Verdict
For a Malaysian buyer, the BMW i5 is the rational executive EV: its 83.9-kWh battery delivers 627 km, only 69 km behind the EQS’s 108.4-kWh, while 22-kW AC charging is twice the Mercedes’ 11 kW. The Mercedes-Benz EQS earns its luxury billing with 443 hp, 828 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 4.8-second sprint to 100 km/h. It is also roomier, with a 610-litre boot and 3,210-mm wheelbase, but the i5’s 490-litre boot and 2,995-mm wheelbase remain substantial for five seats.
i5
Pick the BMW i5 if you want 627 km of range, 22-kW AC charging and a far lower purchase price without giving up a five-seat executive sedan.
EQS
Pick the Mercedes-Benz EQS if you want 443 hp, 828 Nm, all-wheel drive, a larger cabin and the richer rear-seat entertainment and comfort equipment.
Key differences
- Price: BMW i5 RM368,800; Mercedes-Benz EQS RM648,888.
- Motor output: BMW i5 335 hp and 430 Nm; Mercedes-Benz EQS 443 hp and 828 Nm.
- Battery and range: BMW i5 83.9 kWh and 627 km; Mercedes-Benz EQS 108.4 kWh and 696 km.
- Charging: BMW i5 22-kW AC and 205-kW DC; Mercedes-Benz EQS 11-kW AC and 200-kW DC.
- Performance: BMW i5 0-100 km/h in 6.0 seconds and 193 km/h; Mercedes-Benz EQS 4.8 seconds and 210 km/h.
- Space: BMW i5 has a 2,995-mm wheelbase and 490-litre boot; Mercedes-Benz EQS has a 3,210-mm wheelbase and 610-litre boot.
i5
- 22-kW AC charging and 205-kW DC charging.
- 627-km EV range from an 83.9-kWh battery.
- Powered rear sunshade, sunroof shade and rear-door window shades.
- Single motor, rear-wheel drive and 6.0-second 0-100 km/h time trail the EQS’s dual motors, all-wheel drive and 4.8 seconds.
- 490-litre boot is 120 litres smaller than the EQS’s 610 litres.
- Two-year vehicle warranty and 8-year/160,000-km battery warranty are shorter than the EQS coverage.
EQS
- 443 hp, 828 Nm and all-wheel drive.
- 610-litre boot and 3,210-mm wheelbase.
- Power-adjustable, heated and ventilated rear seats with rear entertainment displays.
- RM648,888 price is RM280,088 higher than the BMW i5.
- 11-kW AC charging is half the BMW i5’s 22-kW rate.
- At 2,480 kg, it is 275 kg heavier than the BMW i5.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM368,800✓ | RM648,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Luxury |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Electric | Electric |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 2 |
| Motor Horsepower | 335 hp | 443 hp✓ |
| Motor Torque | 430 Nm | 828 Nm✓ |
| Battery Capacity | 83.9 kWh | 108.4 kWh✓ |
| EV Range | 627 km | 696 km✓ |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 22 kW✓ | 11.0 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 205 kW✓ | 200.0 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mercedes-Benz |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 6 seconds | 4.8 seconds✓ |
| Top Speed | 193 km/h | 210 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,060 mm | 5,216 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,926 mm |
| Height | 1,515 mm | 1,512 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,995 mm | 3,210 mm |
| Weight | 2,205 kg | 2,480 kg |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 490 litres | 610 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 245/40R20 | 255/45R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R20 | 255/45R20 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli P Zero Elekt | Pirelli P Zero |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" Alloys | 20" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" Alloys | 20" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | AIRMATIC with Adaptive Damping System (ADS PLUS) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Side, Rear Seat Belt Bag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | — | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | — | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electric for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three Point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on outer rear seats | Available for Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (up to 130 km/h) and Evasive Steering Assist (up to 108 km/h) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Adaptive High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Memory Settings | Power-adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split Fold | Power-adjustable Rear Seats, Heated and Ventilated, 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof | Panoramic, Front Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 2x Wireless Charger, 2x USB-C ports front, 2x USB-C ports rear | 1 Front, 6 Front USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Rear Windscreen Sun Shade & Sunroof Shade, Manual Rear Door Window Shades | — |
| Audio | 14.9" Touchscreen BMW Live Cockpit Professional with Voice Control, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto and 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound System (655W) | 17.7" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 12.3" OLED Touchscreen for Front Passenger; 11.6" Rear Entertainment Displays; 7" Rear Android Tablet; 15-speaker, 710-watt Burmester 3D Surround Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist and Stop and Go |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activated with Contactless Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | Front and Rear MBUX Interior Assistant, Fingerprint Scanner, Front and Rear Qi Wireless Chargers, Rear Wireless Headsets |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 4 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years | — |
| Warranty Notes | 8 Years/ 160,000 km Warranty for EV Battery | 10 Years/250,000 km Warranty for Traction Battery |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM395✓ | RM715 |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used i5 & EQS for sale
i5 vs EQS FAQ
Is the BMW i5 or Mercedes-Benz EQS better?
The BMW i5 is the better buy for most buyers, pairing 627 km of range with 22-kW AC charging. Choose the EQS if its 443 hp, all-wheel drive, larger 610-litre boot and rear-seat luxury matter more than cost.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz EQS costs RM280,088 more than the BMW i5: RM648,888 versus RM368,800.
Which EV is better for rear passengers?
The Mercedes-Benz EQS is better for rear passengers. It has a 3,210-mm wheelbase, power-adjustable heated and ventilated rear seats, 11.6-inch rear entertainment displays and a 7-inch rear Android tablet. The BMW i5 has a 2,995-mm wheelbase and 60:40 split-folding rear seats.