Verdict
The BMW X5 costs RM470,800, a RM102,912 step above the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but it brings 308 hp and 540 Nm, all-wheel drive, 650 litres of boot space and air suspension. Its 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time is 2.1 seconds ahead, useful for brisk overtakes on Malaysian highways. The E-Class is the more rational executive sedan: its RM380 annual road tax is far below the X5’s RM1,637, and it has a four-year warranty. Choose the X5 for SUV space and pace; choose the E-Class for lower ownership outlay.
Pick the BMW X5 if you want 308 hp, all-wheel drive, air suspension and a 650-litre boot in a five-seat SUV.
Pick the Mercedes-Benz E-Class if lower purchase and road-tax costs, a four-year warranty and executive-sedan proportions matter more than outright pace.
Key differences
- Price: BMW X5 RM470,800; Mercedes-Benz E-Class RM367,888.
- Performance: BMW X5 308 hp, 540 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds; Mercedes-Benz E-Class 201 hp, 320 Nm and 7.5 seconds.
- Driveline: BMW X5 all-wheel drive; Mercedes-Benz E-Class rear-wheel drive.
- Boot space: BMW X5 650 litres; Mercedes-Benz E-Class 540 litres.
- Road tax: BMW X5 RM1,637 per year; Mercedes-Benz E-Class RM380 per year.
- Suspension: BMW X5 air suspension with adaptive dampers; Mercedes-Benz E-Class multi-link front and rear suspension.
X5
- 308 hp and 540 Nm with a 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time.
- All-wheel drive and adaptive air suspension.
- 650-litre boot, panoramic sunroof and head-up display.
- RM102,912 dearer to buy and RM1,257 more in annual road tax.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty versus four years.
- No driver’s seat memory setting listed.
E-Class
- RM380 annual road tax and a four-year manufacturer warranty.
- Driver’s seat memory and rear side airbags.
- Lighter 1,825 kg kerb weight and 9G-Tronic automatic.
- 201 hp and 320 Nm leave it 2.1 seconds slower to 100 km/h.
- Rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive.
- 540-litre boot is 110 litres smaller, and it has no head-up display.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM470,800 | RM367,888✓ |
| Body type | SUV | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM1,637 | RM380✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, Turbochaged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 2,998 cc | 1,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 308 hp✓ | 201 hp |
| Torque | 540 Nm✓ | 320 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore | 82 mm | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11 | 10 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 23 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 205 Nm |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Eight-speed Steptronic | 9G-Tronic |
| Gears | 8 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Daimler AG |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 5.4 seconds✓ | 7.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h✓ | 240 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,935 mm | 4,949 mm |
| Width | 2,004 mm | 1,880 mm |
| Height | 1,765 mm | 1,468 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,975 mm | 2,961 mm |
| Weight | 2,240 kg | 1,825 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 83 litres | 66 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 650 litres✓ | 540 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/40R21 | 245/45R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 315/35R21 | 275/40R19 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Continental PremiumContact 6 SSR Run-flats | Pirelli P Zero |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension | Multi-link |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Air Suspension with Adaptive Dampers | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | 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 | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear 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 | Adaptive LED headlights with Auto High Beam | Reflector LED with Adaptive High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Driver Side Memory Settings |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Rear AC Vents |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Sliding Sunroof | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 USB-A, 1 USB-C Front, 4 USB-C Rear | — |
| 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 | Powered Sunroof Shade, Manual Rear Window Shades | Rear Window Shades |
| Audio | 14.9" Touchscreen BMW Live Cockpit Professional with Voice Control, Wireless Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto and 17-speaker Harman Kardon Sound System (525W) | 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 Push Button | Keyless Entry (Push Button Start) |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Boot Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| 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 | — |
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 X5 & E-Class for sale
X5 vs E-Class FAQ
Is the BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class better?
The BMW X5 is better for performance, all-wheel-drive traction and load space, with 308 hp, 540 Nm and a 650-litre boot. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is better for lower running costs, paying RM380 annual road tax against RM1,637.
What is the price difference?
The BMW X5 is RM102,912 more expensive than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class: RM470,800 versus RM367,888.
Which is quicker, the BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
The BMW X5 is quicker, reaching 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds versus 7.5 seconds for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It also has 308 hp and 540 Nm, compared with 201 hp and 320 Nm.