Verdict
At RM355,888 versus RM738,888, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the sensible buy here, costing RM383,000 less while giving you five seats, rear-wheel drive, a 9G-Tronic auto and a far larger 540-litre boot. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class spends its money on scale and technology: 362 hp/500 Nm, a 147 hp motor, 100 km EV range, air suspension, rear massage seats and 5.2-second pace. For a Malaysian owner-driver, the E-Class is enough car. For a chauffeur-driven brief, the S-Class justifies the leap with rear-seat hardware the E-Class simply lacks.
E-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz E-Class if you want the larger 540-litre boot, RM380 road tax and a much lower purchase price more than rear-seat limousine kit.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you want 5.2-second pace, 100 km EV range, air suspension and powered reclining rear seats with massage.
Key differences
- Price: Mercedes-Benz E-Class RM355,888; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888
- Engine output: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 201 hp/320 Nm; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 362 hp/500 Nm
- Motor output: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 23 hp/205 Nm; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 147 hp/440 Nm
- 0-100 km/h and top speed: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 7.5 seconds/240 km/h; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 5.2 seconds/250 km/h
- Battery capacity: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 1 kWh; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 28.6 kWh
- Boot space and road tax: Mercedes-Benz E-Class 540 litres/RM380; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 350 litres/RM2,128
E-Class
- RM383,000 cheaper to buy
- Bigger boot: 540 litres versus 350 litres
- Lighter and cheaper to tax: 1,825 kg and RM380 road tax
- Much less power: 201 hp/320 Nm versus 362 hp/500 Nm
- No EV range or charging listed; the S-Class gets 100 km, 11 kW AC and 60 kW DC
- Far less rear-seat kit, with no powered reclining outer rear seats, heating, ventilation or massage
S-Class
- Far stronger hybrid system: 362 hp/500 Nm engine and 147 hp/440 Nm motor
- 100 km EV range with 11 kW AC and 60 kW DC charging
- Air suspension, adaptive dampers and powered reclining rear seats with massage
- Costs RM383,000 more
- Smaller boot: 350 litres versus 540 litres
- Much heavier and costlier to tax: 2,385 kg and RM2,128 road tax
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 355,888✓ | RM 738,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Luxury |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Fuel Injection and Variable Valve Timing | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 1,999 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 201 hp | 362 hp✓ |
| Torque | 320 Nm | 500 Nm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline | Inline |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore | 83 mm | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 10 | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 23 hp | 147 hp✓ |
| Motor Torque | 205 Nm | 440 Nm✓ |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion | Lithium-ion |
| Battery Capacity | 1 kWh | 28.6 kWh✓ |
| EV Range | — | 100 km |
| Charger Type (AC) | — | Type 2 |
| Charging Rate (AC) | — | 11 kW |
| Charger Type (DC) | — | CCS |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | 9G-Tronic | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 9 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Daimler AG | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 7.5 seconds | 5.2 seconds✓ |
| Rated Economy | — | 1 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 240 km/h | 250 km/h✓ |
| Co2 | — | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,949 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,880 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,468 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,961 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | 1,825 kg | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 66 litres | 67 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 540 litres✓ | 350 litres |
| Front Tyre | 245/45R19 | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 275/40R19 | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Pirelli P Zero | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 19" Multi-spoke Two-tone Alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated Discs | Ventilated Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Ventilated Discs | Ventilated Disc |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Adaptive Dampers |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Driver's Knee, Front Side, Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain | 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 2 Outer Rear 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 | Reflector LED with Adaptive 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 | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats with Driver Side Memory Settings | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 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 | Rear AC Vents | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | — | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) | 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 | 14.4" MBUX Multimedia with Online Music Streaming, AI functionality built-in, Seven Speaker 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 & Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Entry (Push Button Start) | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | 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 | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Boot Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | 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 Manufacturer | 4 years | 4 years |
| Warranty Notes | — | 8-year/160,000 km Battery Warranty |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 380✓ | RM 2,128 |
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.
E-Class vs S-Class FAQ
Is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The E-Class is better for owner-drivers because it costs much less and has a 540-litre boot. The S-Class is better if rear-seat comfort, 5.2-second acceleration and 100 km EV range matter more than price.
What is the price difference?
The S-Class is RM383,000 dearer. It costs RM738,888 against RM355,888 for the E-Class.
Which car has the bigger boot?
The E-Class has the bigger boot: 540 litres versus 350 litres in the S-Class. For airport runs and family luggage, that number favours the E-Class clearly.