Verdict
At RM470,800 against the Lexus RX’s RM468,888, the BMW X5 costs RM1,912 more but gives Malaysian buyers 308 hp, 540 Nm and a 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time, against 275 hp, 430 Nm and 7.6 seconds. Its 650-litre boot, 83-litre tank and air suspension also suit long-distance work. The RX counters with a far lower RM754 annual road tax versus RM1,637, a five-year warranty and heated, ventilated rear seats. The BMW is the sharper specification; the Lexus makes the calmer ownership case.
Pick the BMW X5 if you want the 5.4-second performance, 650-litre boot and air suspension, and can accept RM1,637 yearly road tax.
Pick the Lexus RX if lower RM754 annual road tax, five-year warranty and heated, ventilated, reclining rear seats matter more than outright pace.
Key differences
- Performance: BMW X5 has 308 hp and 540 Nm; Lexus RX has 275 hp and 430 Nm.
- Acceleration: BMW X5 does 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds; Lexus RX takes 7.6 seconds.
- Road tax: BMW X5 costs RM1,637 per year; Lexus RX costs RM754 per year.
- Cargo and fuel capacity: BMW X5 has a 650-litre boot and 83-litre tank; Lexus RX has 612 litres and 68 litres.
- Warranty: BMW X5 has a two-year manufacturer warranty; Lexus RX has a five-year manufacturer warranty.
- Wheelbase: BMW X5 measures 2,975 mm; Lexus RX measures 2,850 mm.
X5
- 308 hp and 540 Nm with a 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time
- 650-litre boot and 83-litre fuel tank
- Air suspension with adaptive dampers, plus auto parking
- RM1,637 annual road tax versus RM754
- Two-year manufacturer warranty versus five years
- Lacks the RX’s specified heated, ventilated and reclining rear seats
RX
- Five-year manufacturer warranty
- Heated and ventilated front and rear seats; rear seats also recline
- RM754 annual road tax
- 275 hp and 430 Nm trail the X5’s 308 hp and 540 Nm
- 7.6-second 0-100 km/h time versus 5.4 seconds
- 612-litre boot and 68-litre tank are smaller than the X5’s 650 litres and 83 litres
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM470,800 | RM468,888✓ |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CKD | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM1,637 | RM754✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, Turbochaged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 16-valve DOHC Direct and Port injection with Turbocharger, Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 2,998 cc | 2,393 cc |
| Horsepower | 308 hp at 5,000 rpm✓ | 275 hp at 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 540 Nm at 1,750 rpm✓ | 430 Nm at 1,700 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 6 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 82 mm × 94.6 mm | 87.5 mm × 99.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11 | 11 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Eight-speed Steptronic | 8-Speed Direct Shift |
| Gears | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Aisin |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 5.4 seconds✓ | 7.6 seconds |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,935 mm | 4,890 mm |
| Width | 2,004 mm | 1,920 mm |
| Height | 1,765 mm | 1,695 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,975 mm | 2,850 mm |
| Weight | 2,240 kg | 1,914 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 83 litres | 68 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 650 litres✓ | 612 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/40R21 | 235/50R21 |
| Rear Tyre | 315/35R21 | 235/50R21 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Continental PremiumContact 6 SSR Run-flats | Bridgestone Alenza 001 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Japan (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-link |
| Front Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 21" Multi-spoke Alloy with Hyper Chrome Metallic Machined Finish |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 21" Multi-spoke Alloy with Hyper Chrome Metallic Machined Finish |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Air Suspension with Adaptive Dampers | Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Driver's Knee) |
| 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 on Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | For All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED headlights with Auto High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats | 10-way Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function, Heated and Ventilated |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Power Folding and Recline, 40:20:40 Split-folding, Heated and Ventilated |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Lexus Climate Concierge |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Sliding Sunroof | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 USB-A, 1 USB-C Front, 4 USB-C Rear | 1 Front 12-volt, 4 Front USB, 2 Rear USB |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Sun Shade | Powered Sunroof Shade, Manual 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" EMV Touchscreen with Bluetooth, Navigation, Voice Recognition, Wired Android Auto, Wireless Apple CarPlay and 12-speaker Lexus Premium Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up & Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening |
| 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 and 3D Function |
| Auto Parking | Yes | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | Qi Wireless Charger |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 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 & RX for sale
X5 vs RX FAQ
Is the BMW X5 or Lexus RX better?
The BMW X5 is better for performance, luggage capacity and air-suspension hardware, with 308 hp and a 5.4-second sprint. The Lexus RX is better for lower annual road tax, a five-year warranty and rear-seat comfort equipment.
What is the price difference?
The BMW X5 costs RM1,912 more than the Lexus RX. That is a small gap in this class, so the larger ownership-cost split is annual road tax: RM1,637 for the X5 versus RM754 for the RX.
Which SUV is faster?
The BMW X5 is decisively faster, reaching 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds versus 7.6 seconds for the Lexus RX. It also has 308 hp and 540 Nm, compared with the RX’s 275 hp and 430 Nm.
