The 2019 BMW M5 seamlessly melds speed with luxury; it’s an opulent sedan with few rivals.

Its price is similarly rich. The 2019 M5 starts north of $100,000 and doesn’t stop for coffee toward $120,000.

We give the 2019 M5 points above average for exceptional features, good warranty, customization possibilities, and its infotainment screen. A technicality keeps it from losing one for its smartphone compatibility. It gets an 8 for features. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

This year, the super sedan is available in two flavors: M5 and M5 Competition. The “base” car—if there’s a base six-figure car—starts at more than $103,000 and the M5 Competition clocks in at over $110,000. Both are similarly equipped: leather upholstery, 20-way adjustable heated front seats, heated steering wheel, 10.2-inch touchscreen with one year of Apple CarPlay compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, two USB power ports, wireless smartphone charger, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Harman Kardon audio system, and a suite of active safety features that we cover above. M5 versions are equipped with 19-inch wheels as standard, M5 Competition models get 20-inchers.

From there, only a handful of packaged options are available. An active driving assistant can help keep the M5 centered in its lane during stop-and-go traffic and reduce driving fatigue on long trips ($1,700); an executive package adds heated rear seats, four-zone climate control, front seat massagers, and soft-close doors ($4,000). A la carte options can add pricey carbon ceramic brakes ($8,500), upgraded audio ($3,400), and a rear-seat entertainment package ($2,200).

Options for the M5 Competition are identical. BMW's standard warranty covers three years of maintenance, and includes a 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that's better than most of its rivals.

What’s our pick? We’d giddily run a 2019 M5 Competition through the field of options to arrive at more than $125,000 with beaucoup speakers, cooled seats that rub our backs, and driving assistants. Build code “drnp3kz5” if you’re looking for something to get us for the holidays.

BMW infotainment

We’ve been critical of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system for a while now, but the latest version is growing on us. This latest iteration offers a touchscreen in addition to the puck-like dial controller on the center console and puts it to good use. BMW’s iDrive system is deep and complex, but just about every setting from audio to interior color schemes are customizable. It takes a while to get used to, but it’s worth exploring.

Microsoft Office integration can upload calendars and contacts, even read emails. The system’s built-in navigation can send text messages to notify others of your arrival, or make reservations at nearby restaurants.

BMW now offers Apple CarPlay compatibility as standard on the M5 but there’s a catch: the first year is free, other years are $80 each.

So far, BMW is the only automaker to offer wireless CarPlay, which works well with the wireless charger but the smartphone system is less capable than BMW’s system. Additionally, using CarPlay renders roughly one-third of the touchscreen unusable, which is frustrating.

Our advice? Take the free first year as an iDrive apprenticeship to learn BMW’s logic. 

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