BMW M5 vs Kia Optima
What's the difference?

BMW M5

—

2025 price

View pricing & specs

Kia Optima

$14,670 - $22,990

2018 price

View pricing & specs

Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

McLaren Artura

Mercedes-AMG E63

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2025 BMW M5

2018 Kia Optima

By John Law

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Bi Turbo V8, 4.4L

Inline 4, 2.4L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

3.0L/100km (combined)

8.3L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

—

Electric range

67 km

Battery capacity

22.10 kWh

Seating

Likes

Stunning speed
Drive mode customisation
Impressive agility

Very roomy
Great ownership plan
Decent price

Dislikes

Awkward boot
Brake and steering feel
Low on hooliganism

Removed some good stuff to lower price
Not as good looking as pre-facelift model
A bit basic inside

2025 BMW M5 Summary

Balancing luxury car comfort, hot hatch agility and supercar speed is no easy task, yet that is what made the six previous generations of BMW's M5 so iconic.

In seventh-generation ‘G90’ guise, the M5 has another skeleton in the cupboard: the toughest emissions regulations that Europe, and now Australia, have ever seen.

A twin-turbo V8 was untenable and going battery electric was not an option. Plug-in hybrid was the only answer. For the new M5, BMW combined a revised 4.4-litre ‘S68’ bent eight with a punchy electric motor for 535kW and 1000Nm.

Problem is, the G90 is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest BMW M cars of all time, especially in CS trim. And thanks to a circa-600kg weight hike to nearly 2500kg, the new M5's 0-100km/h claim is actually slower than the old 'F90' M5.

Doesn’t exactly sound like a big leap forward, does it?

A drive through the Central West of NSW and around the iconic Mount Panorama racing circuit gave us answers to two questions. Does the M5 work on Australia roads, and does BMW M's latest super-sedan represent progress?

View full pricing & specs

2018 Kia Optima Summary

There are plenty of reasons why you should still consider a mid-sized sedan like the Kia Optima. I’m sure there are… just let me think about this for a sec…

Okay, so this part of the market is dying. A decade ago, sedans like this were really popular, but now there are heaps of alternative options. Yep, people are going for mid-sized SUVs rather than mid-sized sedans like this.

But that doesn’t mean models like the just-updated 2018 Kia Optima are without their reasons for being. I’m just not sure the facelift has made it more appealing to look at…

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2025 BMW M5 2018 Kia Optima

Verdict

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering.

What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me.

The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing.

The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Verdict

If you travel long distances, want a good amount of space and don’t want to pay big bucks for a new car, then yeah, maybe there is a reason sedans like this will hang around for a while longer.

Sure, the appeal of sedans mightn’t be as strong as it once was, but models like the Kia Optima prove they still have a reason to exist.

BMW M5 vs Kia Optima What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW M5 vs Kia Optima
What's the difference?