Verdict
The BMW X1 costs RM252,800, undercutting the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ by RM22,088 while bringing a more useful 476-litre boot and five-door SUV body. Its 201 hp petrol turbo reaches 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and carries a RM439 annual road-tax bill. The RM274,888 CLA EQ is the quicker, more technology-heavy choice: its 268 hp rear motor does 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, its 85 kWh battery is rated for 748 km, and road tax is RM260. Malaysian EV buyers must account for its lack of 400V DC charger compatibility.
X1
Pick the BMW X1 if you want the lower RM252,800 entry price, a 476-litre boot and SUV practicality.
CLA EQ
Pick the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ if you want 748 km rated range, 320 kW DC charging and stronger driver assistance.
Key differences
- Price: BMW X1 RM252,800; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ RM274,888.
- Power and acceleration: BMW X1 201 hp and 7.6 seconds to 100 km/h; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ 268 hp and 6.7 seconds.
- Energy use: BMW X1 7.2 L/100 km petrol economy; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ 85 kWh battery with 748 km EV range.
- Boot space: BMW X1 476 litres; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ 405 litres.
- Dimensions: BMW X1 is 4,500 mm long with a 2,692 mm wheelbase; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ is 4,723 mm long with a 2,790 mm wheelbase.
- Warranty: BMW X1 has a two-year manufacturer warranty; Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ has four years plus an eight-year/160,000 km battery warranty.
X1
- RM22,088 cheaper to buy.
- 476-litre boot is 71 litres larger.
- 236 km/h top speed versus 210 km/h.
- 7.6-second 0-100 km/h time trails the CLA EQ's 6.7 seconds.
- Only passive cruise control and lane-keeping warning, versus Distronic stop-and-go cruise control and steering correction.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty is half the CLA EQ's four years.
CLA EQ
- 268 hp and 335 Nm rear motor; 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds.
- 85 kWh battery, 748 km rated range and up to 320 kW DC charging.
- Gets 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane-keeping steering correction.
- Costs RM22,088 more.
- 405-litre boot is 71 litres smaller than the X1's.
- Its 800V system does not support 400V DC chargers.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM252,800✓ | RM274,888 |
| Body type | SUV | Sedan |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM439 | RM260✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC direct injection with twin-scroll turbocharger, variable valve timing | MMA platform, 800V architecture; no 400V DC charger compatibility |
| Capacity | 1,998 cc | — |
| Horsepower | 201 hp | — |
| Torque | 300 Nm | — |
| Fuel | Petrol | Electric |
| Bore | 82 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 11.1 | — |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 268 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 335 Nm |
| Battery Capacity | — | 85 kWh |
| EV Range | — | 748 km |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 11 kW |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 320 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) | Two-speed Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Steptronic Dual-clutch | Two-speed Automatic |
| Gears | 7 | 2 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Getrag | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 7.6 seconds | 6.7 seconds✓ |
| Rated Economy | 7.2 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 236 km/h✓ | 210 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,500 mm | 4,723 mm |
| Width | 1,845 mm | 1,855 mm |
| Height | 1,642 mm | 1,468 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,692 mm | 2,790 mm |
| Weight | — | 1,980 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 45 litres | — |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 476 litres✓ | 405 litres |
| Front Tyre | 245/45R19 | 225/40R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 245/45R19 | 255/35R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | — |
| Factory Tyres | Continental EcoContact 6 Q | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Germany (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 19" V-spoke style 867 Bicolour Light Alloy Wheels | 19" AMG Five-twin-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 19" V-spoke style 867 Bicolour Light Alloy Wheels | 19" AMG Five-twin-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Front, front-side, rear | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Curtains, Driver Knee and Centre |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | — | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on front passenger seat and two outer rear passenger seats | Available on Two Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Evasive Steering Assist |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Warning Only | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Traffic Sign Recognition, Curve Speed Reduction, Emergency Stop Assist, Parking AEB, Evasive Steering Assist. MB.Drive Assist (Level 2, adds lane centring and auto lane change) is a subscription: RM169/month (first month free), RM1,690/12 months or RM4,059/36 months incl. service tax |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED Projector | Multibeam LED with Adaptive High Beam and Illuminated Star DRL |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | LED with Starry Motif |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | — |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats | Sports Seats, Artico Faux Leather with Dinamica Microfibre |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 40:20:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Rear AC Vents | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, with Heat-rejection Coating (no sunshade) |
| Power Sockets | 2x USB-C front, 2x USB-C rear | 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | 64-colour Ambient Lighting |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Audio | 10.7" BMW Operating System 8 with Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto | MBUX Superscreen: 10.25" Cluster + Twin 14" Touchscreens, MB.OS, 8 Speakers, Qi Wireless Charging |
| 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 | Keyless Start (Depress Brake Pedal) |
| Locks | Keyless Entry | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Hands-free Powered Boot Lid |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Parking Assistant | Yes, with Park Assist |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | No | — |
| 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 | 4 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 3 years | — |
| Warranty Notes | — | Battery warranty 8 years/160,000 km |
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 X1 & CLA EQ for sale
X1 vs CLA EQ FAQ
Is the BMW X1 or Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ better?
The CLA EQ is better for EV range, acceleration and driver assistance, with 748 km rated range and a 6.7-second 0-100 km/h time. The X1 is better if you need an SUV body, 476-litre boot and lower purchase price.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ costs RM274,888 and the BMW X1 costs RM252,800, so the CLA EQ is RM22,088 more expensive.
Which has the larger boot?
The BMW X1 has the larger boot at 476 litres, versus 405 litres in the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ. That is a 71-litre advantage for the BMW.