2025 BMW M4

If abundant power and precision handling top your list but four doors aren't your thing, look to the 2025 BMW M4. It's the coupe and convertible version of BMW's legendary M3 sedan, with two fewer doors but no less ferocity. The relatively compact-sized M4 generates speed and exhilaration like few others, sprinting from zero to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds in our testing and carving bends in the road with a sushi master's finesse. In some cars, the price for performance can be punishment: stiff ride, loud interior. But the price of the M4 doesn't allow for compromise. The ride is firm but not jarring thanks to the standard adaptive suspension. There's enough room for adults in the back seat and, at 12 cubic feet, a reasonably large and practical trunk.

If only two doors will do, the Chevrolet Corvette is required driving. Its pedigree is quite different — big V8 non-turbocharged power and a smaller footprint than the BMW despite the Corvette's seemingly larger presence — but no less thrilling. The Corvette, however, only has room for two, similar to another M4 rival, the Porsche Cayman. The Cayman offers even sharper, more agile handling, although its power is not quite as visceral. The new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance sets the bar incredibly high with plug-in hybrid performance that reaches 671 horsepower but costs several thousand more. If you prefer similar capabilities with a more subdued style, the Audi RS 5 coupe is an understated thrill in this class. To help you decide if the M4 is right for you, check out our test team's thorough review in the Edmunds Expert Rating.

The M4 continues to offer a little something for every performance addict. It starts with the 473-horsepower base trim and six-speed manual transmission and continues to the upgraded 503-hp Competition with an eight-speed automatic. Need all-wheel drive? There's the Competition xDrive, which gets a power boost — 523 hp — for 2025. Other upgrades for the year include redesigned headlights with a new daytime running light signature and laser-enhanced taillights. BMW's iconic roundel badge gets a subtle gloss black finish treatment, while an optional new wheel design and extra steering wheel options add some alternative style. Of course the only thing we needed BMW to address — that being, the oversized buck-toothed grille — it's elected to ignore. The automaker's hoping we'll get used to it. We won't. But no matter. We can't see the grille while we're exploring the M4's ample limits.