Verdict
At RM378,800, the BMW iX3 undercuts the RM428,888 Volvo EX90 by RM50,088, while cutting annual road tax from RM1,940 to RM765. It also travels further on paper, at 726 km versus 617 km, and accepts 400 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging. The EX90 answers with seven seats, 671 hp and a 4.2-second 0-100 km/h time, plus active air suspension. For most five-seat Malaysian households, the BMW’s longer range, bigger 520-litre boot and lower running costs make more sense; large families will find the Volvo’s third row hard to ignore.
iX3
Pick the BMW iX3 if you want the RM50,088 saving, 726 km range, faster 400 kW DC charging and a 520-litre five-seat boot.
EX90
Pick the Volvo EX90 if you need seven seats, active air suspension and much stronger 671 hp, 870 Nm performance.
Key differences
- Price: BMW iX3 RM378,800; Volvo EX90 RM428,888.
- EV range: BMW iX3 726 km; Volvo EX90 617 km.
- Charging: BMW iX3 22 kW AC and 400 kW DC; Volvo EX90 11 kW AC and 350 kW DC.
- Performance: BMW iX3 463 hp, 645 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds; Volvo EX90 671 hp, 870 Nm and 4.2 seconds.
- Seating and boot: BMW iX3 has 5 seats and 520 litres; Volvo EX90 has 7 seats and 310 litres.
- Annual road tax: BMW iX3 RM765; Volvo EX90 RM1,940.
iX3
- RM50,088 lower purchase price and RM1,175 lower annual road tax.
- 726 km range, with 400 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging.
- 520-litre boot and 3.7 kW V2L output.
- Five seats versus the EX90's seven.
- 463 hp and 645 Nm trail the EX90's 671 hp and 870 Nm.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty versus five years.
EX90
- Seven seats, including a 50:50 third row and integrated booster cushions on the outer second-row seats.
- 671 hp, 870 Nm and a 4.2-second 0-100 km/h time.
- Active air suspension, ventilated Nappa front seats with massage and a 25-speaker 1,600-watt Bowers & Wilkins system.
- RM50,088 more expensive, with RM1,940 annual road tax against RM765.
- 617 km range trails the iX3's 726 km, while charging is limited to 11 kW AC and 350 kW DC.
- 310-litre boot is 210 litres smaller than the iX3's 520 litres.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM378,800✓ | RM428,888 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM765✓ | RM1,940 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 6th-generation BMW eDrive, 800V architecture | 800V architecture |
| Fuel | Electric | Electric |
| Number of Motors | 2 | 2 |
| Motor Horsepower | 463 hp | 671 hp✓ |
| Motor Torque | 645 Nm | 870 Nm✓ |
| Battery Capacity | 113.4 kWh✓ | 106 kWh |
| EV Range | 726 km✓ | 617 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 22 kW✓ | 11 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | 400 kW✓ | 350 kW |
| V2L | 3.7 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.9 seconds | 4.2 seconds✓ |
| Top Speed | 210 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,782 mm | 5,037 mm |
| Width | 1,895 mm | 1,964 mm |
| Height | 1,635 mm | 1,747 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,897 mm | 2,985 mm |
| Weight | 2,285 kg | 2,704 kg |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 520 litres✓ | 310 litres |
| Front Tyre | 255/35R22 | 265/45R21 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/35R22 | 295/40R21 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Michelin Pilot Sport EV VOL |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Hungary (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Active Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Active Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 22" Alloys (9J) | 21" 8-spoke Glossy Black Diamond-cut Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 22" Alloys (9.5J) | 21" 8-spoke Glossy Black Diamond-cut Alloys |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Active Chassis with Air Suspension |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Front Side and Rear Curtain Airbags, Front Centre Airbag | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Driver's Knee, Front Center Airbag, Front and Rear Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Electronic for Rear Doors | Electric for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats | Available on outer rear seats, with Integrated Booster Cushions |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Full Auto Brake, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | For All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Roof-mounted LiDAR removed on the CKD model (driver assistance functionality largely unchanged); dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin processors |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED, with High-beam Assistant | LED Reflector with Auto 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 | Powered and Ventilated Nappa Leather Seats with Massage |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Second row 40:20:40 Split Folding with integrated booster child seat for the outer seats, Third Row 50:50 |
| Front Air-con | 3-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic, with Climate Comfort Glazing | Panoramic Glass Roof |
| Power Sockets | 1 Wireless Charger, 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear | 2 USB-C Front, 1 Wireless Charger Front, 2 USB-C Middle Row, 2 USB-C Third Row |
| Interior Lighting | Ambient Light | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Audio | Harman Kardon 13 Speakers (430W); 17.9" Central Display + 43.3" Panoramic Vision, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wireless Charging | 14.5" Touchscreen with Android Automotive OS, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound System (1,600 watt) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless (Comfort Access) | Keyless (Depress Brake to Start) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Steering Assist |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | — | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot | Powered Boot, Contactless Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | Yes | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | Yes | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera | Yes, with 360 Surround View Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes, Parking Assistant Professional with Remote Control Parking | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Yes |
| 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 | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Notes | RM399,800 with 5-year extended warranty and service package | 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 iX3 & EX90 for sale
iX3 vs EX90 FAQ
Is the BMW iX3 or Volvo EX90 better?
The BMW iX3 is the better fit for a five-seat buyer focused on price, range, charging and boot space. The Volvo EX90 is the better choice only if seven seats, stronger performance and active air suspension outweigh its higher cost and shorter range.
What is the price difference?
The Volvo EX90 costs RM50,088 more than the BMW iX3: RM428,888 versus RM378,800. Its annual road tax is also RM1,175 higher, at RM1,940 compared with RM765.
Which one charges faster and goes farther?
The BMW iX3 does both on paper: 726 km range versus 617 km, 22 kW AC charging versus 11 kW, and 400 kW DC charging versus 350 kW for the Volvo EX90.