Hard to believe it, but the G80 M3 is now in now well past its half-life. Last year BMW brought a slew of changes to the car, and thus, little changes for the 2026 model year. With a rise in MSRP comes additional standard running gear, though. The 2026 BMW M3 gains a heated steering wheel as standard, and Competition models also get remote start standard. Oh, and BMW’s online configurator now shows some examples of what’s possible through the Individual program. The good news is that even in 2026, the G80 M3 remains arguably the performance sedan to beat.
2026 BMW M3 Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The fastest M3 you can buy is the BMW M3 Competition xDrive. It’s the all-wheel drive model and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under three seconds. Or, at least the one Car and Driver tested did. With 523 horsepower on tap, xDrive models are also the most powerful. Rear-wheel drive Competition models make do with 503 horsepower, and base M3 models suffer with “just” 473 horsepower. While the 50-horsepower gap might sound like a lot on paper, we doubt you’ll notice. Especially if you opt for a manual transmission, which keeps costs lower and is considerably more exciting to drive.
2026 BMW M3 Fuel Economy and MPG
With no mechanical changes, we expect the 2026 BMW M3 to perform identically to last year’s model. But, technically, the EPA hasn’t tested the car yet, so these are estimates. M3 models equipped with xDrive fare the worst in fuel economy; they achieved just 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway for a combined 18 mpg. Rear-wheel drive models do only 1 mpg overall better. It’s safe to call this one a tie. Besides, who’s buying an M3 for the fuel economy numbers? Optimistically, expect around 300 miles per full tank of gas.
Interior and Cargo Space
The 2026 BMW M3, like its predecessors, combines motorsport feel with luxury touches. The result is a cabin that is generally comfortable, although we recommend sampling the wicked cool, wicked expensive carbon fiber bucket seats before making a commitment to live with them. With only three trim choices — carbon fiber and two different aluminum looks — there’s frankly little choice to make past color and whether or not you want the additional Full leather option, which adds leather under the steering wheel and a leather glovebox. Reminder: no ventilated seats for those who opt for carbon buckets.
Trunk space in the BMW M3 is good, allowing the car to live up to its reputation for being as usable a daily driver as it is weapons-grade canyon-carving machine. With 16.9 cubic feet of trunk space, you’ll enjoy five cubic feet more than drivers of the Mercedes C-Class and four additional feet relative to Audi A4 drivers. Not bad, especially considering those fold-down rear seats for extra space. The backseats, while shy of spacious, are plenty comfortable even for adults.
2026 BMW M3 Technology and Connectivity
The 2026 BMW M3 gets iDrive 8.5, which is completely carried over from last year’s model. The Executive Package sees a substantial price decrease (from $1,600 to $1,100), making it more worthwhile than ever. While there’s a little de-contenting (since some of the stuff is now standard equipment), the important things — head-up display and full LED headlights — are well worth shelling out for. As usual, the M3 comes with wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, built-in navigation, app integration, and whole mess of other technology.
Safety and Driver Assistance Features
The $800 Parking Assistance Package remains a good value on the 2026 BMW M3. It adds a surround-view camera system and self-parking for cars with an automatic transmission. Also, a handy Drive Recorder that allows you to, well, record your drives. The Driving Assistance Professional Package costs $1,700 but is a good add for those that spend time in traffic. It adds mostly-automated driving on highways. Standard safety features like blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping, and rear cross-traffic alert round are also nice.
2026 BMW M3 Pricing
The BMW M3 is a lot more expnsive this year. The manual-equipped M3 starts at $79,575. Automatic rear-driven cars start at $83,775, while Competition xDrive models start at $88,875. As we said last year, there’s really no direct competition for the manual-equipped base M3. So, it’s hard to argue it’s a bad value. Illustrating the grim state of the performance sedan market, even the Competition models have few real rivals. Potential alternatives include the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, four-cylinder and AWD-only Mercedes-Benz AMG C63, and the interesting, but less athletic, Audi RS5 Sportback.
2026 BMW M3: Our Take
As we expressed in our take on the 2026 BMW M4, there’s a lot of value gained by ordering the manual transmission car and keeping costs down. Without over editorializing, the manual transmission is a severely endangered species that gives the modern M3 a considerably more special edge over rivals than it has in generations past. Of course, we also understand the allure of mashing the pedal and conjuring the growl-yowl-whoosh-snort of the S58 inline-six pulling to redline and shifting, putting you on a collision course with license-suspending speeds. The 2026 BMW M3 faithfully builds on a legacy of sport sedan supremacy.