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The 2025 BMW M235 storms back onto the scene with a comprehensive re-work that aims straight at the keen driver. From the moment you lay eyes on its crisper face and illuminated kidney grille, the smallest M-badged saloon signals intent. Beneath the sheet metal, Munich’s engineers have trimmed headline power to 296 bhp, yet the turbocharged 2.0-litre four still delivers a potent surge through a recalibrated seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. BMW’s xDrive remains predominantly front-biased, but can shuffle half the torque rearwards in an instant, giving the updated M235 a more poised corner exit and a hint of rear-axle playfulness when provoked.
Visual tweaks are more than skin-deep. Re-profiled bumpers and sharper LED signatures tighten the car’s stance, disguising its relatively tall bonnet line. Slip inside and the cabin feels a league ahead of its predecessor: the curved dual-screen layout runs BMW Operating System 9, widgets glide across vivid tiles, and ambient light pulses discreetly in M colours along the dash and speaker grilles. Optional bucket seats—complete with back-lit ‘M’ logos—lock you in place without sacrificing long-run comfort, and the suede-trimmed steering wheel communicates every nuance of the road surface.
Practicality is unchanged, so rear-seat headroom will still challenge taller passengers, and the saloon-style boot opening could be wider. Yet material quality trumps anything in Audi’s S3 or Mercedes-AMG’s A35, while panel fit feels carved from a single billet. Strong body-in-white stiffening, revised anti-roll hardware and retuned springs now give the M235 a taut yet compliant ride: Comfort mode smothers harsh impacts, Sport tightens everything without descending into jittery fidget. On sweeping A-roads, the nose darts accurately, steering weight builds naturally, and there’s ample grip before the chassis edges into gentle neutrality.
Press harder and the soundtrack rises from a subdued thrum to a purposeful growl, punctuated by assertive up-shift barks engineered into the exhaust flaps. The engine prefers the mid-range, where torque gathers swiftly, making effortless work of overtakes. Ease back to a cruise and mid-thirties mpg is achievable, proving the M235 can double as an everyday runabout.
Has BMW forged a true M icon? Not quite. The M2 Coupé still offers a purer, rear-driven dance, and an Audi S3 with its new limited-slip diff might entertain more on a damp B-road. But the 2025 M235 narrows the gap, bringing sharper responses, richer cabin tech and a welcome infusion of character. For drivers who want one car to cover the weekday commute and the weekend back-road blast, this refreshed compact saloon hits a very persuasive sweet spot—gritty, focused and undeniably engaging from wheel to wheel.
