Verdict
At RM24,088 less and with RM1,015 annual road tax against RM2,128, the BMW i7 makes the stronger case for a Malaysian buyer able to charge regularly. Its 625-km EV range and 195-kW DC capability are materially ahead, while 0-100 km/h takes 4.7 seconds. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class answers with a petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain, 100 km of EV range and a chauffeur-minded rear cabin: ventilated, massaging outer seats, rear screens and a powered left ottoman. Choose the S-Class for that rear-seat kit; choose the i7 for electric distance and its 525-litre boot.
i7
Pick the BMW i7 if you want 625 km of EV range, 195-kW DC charging, AWD and a 525-litre boot.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if rear-seat massage, ventilation, an ottoman and rear entertainment matter more than long electric range.
Key differences
- EV range: BMW i7 625 km; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 100 km.
- DC charging: BMW i7 195 kW; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 60 kW.
- 0-100 km/h: BMW i7 4.7 seconds; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 5.2 seconds.
- Boot space: BMW i7 525 litres; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 350 litres.
- Annual road tax: BMW i7 RM1,015; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM2,128.
- Manufacturer warranty: BMW i7 two years; Mercedes-Benz S-Class four years.
i7
- 625-km EV range and 195-kW DC charging
- Quicker 4.7-second 0-100 km/h time with AWD
- 525-litre boot and lower RM1,015 annual road tax
- Two-year manufacturer warranty versus four years
- 240-km/h top speed versus 250 km/h
- Pedestrian autonomous braking operates from 5 to 80 km/h, versus up to 130 km/h for the S-Class
S-Class
- Outer rear seats get heating, ventilation, massage and one-touch recline
- Rear entertainment includes two 11-inch displays, a seven-inch tablet and 15-speaker Burmester audio
- Autonomous braking detects pedestrians and cyclists up to 130 km/h, plus evasive steering assist up to 108 km/h
- 100-km EV range versus 625 km
- 60-kW DC charging versus 195 kW
- 350-litre boot versus 525 litres
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM714,800✓ | RM738,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Luxury | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM1,015✓ | RM2,128 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 5th-generation BMW eDrive, 400V architecture | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | — | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | — | 362 hp |
| Torque | — | 500 Nm |
| Fuel | Electric | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore | — | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 2 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 536 hp✓ | 147 hp |
| Motor Torque | 745 Nm✓ | 440 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 28.6 kWh |
| EV Range | 625 km✓ | 100 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 11 kW | 11 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 195 kW✓ | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | — | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | — | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.7 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 1 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 240 km/h | 250 km/h✓ |
| Co2 | — | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,391 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,950 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,544 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,215 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 2,715 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | — | 67 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 525 litres✓ | 350 litres |
| Front Tyre | 255/45R20 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 255/45R20 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | — | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli P Zero | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" M Aerodynamic style 909 M alloy wheels | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" M Aerodynamic style 909 M alloy wheels | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive Air Suspension, All-wheel steering | Adaptive Dampers |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Rear Passengers, Front and Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Left Cushion |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electronic for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point with Illumination and Rear Belt Bags |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | — | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, with Pedestrian Detection (5 km/h to 80 km/h) | 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 Projectors with Auto High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | Power Adjustable Rear Seats with Power Adjustments | Power Adjustable Outer Rear Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation, Massage and One-touch Recline Functions; Folding Rear Pillow Headrests with Built-in Neck Warmers; Powered Ottoman and Leg Rest for Left Seat with Massage Function; Centre Load-through |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Air Balance Perfume System and Ioniser |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Sky Lounge Panoramic Glass Roof | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | — | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (15 Colours) | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 4 | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | 2x Side Shade, 1x Rear Shade | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Curved Display Live Cockpit Professional, 10-Speaker HiFi Loudspeaker System | 12.8" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 11" Rear Entertainment Displays; 7" Rear Android Tablet; 15-speaker Burmester 3D Surround Sound System (710 Watts) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | 4 | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button Start | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Surround View Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Power Door | Yes | Soft Close Function, All Doors |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | 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-year/160,000 km Battery Warranty | 8-year/160,000 km Battery Warranty |
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 i7 & S-Class for sale
i7 vs S-Class FAQ
Is the BMW i7 or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The BMW i7 is better for regular electric driving, with 625 km of range, 195-kW DC charging, AWD and a 525-litre boot. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is better if its extensively equipped rear cabin and petrol plug-in hybrid flexibility are the priority.
What is the price difference?
The BMW i7 costs RM714,800 and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs RM738,888, so the i7 is RM24,088 cheaper.
Which one is better for long EV trips?
The BMW i7 is the clear choice, with 625 km of EV range and 195-kW DC charging. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has a 28.6-kWh battery, 100 km of EV range and 60-kW DC charging.