5 cars that give you BMW thrills without the BMW bill

As enthusiasts, we want a car that meets all basic modern expectations – basic human rights, if you will – while offering sporty dynamics. BMW, like other German brands, has the secret of the formula. One of the cornerstones of the enthusiast car experience is the preference for rear-wheel drive. Other key areas we don’t want to forget are the agile handling, significant power and torque. Then there is the luxurious finish that the BMW brand is so good at.

So if you want refinement, accessible power and sharp dynamics, buy a BMW. However, many enthusiasts like to think outside the box, and this list of cars is for those types of enthusiasts. Each of the following five machines is an individual alternative to a specific BMW model. They each offer similar power, rear-wheel drive and, crucially, are cheaper than their Bavarian counterparts.

2025 Cadillac CT4

MSRP: $35,600

There will only be a handful of American gasoline sedans on sale in 2025, most notably the Cadillac CT5 and the Dodge Charger Six Pack. Then there is this one, the compact CT4, which takes on the stiff German competition. The Cadillac CT4 is a premium choice that, while it doesn’t offer the kind of ride quality or refinement offered by its German rivals, is a strong offering that could tempt buyers away from the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. The interior offers its own take on the clean and minimalist layout favored by BMW, and the exterior does well to stand out in a more flamboyant way.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is based on a front-wheel drive chassis with available all-wheel drive, but the CT4 is rear-wheel drive, again with all-wheel drive. Cadillac’s CT4 comes with two engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder or the 2.7-liter four for some trims. Even the base engine produces 237 hp, which is only four hp less than the BMW 228i. Crucially, the base CT4 is also $4,000 cheaper than the BMW. Both will make the commute interesting, but only one offers the kind of charisma that comes from the combination of American pride and flair.

Basic specifications

2025 Lexus IS300

MSRP: $41,830

Another model competing in the cutthroat arena of compact executive sedans, this time against BMW’s own 3 Series. Still in its long-running third generation that has been on the market since 2013, the Lexus IS has been redesigned for 2026 with a redesigned front fascia and features such as a new 12.3-inch infotainment screen in the rethought interior. The IS 300 four-cylinder and the IS 500 F Sport with V8 engine are also disappearing. For now, the 2025 Lexus IS is still a great entry-level compact to consider in place of the 3 Series.

So, what do you get if you choose the Lexus IS over the base 3 Series? Fresh Lexus styling, a luxurious interior with features like power seats and dual-zone climate control, available heated/ventilated seats, and a price that undercuts the BMW 330i by about $5,000. The four-cylinder engine of the entry-level Lexus IS 300 produces 241 hp (14 hp less than the 330i), but like the BMW can also be specified with rear or all-wheel drive. Reviews usually mention the slightly less engaging dynamics than you’d find in a BMW 3 Series, but the IS is a good all-rounder, trading on comfort instead. If the four-cylinder of the 2025 IS 300 is not enough power for you, the 2026 IS 350 comes standard with the 311-hp V6.

Basic specifications

2025 Genesis G70

MSRP: $43,450

Don’t dismiss the Genesis G70 as a quaint, cheap, semi-luxury sedan that doesn’t deserve a second glance when sportiness is required. The luxury compact sedan from Hyundai’s sub-brand Genesis offers its own take on the executive sedan breed with truly original and attractive styling, a luxurious interior with a 10.3-inch infotainment display and a long list of standard features, even including leatherette upholstery, heated seats, 19-inch wheels, hands-free trunk, adaptive cruise control and more. The G70 from Genesis has an agile chassis that has managed to hold its own against the German brands, while comfort has not been forgotten.

With all these qualities, the powertrain or price has to be let down, right? We can report that no, the G70 undercuts the equivalent base BMW 330i by $4,000 for the rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive models. It also comes with a punchy four-cylinder, 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that offers 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. That’s good enough for a 0-60mph time of under six seconds, and the Brembo brakes slow the whole thing down after that.

Basic specifications

What I particularly appreciate about this car is that it doesn’t try to be anything else. It doesn’t try to copy a German sedan, but rather presents itself as its own elegantly styled and well-curated South Korean offering.

2025 Toyota GR Supra

MSRP: $57,500

The Toyota GR Supra is not a sedan, but it is a cheaper competitor to another important BMW model: the BMW Z4 roadster. They both share the mechanical underpinnings, interior components and of course the powertrain features. What makes them fundamentally different is the Supra’s coupe design versus the Z4’s drop-top format, but the styling and chassis engineering are also aimed at a different kind of enthusiast. Despite sharing the BMW Z4 M40i’s 382-horsepower B58 inline-six engine, the GR Supra starts from $57,500, while the Z4 M40i starts negotiations at $68,400. Both can be ordered with a manual transmission, and both can reach 60 mph in similar times (about 3.5 seconds).

The Z4 is more expensive, feels more premium inside and has a less aggressive ride – it’s a grand tourer through and through. Toyota’s GR Supra, on the other hand, is a sports car through and through, forever in the shadow of the A80 Supra of the ’90s, but a great alternative to the Z4 with a more exciting character and, incredibly, a price tag that will leave you $11,000 in the bank for new tires and brakes. Both models will disappear in 2026 and should be celebrated while they still exist in a world that is losing its sports car icons.

Basic specifications

2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

MSRP: $97,600

The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is laughing at you for comparing it to the BMW M5 – it offers all the firepower you could wish for and knows that its own American brand of power and charisma stands out against the clinical precision of the Bavarian super sedan. At the top of the Cadillac CT5 performance hierarchy is the Blackwing, the ultimate version of the already powerful CT5-V. It swaps that car’s twin-turbo V6 for a fire-breathing 6.2-liter supercharged eight-piston dinosaur. It’s the LT4 engine found in the Chevy Camaro ZL1 and Cadillac Escalade-V, and it powers the rear wheels and optional manual transmission with 668 horsepower. 0-100 km/h is possible in 3.5 seconds.

BMW’s M5 is an elite performance sedan with a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged hybrid V8 producing 717 horsepower. It can knock on the door from 60 mph in half a second less, but the price is also high: about $122,000 versus the Blackwing’s sticker of $97,600. That’s a big savings, and despite the inevitable comparisons in driving dynamics or interior refinement, the Cadillac’s manual transmission and rear-wheel drive are an easy path to the enthusiast’s heart. Actually, the CT5-V Blackwing is the kind of purchase you make entirely with your heart.

Basic specifications

You don’t so much pilot the Blackwing as hold on for dear life. In some sports cars it is possible to use the full accelerator pedal immediately. This is not one of those cars.

Sources: Cadillac, BMW, Toyota, Genesis, Lexus