Verdict
At RM378,800, the BMW iX3 is RM10,912 dearer than the RM367,888 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but it is a very different ownership proposition. The BMW’s two motors produce 463 hp and 645 Nm, reaching 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds while its 113.4-kWh battery claims 726 km of range. Its 400-kW DC charging ceiling suits an EV-led Malaysian household. The E-Class is the more traditional executive sedan: longer, 20 litres roomier in the boot and backed by a four-year warranty. Pick based on charging access, not badge alone.
Pick the BMW iX3 if you can charge regularly and want 463 hp, 726 km of claimed EV range, all-wheel drive and far quicker 4.9-second acceleration.
Pick the Mercedes-Benz E-Class if you want the lower entry price, a 540-litre boot, 240 km/h top speed and a four-year manufacturer warranty.
Key differences
- Price: BMW iX3 RM378,800; Mercedes-Benz E-Class RM367,888.
- Performance: BMW iX3 463 hp, 645 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds; Mercedes-Benz E-Class 201 hp, 320 Nm and 7.5 seconds.
- Powertrain: BMW iX3 has two electric motors and a 113.4-kWh battery; Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a 1,999-cc inline-four petrol hybrid/REV system and one 23-hp…
- Range and charging: BMW iX3 claims 726 km, with 22-kW AC and 400-kW DC charging; Mercedes-Benz E-Class has no EV range, AC or DC charging figure.
- Practicality: BMW iX3 is 4,782 mm long with a 520-litre boot; Mercedes-Benz E-Class is 4,949 mm long with a 540-litre boot.
- Warranty and safety: BMW iX3 has a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty and seven airbags; Mercedes-Benz E-Class has a four-year unlimited-mileage warranty and…
iX3
- 463 hp and 645 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.
- 726 km claimed range, 22-kW AC and 400-kW DC charging.
- All-wheel drive, head-up display and panoramic sunroof.
- RM10,912 more expensive than the E-Class.
- Two-year warranty versus the E-Class’s four years.
- 520-litre boot is 20 litres smaller.
E-Class
- Lower purchase price and lower RM380 annual road tax.
- 540-litre boot and 4,949-mm length.
- Four-year unlimited-mileage warranty and nine airbags.
- 0-100 km/h takes 7.5 seconds, against the iX3’s 4.9 seconds.
- Rear-wheel drive versus the iX3’s all-wheel drive.
- No head-up display or sunroof.
What the iX3 has over the E-Class
What the E-Class has over the iX3
Based on the published spec sheets of the selected variants — a blank field on one side can also mean unlisted data.
The E-Class's wheelbase is 64 mm longer, which usually translates to more rear legroom.
Representative body-type outlines, drawn to scale from each car's length and height.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM378,800 | RM367,888✓ |
| Body type | SUV | Sedan |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM765 | RM380✓ |
| Monthly instalment (est.) | RM3,865/mo | RM3,755/mo✓ |
| Insurance / year (est.) | RM10,097 | RM9,878✓ |
| Fuel or electricity / year (est.) | RM1,388 | — |
| Energy cost / 100 km (est.) | RM6.94 | — |
| 5-year running costs (est.) | RM61,248 | — |
| Charging (estimated) | ||
| AC charge 0–100% (est.) | 5.2 hours | — |
| DC charge 10–80% (est.) | 20 min | — |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 6th-generation BMW eDrive, 800V architecture | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | — | 1,999 cc |
| Horsepower | — | 201 hp at 5,800 rpm |
| Torque | — | 320 Nm at 2,000 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | — | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Electric | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore × Stroke | — | 83 mm × 92.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10 |
| Number of Motors | 2 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 463 hp✓ | 23 hp |
| Motor Torque | 645 Nm✓ | 205 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | 113.4 kWh | — |
| EV Range | 726 km | — |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 22 kW | — |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 400 kW | — |
| V2L | 3.7 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | — | 9G-Tronic |
| Gears | — | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Daimler AG |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.9 seconds✓ | 7.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 210 km/h | 240 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,782 mm | 4,949 mm |
| Width | 1,895 mm | 1,880 mm |
| Height | 1,635 mm | 1,468 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,897 mm | 2,961 mm |
| Weight | 2,285 kg | 1,825 kg |
| Fuel Tank | — | 66 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 520 litres | 540 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 255/35R22 | 245/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R22 | 275/40R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Pirelli P Zero |
| Wiper Blade (Driver) | — | 22 inch |
| Wiper Blade (Passenger) | — | 22 inch |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Hungary (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-link |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 22" Alloys (9J) | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 22" Alloys (9.5J) | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 (Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags, Front Centre Airbag) | 9 (Driver and Passenger, Driver's Knee, Front Side, Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| 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 |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED, with High-beam Assistant | Reflector LED with Adaptive High Beam |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | M Sport Seats, Power Adjustable with Driver Memory | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Driver Side Memory Settings |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | 3-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | Panoramic, with Climate Comfort Glazing | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Wireless Charger, 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear | — |
| Interior Lighting | Ambient Light | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | — | Rear Window Shades |
| Audio | Harman Kardon 13 Speakers (430W); 17.9" Central Display + 43.3" Panoramic Vision, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wireless Charging | 14.4" MBUX Multimedia with Online Music Streaming, AI functionality built-in, Seven Speaker Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless (Comfort Access) | Keyless Entry (Push Button Start) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Boot Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | Yes | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | Yes | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera | Yes, 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, Parking Assistant Professional with Remote Control Parking | 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 | Flexible Fast Charger (Mode 2) included; Drive Recorder and Remote Theft Recorder; Intelligent Personal Assistant | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 4 years✓ |
| Warranty Notes | RM399,800 with 5-year extended warranty and service package | — |
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. Running-cost estimates assume 20,000 km/year. Fuel at RM1.99/litre (RON95, subsidised). Electricity at RM0.44/kWh (TNB domestic, home charging); public DC charging costs around RM1.30/kWh. Charging times estimated from battery capacity and peak charging rates. Insurance: comprehensive motor tariff, no NCD. Instalment: 10% down, 2.5% flat rate, 9 years. Prices checked November 2026.
Used iX3 & E-Class for sale
Our reviews & guides
BMW iX3
iX3 vs E-Class FAQ
Is the BMW iX3 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class better?
The BMW iX3 is better for buyers with reliable charging, delivering 463 hp, 726 km claimed range and 4.9-second acceleration. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the better conventional executive sedan choice, with a larger boot, lower price and longer four-year warranty.
What is the price difference?
The BMW iX3 costs RM10,912 more than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Which one is quicker?
The BMW iX3 is much quicker, completing 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds versus 7.5 seconds for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The E-Class has the higher top speed, however, at 240 km/h against 210 km/h.
How long does charging take?
The iX3's 113.4 kWh battery takes about 5.2 hours for a full AC charge, and an estimated 20 minutes from 10% to 80% on a DC fast charger at its 400 kW peak.
Which one is locally assembled?
The E-Class is assembled in Malaysia (CKD), while the iX3 is fully imported (CBU) from Hungary. Local assembly generally helps pricing and spare-parts supply, and CKD programmes usually signal a longer-term commitment to the model here.