Verdict
At RM1,200,800, the BMW M5 costs RM461,912 more than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and its 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time versus 5.2 seconds makes it the serious driver’s choice. But its 2,510 kg kerb weight and RM8,408 annual road tax are substantial Malaysian ownership commitments. The S-Class is the better chauffeured sedan: its 3,216 mm wheelbase, reclining massaging rear seats and 100 km electric range make daily urban running and back-seat travel easier. Choose the M5 for pace and a 466-litre boot; choose the Mercedes for luxury, charging flexibility and lower bills.
M5
Pick the BMW M5 if 3.5-second acceleration, all-wheel drive and the larger 466-litre boot matter more than price, road tax and electric range.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you prioritise rear-seat luxury, 100 km EV range, 60 kW DC charging and much lower annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M5 RM1,200,800; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888.
- Performance: BMW M5 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds; Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 5.2 seconds.
- Electric range: BMW M5 67 km; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 100 km.
- Charging: BMW M5 7.4 kW AC and no DC rate; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 11 kW AC and 60 kW DC.
- Wheelbase: BMW M5 2,857 mm; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 3,216 mm.
- Annual road tax: BMW M5 RM8,408; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM2,128.
M5
- 3.5-second 0-100 km/h acceleration and all-wheel drive.
- 466-litre boot, versus 350 litres.
- 591 hp and 750 Nm petrol engine figures.
- RM461,912 more expensive.
- 67 km EV range is 33 km shorter.
- RM8,408 annual road tax versus RM2,128.
S-Class
- 100 km EV range with 11 kW AC and 60 kW DC charging.
- Extensive rear-seat adjustment, heating, ventilation, massage and left-side ottoman.
- Long 3,216 mm wheelbase and 4-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
- 5.2-second 0-100 km/h time trails the M5 by 1.7 seconds.
- 350-litre boot is 116 litres smaller.
- Rear-wheel drive rather than the M5's all-wheel drive.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM1,200,800 | RM738,888✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM8,408 | RM2,128✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection, Variable Valve Timing and Lift, plug-in hybrid assistance | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 4,395 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 591 hp✓ | 362 hp |
| Torque | 750 Nm✓ | 500 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore | — | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 194 hp✓ | 147 hp |
| Motor Torque | 280 Nm | 440 Nm✓ |
| Battery Capacity | 22.1 kWh | 28.6 kWh✓ |
| EV Range | 67 km | 100 km✓ |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 7.4 kW | 11 kW✓ |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | M Steptronic | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 8 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 1 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | — | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,096 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,970 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,510 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 2,510 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 60 litres | 67 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 466 litres✓ | 350 litres |
| Front Tyre | 265/40R20 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 295/35R21 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Hankook S1 evo Z | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" M Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" M Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | M Adaptive Suspension | Adaptive Dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag | 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 | Manual 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 outer two rear passenger seats | Available for 2 Outer Rear 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 Auto High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 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 | — | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Rear | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Rear Window Shades | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Curved Display Live Cockpit Professional, 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound 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 | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button Start | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Proximity Lock/Unlock | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | 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 | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening | 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, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| 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 |
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 M5 & S-Class for sale
M5 vs S-Class FAQ
Is the BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The BMW M5 is better for outright performance, all-wheel drive and luggage space. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is better for rear-seat comfort, electric-only range, charging capability and lower ownership costs.
What is the price difference?
The BMW M5 costs RM461,912 more than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. That is a major premium for its 3.5-second 0-100 km/h pace, all-wheel drive and larger 466-litre boot.
Which is better for chauffeured passengers?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It has a 3,216 mm wheelbase, power-adjustable rear outer seats with heating, ventilation and massage, plus a left-rear ottoman and leg rest.