Mercedes-Benz EQS vs BMW i5

The Mercedes-Benz EQS starts from $209,900 before on-road costs, while the BMW i5 opens at $155,900. That makes the BMW i5 the more affordable entry point by $54,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $230,890 and $171,490 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the Mercedes-Benz EQS and BMW i5 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 96% for the Mercedes-Benz EQS and 89% for the BMW i5.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Mercedes-Benz EQS packs more ADAS features with 8 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 7 in the BMW i5.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 9 in the Mercedes-Benz EQS and 6 in the BMW i5.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS features a 12.8-inch touchscreen, while the BMW i5 gets a 14.9-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS stands out with ventilated seats, Burmester audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the BMW i5. The BMW i5 counters with Harman Kardon audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS uses a Electric producing 245kW and 568Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.2 seconds.

The BMW i5 responds with a Electric making 250kW and 430Nm, paired to a auto driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

The BMW i5 has the clear power advantage at 250kW vs 245kW. In the real-world sprint, the BMW i5 is 0.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 107.8kWh (Mercedes-Benz EQS) vs 84kWh (BMW i5), giving WLTP ranges of 708km and 557km. DC fast charging peaks at 200kW (Mercedes-Benz EQS) vs 205kW (BMW i5).

The Mercedes-Benz EQS measures 5,216mm long on a 3,210mm wheelbase, 156mm longer than the BMW i5 at 5,060mm (2,995mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz EQS generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 610L in the Mercedes-Benz EQS and 500L in the BMW i5, giving the Mercedes-Benz EQS a 110L advantage.

For towing, the BMW i5 leads with a 2,000kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz EQS) vs 5 years / 999,999km (BMW i5). Both match on warranty length.