23-05-2025
2025 BMW M2 Yearlong Review: Over-the-Air Software Updates
We expected our yearlong review 2025 BMW M2 to be great to drive, a rock star on track, and easy to live with. We also expected the Twilight Purple car delivered to us in December of 2024 would be the same car in May of 2025. Much to our delight, that's not been the case.
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Our M2 has been the regular recipient of over-the-air (OTA) software updates that have added features and improved the overall ownership experience, all thanks to BMW's splashy My BMW mobile app and its latest OS 8.5 in-car operating system.
While OTA software updates are incredibly common in our fleet of yearlong EVs, they're somewhat of a novelty in our internal-combustion-engine-powered cars. Of the dozen-plus ICE yearlong review test cars we've had in our fleet over the past year and a half, only a small handful had mobile apps worth using (like our Genesis G90), and even fewer were the recipients of over-the-air software updates (our Subarus have been the standouts here). That makes BMW's combination of My BMW and regular OTA updates such a killer app.
The features added to our M2 are minor in comparison to some items added to our EVs, such as our Tesla Model Y's Smart Summon feature. But they show BMW's clear desire to continue iterating on and improving the M2 and other models running OS 8.5.
So far, the regular monthly updates to our M2 have consisted of minor tweaks and bug patches, adding features such as a more intuitive navigation menu search bar, or making wireless phone mirroring more stable.
Considering the laundry list of apps already included in our M2—such as a drift analyzer, for instance—we're not exactly clamoring for new features. That said, we eagerly await whatever BMW's software team comes up with.
OTA updates can be downloaded automatically or manually either via the car's iDrive controller, or via the My BMW mobile app. Although our M2 is set for automatic software updates, we prefer using the latter mostly because of how great the app is.
Unlike the laggy mobile apps from many legacy automakers, BMW's is snappy and intuitive. The home page shows an image of our M2 with the words 'ALL GOOD' behind it—presumably because all, for now, is indeed good—and we can see its fuel level and range, as well as control the locks, lights, and horn, and ventilate the cabin remotely.
The latter is a particularly nifty feature since our six-speed manual-equipped M2 is unavailable with remote start, and this lets us precool or -heat our BMW's cabin before we hop in.
The app has other functions, too. You can preplan road trips and send the information from your phone directly to the BMW's native nav system (a feature we'd be more inclined to use in an EV); find your car if you can't remember where you parked; and nerd out on the mileage, time, average fuel economy, carbon emissions, and average speed of your past drives.
The app even gives you a Spotify year in review–like update at the end of every month, comparing your mileage and consumption to that of the average M2 owner. According to this, we're driving ours far more other owners.
You can also subscribe to new features under the 'Connected Drive Upgrades' tab. No, BMW of North America isn't making us 'subscribe' to our M2's heated seats, but it was an interesting feature to stumble upon.
Thus far, only one subscription service is available on our M2. Dubbed 'Traffic Camera Information,' this feature alerts drivers of nearby traffic enforcement cameras. We subscribed to a monthlong free trial via the app, and if we find it's a feature we can't live without, we can add full service for $25 per year. So far, the jury is out, but we'd likely find it more useful if our M2 was based in a locale with more camera traps.
We're excited to see that our M2—like the EVs in our fleet—can be improved over time. One thing, however, that we hope doesn't change is how fantastic it is once we put phone down, turn off the screen, and just drive.
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