In the endless pursuit for cars to be bigger, more luxurious, and more powerful, we are reaching a point where they are becoming too bulbous for their own good. Manufacturers are compensating with absurdly high and frankly unusable figures; when BMW pulled the wraps off the previous-generation M550i sedan, it brought a 523-horsepower twin-turbo V8 to what was still a sub-500 horsepower segment. We wondered where the line would be drawn, we were surprised to see BMW taking a step back from the power war, instead focusing on efficiency and comfort with this successor. The end result is the 2025 BMW 550e, and it is quite possibly one of the most well-rounded cars on the market today.

Goodbye V8, hello PHEV

Let’s start with the powertrain. BMW swapped out the fire-breathing V8 engine for a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine, then paired that up with a plug-in hybrid system. It generates a total of 483 horsepower—40 less than the previous car. However, unless you launch your car off the line every single time, you will not find the 550e lacking. After all, it has 516 pound-feet of torque and achieves a zero-to-100 km/h sprint in just 4.3 seconds. The 550e is absolutely effortless getting around town.

Best of all, the BMW 550e’s plug-in hybrid system allows for a maximum 55 kilometres of pure-electric driving on a single charge, which is plenty for running errands around town. If you do not have a dedicated charger at home, the 550e does come with a charging cord that can plug into a standard 120 volt outlet. It is useful for topping up a partially charged battery, but falls short of giving the car a full charge overnight. On a dedicated Level 2 charger, the 14.4 kWh battery can be fully charged in under two hours. Unlike its closest competitor, the Mercedes-AMG E 53 plug-in hybrid, the 550e does not support Level 3 DC fast-charging.

As with most modern BMWs, the 550e’s steering is devoid of road feel but drivers will enjoy its incredible precision. Its heavy curb weight is disguised through clever chassis tuning and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system that carefully distributes torque to ensure maximum grip at all times. The suspension is also tuned to provide excellent comfort—a refreshing change of pace when everyone else chases higher cornering prowess at the expense of stiff ride quality—and the cabin is very well-isolated from wind and road noise.

BMW 550e style and interior impressions

Speaking of the cabin, the 550e’s new interior follows the brand’s latest high-tech design language. It wraps two vivid displays around the driver, and fills out the dashboard with a colourful light-up bar that interacts with user commands. The visuals are stunning, but usability takes a step back. Most of the previous physical controls are now incorporated into the touchscreen, and the new iDrive rotary dial just does not have the same satisfying feel and precision as the old one. That said, the infotainment is still among the best in class, and the sound quality through the Bowers and Wilkins surround sound system is excellent.

Going along with the excellent ride comfort is a generous amount of headroom and legroom. The 550e is truly comfortable no matter where you sit; although we miss the V8 rumble and BMW’s new IconicSounds (read: fake engine noises) is tacky at best, the additional serenity the electric motors afford is much appreciated. Trunk space measures 520 L and the wide opening makes loading it up easy.

As for the exterior styling, we feel the new 5 Series has lost a lot of its calming presence in this new skin. It commands much more of a presence than before, however that is not to say the 550e is unattractive. The new design is trendy, modern, and unmistakable as a newer BMW, especially when paired with this delicious $5,000 Macadamia Metallic exterior paint. Interestingly, BMW has done away with their laser headlights and is now back to using LEDs, and we can confirm the outcome is just as good.

Final thoughts

So, we have established that the 2025 BMW 550e is nicely packaged and excellent for the daily use. Best of all, like the X5 PHEV, it all comes together at a surprisingly good price of $102,250 as-tested. These days, with non-luxury EVs easily topping $70,000 and many luxury ones checking well above the $100,000 mark, the 550e represents solid value, too. For anyone looking for a premium executive sedan that won’t break the bank when you fill up, BMW’s plug-in hybrid 5 Series is less about compromise, and more about offering the best of all worlds.