Tested: The 2025 BMW 540i xDrive Is Probably More Car Than You Need

• We just tested the 2025 BMW 540i xDrive, an all-wheel-drive midsize luxury sedan.
• It is notably quicker and faster than the four-cylinder-powered 530i we tested last year.
• But like that lower-horsepower sibling, it's just not very engaging to drive.

Best of all, around our handling course, that power was immediately accessible from virtually anywhere in the rev range. The 540i smoothly delivers its 398 lb-ft peak torque at a low 1,850 rpm, so dipping into the throttle at virtually any speed means near instant acceleration. Around town, it means you can easily squirt through holes in traffic with just a stab of the gas pedal. If you crave additional power but don't have the funds to stretch to the almighty M5, the 540i is a darn fine substitute.

When it comes to braking and handling, though, the 540i actually trailed the 530i by a smidge. Braking from 60 mph took 111 feet — 5 feet longer than the 530i. And on our skidpad, the 540i maxed out at 0.92 g vs 0.94 g for the 530i. We blame weight: On our scales, the all-wheel-drive 540i xDrive weighed 365 pounds more than the rear-drive four-cylinder we tested but has the same M Sport brakes and tires. That said, those kinds of differences are unlikely to be felt in the real world.

So what's the problem?

It's really no surprise that the 540i is so much quicker than the 530i we tested, considering the power disparity between them. But what is surprising is that despite the extra power, the 540i isn't any more engaging to drive than the four-cylinder. Sure, it's quicker and turns in great test track numbers, and around our handling course it was predictable and reassuring. It just wasn't much fun. The steering felt numb, and although its sporty suspension makes it perfectly capable on mountain roads, it doesn't beg you to explore them like the previous generation 5 Series did. 

On top of that, it's not like the 530i is slow — 5.7 seconds to 60 mph is darn good, and the fuel economy with the four-cylinder is exceptional. At the end of the day, the 540i is for the most die-hard of speed demons who can't quite stretch to the M5. For the rest of us, the 530i is quick enough, and worth the savings.