BMW Announces 2025 Updates for 6 Models

With a nameplate lineup comprising four EVs, seven cars and eight SUVs, BMW can’t possibly update all of its vehicles every model year. But many of those that don’t receive major refreshes are seeing minor improvements for 2025, including the X1, X2, XM and iX SUVs, as well as the 5 Series and 7 Series sedans.

Related: 2025 BMW 5 Series Gets More Electrified, Driver-Assist Tech Options

X1 and X2

As BMW’s smallest SUVs, the X1 and X2 ought to be among its easiest to park. But the BMWs being compact doesn’t make the other vehicles crowding parking lots any smaller or their drivers any more conscientious. BMW has a fix for that, which is available on X1s and X2s running on BMW Operating System 9: The compact SUV pair is now available with Parking Assistant Professional via an over-the-air update. The feature not only automates parking, it also allows the driver to exit the vehicle and park it from outside via the My BMW smartphone app. Also included is Maneuver Assistant, which can remember the driver’s steering movements for up to 656 feet before parking and retrace them on exit.

XM

The updates to the XM are strictly aesthetic — appropriate for an imposing, high-performance plug-in-hybrid SUV that makes such a strong visual statement. Black 23-inch wheels are now available on both the 644-horsepower XM and 738-hp XM Label. Additionally, the full range of interior and exterior colors offered on the standard XM is now available on the Label, which previously had a separate palette.

iX, 5 Series and 7 Series

Those of us who are aware of how distracting our phones can be are probably not thrilled to find our cars becoming ever more like them. While BMW is not fighting the tide of cultural norms, it has developed a pocket of solitude called Silent Mode.

Available on the 2025 iX, 5 Series and 7 Series, Silent Mode mutes the stereo and reduces information displays to a minimum. Ambient lighting is turned off, the window shades are closed on vehicles equipped with them, and a do-not-disturb mode is activated on the infotainment system. Silent Mode will be included on vehicles built from July on and available as an over-the-air update on earlier builds. (It, too, is available on the X1 and X2.)

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BMW Operating System Updates

On the other hand, those among us who are thrilled that cars are transitioning into giant rolling phones will be happy to see BMW is expanding the number of games available to play on its in-car infotainment screen. Only available when the vehicle is stationary, BMW’s AirConsole allows occupants to play games using their phone as a controller. The library of titles expands this year with “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” “Starlit Kart,” “Starlit Adventures” and “Trivia Crack.”

Vehicles running BMW OS 8.5 will also get an update to their cloud-based navigation system, which will now display parking and rest areas along any programmed route. In electric BMWs, which can already navigate to charging stations, alternative charge points will be displayed along the route. Drivers can also now filter stations to limit displayed results to a preferred charging network.

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