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty is average for the class. Three years of free maintenance is a bit less common, however, and it helps the 8 Series' score here.

Wildcard

8/10

At its heart, the 8 Series convertible is a road-trip kind of vehicle. It's quiet as a mouse on the highway and comfortable over any surface. And when the roads get twisty, you can still have quite a bit of fun behind the wheel. This convertible also has plenty of get-up-and-go. Looks are subjective, but the 8 Series feels pretty stately whether you're staring at it in a parking spot or cruising down the coast.

Which 8 Series does Edmunds recommend?

While most luxury coupe and convertible shoppers will be happy with the entry-level 840i, we recommend stepping up to the M850i xDrive. Considering you're paying six figures for a large luxury car, the M850i xDrive's modest price bump is worth it for the almost 200 additional horsepower and upgraded suspension.

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2026 BMW 8 Series

2026 BMW 8 Series Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds spotlight: An abundance of models to choose from

Competitors to consider

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which 8 Series does Edmunds recommend?

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