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For 2025, BMW is rolling out significant technology and feature enhancements across its lineup, including the X1, X2, XM, iX, 5 Series, and 7 Series. Key improvements focus on advanced parking assistance, a new focus-enhancing Silent Mode, expanded infotainment options, and aesthetic personalization, many available via over-the-air (OTA) updates that add functionality without a dealership visit.
As BMW’s smallest SUVs, the X1 and X2 are already relatively easy to maneuver. However, BMW is enhancing this further with the availability of Parking Assistant Professional. This feature, accessible on models running BMW Operating System 9 (the company's latest infotainment and vehicle operating software), doesn't just automate parallel and perpendicular parking. Its most innovative function allows the driver to exit the vehicle and control the parking maneuver remotely using the My BMW smartphone app.
An associated feature, Maneuver Assistant, can remember the last 656 feet of a driver's steering inputs—ideal for navigating a long, narrow driveway—and can then automatically retrace the exact path to exit the spot. Based on our assessment experience, this technology is a significant step forward in mitigating the stress of tight parking situations.
The updates to the BMW XM, a high-performance plug-in hybrid SUV, are purely aesthetic, aligning with its role as a bold design statement. For 2025, both the 644-horsepower XM and the more powerful 738-horsepower XM Label Red variant can now be equipped with optional black 23-inch wheels, enhancing their imposing presence.
Furthermore, the distinction between the standard and Label models is softened as the full spectrum of interior and exterior colors available on the standard XM is now also offered on the XM Label, providing greater customization for buyers of the top-tier model.
In response to increasingly connected cabins, BMW has introduced Silent Mode for the 2025 iX, 5 Series, and 7 Series. This feature is designed to create a sanctuary from digital distractions. When activated, it mutes the audio system, minimizes information on the digital screens, turns off ambient lighting, and closes the power window shades on equipped vehicles. It also activates a do-not-disturb setting for the infotainment system.
This feature will be standard on vehicles produced from July 2024 onward and will be available as an OTA update for earlier model year vehicles equipped with the required hardware. It is also available on the X1 and X2, offering a quiet retreat across the model range.
For those who enjoy their car's tech features, BMW is expanding the AirConsole gaming platform. Available only when the vehicle is stationary, AirConsole uses a smartphone as a controller. The game library expands for 2025 with additions like “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and “Starlit Kart.”
Vehicles with BMW Operating System 8.5 will also receive an update to the cloud-based navigation system. It will now proactively display parking areas and rest stops along a programmed route. For electric models like the iX and i5, the system will not only route to charging stations but also show alternative charging points along the way. Drivers can also filter stations by their preferred charging network, streamlining the journey planning process.
In summary, the 2025 updates highlight BMW's focus on personalization and digital convenience. Key takeaways for shoppers include:
