BMW M5 vs Toyota Alphard
Verdict
The BMW M5 is the driver’s weapon here: RM1,188,800 buys a petrol plug-in hybrid sedan with 591 hp, 750 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time. The Toyota Alphard is a very different executive car at RM548,000, with seven seats, a 510-litre boot, a 75-litre tank and five-year warranty cover. The RM640,800 gap is not subtle. The M5 is faster, lower and wider; the Alphard has the longer 3,000 mm wheelbase and far lower RM754 road tax.
M5
Pick the BMW M5 if you want the 591 hp, 750 Nm plug-in hybrid sedan with all-wheel drive, 67 km of EV range and 3.5-second acceleration.
Alphard
Pick the Toyota Alphard if you need seven seats, a 510-litre boot, lower RM754 road tax and a five-year warranty more than outright speed.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M5 RM1,188,800; Toyota Alphard RM548,000
- Power and torque: BMW M5 591 hp/750 Nm; Toyota Alphard 274 hp/430 Nm
- Seats and boot: BMW M5 5 seats/466 litres; Toyota Alphard 7 seats/510 litres
- Drivetrain and top speed: BMW M5 AWD/250 km/h; Toyota Alphard FWD/180 km/h
- Size: BMW M5 5,096 mm long/1,510 mm tall; Toyota Alphard 5,010 mm long/1,950 mm tall
- Warranty and road tax: BMW M5 2 years/RM8,408; Toyota Alphard 5 years/RM754
M5
- 591 hp and 750 Nm are far beyond the Alphard’s outputs
- All-wheel drive and 3.5-second 0-100 km/h pace
- 22.1 kWh battery gives 67 km of EV range
- Costs RM640,800 more than the Alphard
- RM8,408 annual road tax is heavy
- Only five seats and a smaller 466-litre boot
Alphard
- Seven seats suit family or chauffeur duty
- 510-litre boot is larger than the M5’s
- Five-year warranty and RM754 road tax are easier to live with
- 274 hp and 430 Nm trail the M5 by a wide margin
- Front-wheel drive only
- No quoted 0-100 km/h time or EV range
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 1,188,800 | RM 548,000✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | MPV |
| Segment | Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection, Variable Valve Timing and Lift, plug-in hybrid assistance | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharger and Intercooler with Dual VVT-i |
| Capacity | 4,395 cc | 2,393 cc |
| Horsepower | 591 hp✓ | 274 hp |
| Torque | 750 Nm✓ | 430 Nm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | V | Inline |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid | Petrol |
| Bore | — | 87.5 mm |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Motor Horsepower | 194 hp | — |
| Motor Torque | 280 Nm | — |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion | — |
| Battery Capacity | 22.1 kWh | — |
| EV Range | 67 km | — |
| Charger Type (AC) | Type 2 | — |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 7.4 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | M Steptronic | Direct Shift 8-speed Automatic with Sequential Shiftmatic |
| Gears | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Toyota |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds | — |
| Rated Economy | — | 9 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,096 mm | 5,010 mm |
| Width | 1,970 mm | 1,850 mm |
| Height | 1,510 mm | 1,950 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 3,000 mm |
| Weight | 2,510 kg | 2,235 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 60 litres | 75 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 466 litres | 510 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 265/40R20 | 225/55R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 295/35R21 | 225/55R19 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Hankook S1 evo Z | Michelin Primacy SUV+ |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Double Wishbone |
| Front Wheels | 20" M Alloys | 19" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 21" M Alloys | 19" Alloy |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated and Cross Drilled Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Ventilated and Cross Drilled Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | M Adaptive Suspension | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| 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 | 6 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for outer two rear passenger seats | Available on Two Middle Row Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, TSS Pre-collision Braking (4-120 km/h) with Pedestrian Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Auto High Beam | LED Projector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Side Memory, Passenger Side Shoulder Switch |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Ottoman Captain's Chairs Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding, 60:40 Split-folding Last Row |
| 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, Rear |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Rear | 2 Front, 1 Console Box, 2 First Row, 2 Second Row |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | Rear Window Shades | Powered Rear Sun Shades, Powered Panoramic Roof Shades |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Curved Display Live Cockpit Professional, 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound System | 14" Display Audio with Touch Screen, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Connectivity, 15-speaker JBL Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side 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 |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Steering Assist and Curve Speed Reduction |
| 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 | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, With 360 Degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Power Door | Yes | Power sliding with soft close function |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years | — |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 8,408 | RM 754✓ |
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.
M5 vs Alphard FAQ
Is the BMW M5 or Toyota Alphard better?
For performance, the BMW M5 wins with 591 hp, 750 Nm, AWD and 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. For carrying people, the Toyota Alphard is better with seven seats, a 510-litre boot and a five-year warranty.
What is the price difference?
The BMW M5 costs RM640,800 more than the Toyota Alphard. That gap separates a high-output plug-in hybrid performance sedan from a seven-seat petrol MPV.
Which is more practical for Malaysian family use?
The Toyota Alphard is the practical pick: seven seats, 510 litres of boot space, a 3,000 mm wheelbase and RM754 road tax. The BMW M5 is quicker, but it seats five and has a 466-litre boot.