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Refreshed 2025 BMW 3 Series Debuts As Cadillac CT5, CT5-V Rival

The 2025 BMW 3 Series sports sedan will usher in a mid-cycle refresh for the flagship model’s seventh generation, adding new technology, equipment, and styling to the Bavarian competitor to the Cadillac CT5 and Cadillac CT5-V sedans.

Notably, the 2025 BMW M3, which rivals the high-performance Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, is also getting a mid-cycle refresh this year, though it is currently in its sixth generation.

Side view of the 2025 BMW 3 Series.

Several exterior changes highlight the 2025 BMW 3 Series overhaul, including the introduction of new paint colors. These include Arctic Race Blue Metallic and Vegas Red Metallic, while a new Frozen variant is available for the existing Pure Grey Metallic and Portimao Blue Metallic colors. New wheels are included in certain packages.

Under the exterior paint, the chassis engineering also receives an update. The refreshed BMW 3 Series sedans will be more comfortable than their predecessors regardless of driving mode or other factors, with stiffer damper mountings being some of the tech used to achieve this. Meanwhile, steering and handling are now more controlled and precise.

Rear three quarters view of the 2025 BMW 3 Series.

The 3 Series interior also gets a makeover, with faster, more intuitive digital controls and infotainment thanks to the addition of BMW Operating System 8.5 software. The screen continues to be a large, curved display housing a central infotainment screen and a digital gauge cluster. Steering wheels are new throughout the trim level lineup, with a standard polygonal two-spoke steering wheel and the optional M Sport package swapping that out for a flat-bottomed version.

Two powerplants are on offer for the 2025 BMW 3 Series, including the twin-turbo B48B20O2 2.0L inline-four mild hybrid engine developing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and the twin-turbocharged B58B30M2 3.0L inline-six mild hybrid engine cranking out 386 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.

Wheel detail view of the 2025 BMW 3 Series.

Starting prices range from $45,500 for the entry-level 330i to $61,600 for the range-topping 2025 BMW M340i xDrive. Meanwhile, the 2025 Cadillac CT5 also debuts a refresh, with new styling including vertical lighting signatures with stacked LED headlamps, new Deep Space Metallic and Typhoon Metallic paint colors, and a cockpit featuring an all-new curving 33-inch-diagonal LED color touchscreen providing 9K resolution.

The Cadillac CT5 draws standard motivation from the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LSY gasoline engine developing 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque or optionally cradles the twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 LGY gasoline engine rated at 335 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. Pricing ranges from $48,990 for the RWD Premium Luxury to $51,990 for the AWD Sport trim.

The 2025 Cadillac CT5-V can be viewed in an introductory video here.

Flat-bottomed steering wheel and cockpit view of the 2025 BMW 3 Series.

BMW declares that the 2025 BMW 3 Series delivers “driving pleasure in an ambiance of premium modernity.”

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Comments

  1. At least that awful huge grill is gone. The top half looks much better then before! 👍🏼

    Reply
    1. Sadly (or happily for the competition), the M3/M4 will retain the massive nostrils. This non-M looks better in the front.

      Reply
  2. What a modern-day “Edsel” grill would look like…

    Reply
  3. Bill the Edsel was built in a time in America when chances where still taken. Everyone picks on the Buick grills that BMW with the giant extended kidney grills looks awful it ruins the whole front end this BMW looks much better and sales show I’ve seen less 3 series with that ugly grill IMO the best BMW grill was 2004-200 I forget what year that updated but it was two grills that where part of hood it looks great and people couldn’t buy enough of those years 3 series.

    Reply
  4. Much rather have the CT-5 than this…

    Reply
    1. JME80 me to 👍🏼

      Reply
    2. Both Not…

      Reply
  5. Too Ugly Designed, mainly the bumpers

    Reply
  6. Wouldn’t the 3 series be up against the CT4?
    And the 5 series pitted against the CT5? I thought that’s how it lined up.

    Reply
  7. The BMW 3 Series in NOT in the same vehicle class as the Cadillac CT5. It is almost identical dimensionally to the CT4. The CT5 is closer to the BMW 5 Series.

    You and other auto “journalists” continue to make this mistake, and perpetuate the erroneous concept.

    How about you check your facts ? What a concept that would be !

    Reply
    1. Agreed!

      Actually the CT4 (a reskinned ATS) is undersized in comparison to its originally targeted segment contenders(M3, C63, A4) who have grown in size since it originally came to market.

      It’s quite nauseating since the last gen CTS – of which the CT5 is based on – was a 5 series, E Class contender.

      They continue to misrepresent the class for these vehicles based on pricing.

      Reply

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