Verdict
The BMW 7 Series costs RM685,800, undercutting the Mercedes-Benz S-Class by RM53,088, while bringing all-wheel drive, a 4.9-second 0-100 km/h time and a far more useful 525-litre boot. The S-Class counters with 362 hp and 500 Nm, a 100-km EV range, 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charging. For chauffeured Malaysian buyers, its heated, ventilated and massaging rear seats with an ottoman make the stronger case; self-driven owners may prefer the quicker, cheaper BMW.
7 Series
Pick the BMW 7 Series if you want the RM53,088 saving, all-wheel drive, quicker acceleration and 175 litres more boot space.
S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if rear-seat luxury, a 100-km EV range and faster charging matter more than the higher price.
Key differences
- Price: BMW 7 Series RM685,800; Mercedes-Benz S-Class RM738,888.
- Performance: BMW 7 Series 308 hp, 450 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 362 hp, 500 Nm and 5.2 seconds.
- Electric running: BMW 7 Series has an 18.7-kWh battery, 87-km EV range and 7.4-kW AC charging; Mercedes-Benz S-Class has a 28.
- Driveline: BMW 7 Series uses all-wheel drive; Mercedes-Benz S-Class uses rear-wheel drive.
- Boot space: BMW 7 Series 525 litres; Mercedes-Benz S-Class 350 litres.
- Rear accommodation: BMW 7 Series has power-adjustable rear seats; Mercedes-Benz S-Class adds memory, heating, ventilation, massage, one-touch recline, neck…
7 Series
- RM53,088 cheaper
- All-wheel drive and 4.9-second 0-100 km/h time
- 525-litre boot
- 87-km EV range versus 100 km
- 7.4-kW AC charging and no DC charging figure
- Rear seats lack the S-Class's ventilation, massage and ottoman
S-Class
- 100-km EV range with 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charging
- 362 hp and 500 Nm
- Exceptionally comprehensive rear-seat comfort equipment
- RM53,088 more expensive
- 5.2-second 0-100 km/h time versus 4.9 seconds
- 350-litre boot is 175 litres smaller
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM685,800✓ | RM738,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Luxury | Luxury |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM2,125✓ | RM2,128 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | — | 24-valve DOHC with Electric Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 2,998 cc | 2,999 cc |
| Horsepower | 308 hp at 5,000 rpm | 362 hp at 5,500 rpm✓ |
| Torque | 450 Nm at 1,750 rpm | 500 Nm at 1,600 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 6 | Inline 6 |
| Fuel | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid |
| Bore × Stroke | 82 mm × 94.6 mm | 83 mm × 92.4 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11 | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | — | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 194 hp✓ | 147 hp |
| Motor Torque | 280 Nm | 440 Nm✓ |
| Battery Capacity | 18.7 kWh | 28.6 kWh✓ |
| EV Range | 87 km | 100 km✓ |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 7.4 kW | 11 kW✓ |
| Charging Rate (DC) | — | 60 kW |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Steptronic Automatic | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 8 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG) |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.9 seconds✓ | 5.2 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 1 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | 22 g/km | 22 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,391 mm | 5,289 mm |
| Width | 1,950 mm | 1,954 mm |
| Height | 1,544 mm | 1,503 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,215 mm | 3,216 mm |
| Weight | — | 2,385 kg |
| Fuel Tank | — | 67 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 525 litres✓ | 350 litres |
| Front Tyre | — | 255/40R20 |
| Rear Tyre | — | 285/35R20 |
| Spare Tyre | No | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 ZP |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" M aerodynamic style 907 alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 20" M aerodynamic style 907 alloys | 20" Twin 10-spoke Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive Air Suspension | Adaptive Dampers |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 Airbags (2 Front, 2 Side, 2 Curtain, 1 Driver's Knee) | 14 (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 |
| Seat Belts | — | 5 Three-point with Illumination and Rear Belt Bags |
| Blind Spot Info System | — | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | — | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | — | 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 |
| Collision Warning | — | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | — | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projectors with Auto High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver's Memory Function and Bolster Adjustment | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | Power Adjustable Rear Seats with Power Adjustments | 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 | Sky Lounge Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof | Panoramic, Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | — | 4 Front USB-C, 6 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (15 Colours) | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 4 | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | 2x side sunshades, 1x rear sunshade | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Live Cockpit Professional 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 | 4 | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | 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 with Stop and Go | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation with Contactless Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, with Surround View Camera | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| 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 | 3 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 7 Series & S-Class for sale
7 Series vs S-Class FAQ
Is the BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class better?
The S-Class is better for rear-seat passengers, with heated, ventilated and massaging outer rear seats plus a left-side ottoman. The 7 Series is the better self-driven choice on these figures: it costs less, has all-wheel drive, reaches 100 km/h 0.3 seconds sooner and carries more luggage.
What is the price difference?
The BMW 7 Series costs RM685,800 and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs RM738,888, so the S-Class carries a RM53,088 premium.
Which plug-in hybrid has the better electric range and charging?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class does: its 28.6-kWh battery delivers a quoted 100 km EV range, against 87 km from the BMW 7 Series' 18.7-kWh battery. It also supports 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charging; the BMW is rated at 7.4 kW AC.
