New BMW i5 vs Mercedes EQE

The contenders

BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro

List price £77,455
Target Price £77,455

In its latest iteration, BMW’s 5 Series gets an all-electric option for the first time, featuring cutting-edge tech and a long official range of up to 352 miles

Mercedes EQE 300 AMG Line Premium Plus

List price £86,345
Target Price £85,345

While the i5 has petrol-powered siblings, the EQE has been designed from the ground up as an electric car, with an official range of 337 miles in this high-spec guise

When the publisher in charge of Enid Blyton’s ever-popular books revealed its plans to modernise them for today’s more ‘progressive’ readers, it triggered a mixed reaction. Some fervent fans lamented that the original text’s sharp-edged spirit had been sacrificed to what they considered unnecessary censorship, while others embraced the more modern language.

Regardless of where you stand on this issue, it highlights the challenge of updating a beloved line of products – much like the one BMW faced when it went to revamp its own famous Five for 2023.

The BMW 5 Series has been around in one form or another since 1972, and in that time it has become almost the default choice for those looking for a luxurious executive car, because it’s consistently been the best of its kind. That’s why it has won more than 25 trophies at our annual Car of the Year Awards.

However, the executive car category is changing rapidly, with company car buyers in particular now favouring electric power. As a result, this eighth-generation 5 Series is available as an electric car (EV), identified by the ‘i’ on its rump. In entry-level, rear-wheel-drive eDrive40 form, it features a sizeable battery with an 81.2kWh usable capacity, giving it an official range of up to 352 miles.

For now, the BMW i5’s main competition comes in the form of the Mercedes EQE. Unlike the i5 (which will be joined by mild hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid models in due course), the EQE has been built from the ground up as a pure EV – a fact that could give it an advantage when it comes to efficiency and interior space. We’re testing it in rear-wheel-drive 300 form, with its larger battery (89kWh usable) giving it an official range of 337 miles.

Driving

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

With a respectable 330bhp, the i5 is significantly more powerful than the 242bhp EQE, yet both cars are relatively slow off the line, hitting 30mph from a standstill in 2.6sec (whereas the Tesla Model 3 Long Range gets there in just 1.8sec). You simply don’t get the instant hit of power that you expect from an EV, and some drivers might find this a little disappointing.

Thereafter, the lighter and more powerful i5 starts to stretch out a gap, getting from 0-60mph in 5.6sec (versus 7.2sec in the EQE), and it pulls much harder when you ask for a quick burst of acceleration on the move. This extra punch can come in handy when joining a fast-flowing motorway or overtaking a slower car on a country road.

Even more important than straight-line speed for many EV buyers is efficiency. To help in this regard, these are two of the most streamlined cars on sale, with the EQE being slightly the slipperier of the two.

With our contenders’ batteries charged to 90% and in chilly conditions (around 8deg C), we drove a route that simulated motorway, country road and town driving (at our private test track so that traffic conditions wouldn’t influence the results), and the EQE covered 2.6 miles for every kilowatt hour (kWh) it consumed, giving it a real-world range (in theory) of 231 miles. The i5’s slightly better efficiency of 3.0 miles/kWh allowed it to cover a theoretical 244 miles between top-ups.

It’s a shame these cars aren’t true 300-mile machines, because they are wonderfully relaxing to drive on long journeys. At 70mph, the EQE is one of the quietest cars we’ve ever tested, with a distinct absence of road and wind noise. And while the i5 generates more wind noise from around its door mirrors, it’s still quieter than its petrol-powered predecessor – a car we praised for its refinement.

Neither of our contenders has a stellar ride, though. The i5, on our M Sport Pro version’s standard 20in wheels, feels relatively firm and tends to fidget a bit at all speeds, but at least it doesn’t thump over bumps and potholes. Adaptive suspension is available as part of a £2400 pack that also includes four-wheel steering (which boosts manoeuvrability at low speeds and stability on the motorway). The adaptive set-up gives even better body control but doesn’t make the ride much smoother.

The EQE, meanwhile, comes on air suspension (which isn’t available on the i5) and 21in wheels if you opt for high-spec AMG Line Premium Plus trim. It has a plush ride on the motorway, but because the suspension is so soft, it tends to trip up quite badly over patched-up road surfaces, making it less comfortable than the i5. It also tends to bounce far more along undulating country roads – not ideal for anyone who gets carsick.

Both cars weigh well over two tonnes, but the i5 still responds crisply to steering inputs and its body stays quite upright through corners. In contrast, the EQE, with its soft suspension and rather hyperactive steering, tends to feel unsettled and leans quite significantly through quick direction changes. Its brakes are grabbier than the i5's, too, so stopping smoothly can be tricky.

Behind the wheel

Driving position, visibility, build quality

BMW knows how to execute a great driving position. There’s plenty of adjustment in the well-bolstered seat and you feel like you're in the ideal position relative to the steering wheel. This contrasts with the Mercedes EQE, in which a raised dashboard design places the steering wheel unusually high. To achieve true comfort in the EQE, you must significantly raise your seat (which is well padded but a little short on support) to match the wheel’s height.

This driving position not only feels somewhat unnatural but also does little to improve visibility. With heavily raked front and rear screens, shallow side windows and thick pillars, the EQE is trickier to see out of than the more upright BMW i5. Fortunately, both cars come with front and rear parking sensors, rear-view cameras and parking assistants. You’ll need to fork out for the £2000 Technology Pack to get a 360-degree camera on the i5, whereas the EQE comes with one.

The interiors of the i5 and EQE are dominated by huge central touchscreens (14.9in and 12.8in respectively), but the i5 has a more user-friendly dashboard layout. In the EQE, you have to use the main touchscreen to adjust almost everything, including the interior temperature, whereas in the i5, a backlit touch panel (which runs across the width of the dashboard) conceals controls for the air-con (among other things) that aren’t too tricky to operate.

You can also specify your i5 with a head-up display that projects your speed onto the windscreen (a feature that's standard on the EQE), but considering that both cars come with highly configurable digital instrument panels that can show lots of information in a variety of ways, you can do without this.

Both cars’ interiors look suitably glitzy and futuristic. Each features a rich mixture of high-quality materials, ambient lighting galore and slick-looking details such as turbine-style air vents on the EQE and crystalline trim on the i5.

However, some of the EQE’s fixtures and fittings feel disappointingly cheap or flimsy, particularly around the infotainment screen and centre console. In contrast, the i5 feels meticulously assembled and robust throughout. The only notable drawback in the i5 is that the standard ‘vegan’ leather resembles cheap vinyl (whereas the EQE’s equivalent is more convincing). For £2100, you can have real leather in the i5 (but not the EQE) instead.

Infotainment systems

BMW i5

Forming part of a wide, curved display alongside the digital instruments, the 14.9in infotainment screen is crisp and quick to respond to inputs. Shortcut keys along the bottom make this relatively easy to use as a touchscreen, but the dial controller between the seats is still the best way to interact with it on the move. You get wireless charging for two phones, plus a Harman Kardon audio system. For £1250, you can upgrade to a punchy B&W set-up.

Mercedes EQE

At the heart of the dashboard is a 12.8in touchscreen with a straightforward layout, sharp graphics and swift responses. However, because the only ways of interacting with the system are via the touchscreen or voice commands, it’s more distracting to use on the move than the i5’s set-up. Mercedes’ vaunted Hyperscreen (which turns the whole dashboard into a display) isn’t available on this model; you have to step up to the EQE 53 for that.

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

Up front, the slightly taller BMW i5 offers a touch more head room, while the Mercedes EQE provides more leg room, but in reality you’ll find there’s plenty of space on offer in both even if you’re well north of six feet tall. These are cars designed to spend their lives pounding up and down motorways and therefore feel spacious and offer up plenty of storage space.

There is, however, more of a difference when you move to the rear seats. Both cars offer generous leg room, but the EQE’s curved roofline means head room is tight for tall passengers. This isn’t an issue in the i5. Moreover, the latter’s rear bench is mounted higher in relation to the floor than the EQE’s, so long-legged occupants won’t have to sit with their knees raised at an awkward angle. The seat base itself is also longer and provides better under-thigh support. There’s a tall floor hump that robs a middle passenger of foot room, though, whereas the EQE has a flat floor.

Both cars have decent-sized boots, with the i5’s being slightly larger (490 litres versus 430). As a result, it can swallow seven
carry-on suitcases – one more than the EQE – with space left over for a couple of soft bags in both. Neither car has a front boot, but both provide underfloor storage for charging cables.

Only the EQE is equipped with an electric bootlid as standard (this is part of the £1700 Comfort Pack on the i5), but both have boot-mounted levers for folding down the handy 40/20/40 split rear seatbacks. When folded, the seatbacks are slightly inclined in both, but the EQE’s also create a step in the extended floor area.

Boot space

BMW i5

Boot capacity 490 litres Suitcases 7

Mercedes EQE

Boot capacity 430 litres Suitcases 6

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

Not only does the BMW i5 cost around £7800 less to buy outright than the Mercedes EQE, but once you factor in its significantly slower predicted rate of depreciation, it will cost private buyers around £9300 less to own over three years. Additionally, the i5 promises cheaper servicing, more affordable insurance and lower electricity costs (based on the current price cap of 27p/kWh).

However, most buyers will go down the route of PCP finance,  and here the EQE looks a whole  lot more tempting. At the time of writing, Mercedes was offering 0% interest on its EVs; with this incentive factored in, the EQE will cost you a reasonable £1001 a month, assuming you put down a £7000 deposit and limit yourself to 10,000 miles per year. In comparison, the i5 on the same terms costs £1118 per month.

It’s also worth noting that the i5 is pretty sparsely equipped compared with the EQE. Yes, the M Sport Pro version we’re testing comes with more goodies than the regular M Sport (including larger, 20in wheels) for an extra £3000, but to bring it up to the same specification as the equivalent EQE, you’ll be looking at spending the best part of £10,000 extra.

For instance, our test car had an on-the-road price of £92,570. The list of items that are standard on the EQE and optional on the i5 includes a panoramic glass roof (£1600), four-zone climate control (£5000 as part of the Comfort Plus Pack), a head-up display (£2000 as part of the Technology Pack), 21in wheels (£2000), a high-end sound system (£1250) and metallic paint (£900). The EQE also gets a heated windscreen that isn’t available on the i5. Configured to that price, the PCP payments on the i5 would be a much higher £1435 per month.

That said, as is the case with all EVs, both cars are exceptionally affordable for company car drivers paying benefit-in-kind (BiK) tax. Assuming you’re in the 40% tax bracket, you’ll need to sacrifice just £52 of your salary each month for the i5 and £58 for the EQE, at least until April 2025.

As for charging, the i5 holds the  advantage with a maximum rate of 205kW, versus 170kW for the EQE. If you can find a public charging point capable of delivering that sort of power (there aren’t too many of these in the UK yet), a 10-80% charge will take 28 minutes in the i5 and 33 minutes in the EQE. It’s worth noting, however, that the significantly cheaper Kia EV6
(our 2022 overall Car of the Year) can charge at up to 239kW.

Euro NCAP has yet to test the i5 for safety, but the EQE scored a full five stars in 2022. Both cars come with plenty of safety equipment to help prevent you from getting into an accident in the first place, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), blindspot monitors, an exit warning system (so you don’t open a door in front of a cyclist) and rear cross-traffic alert (to warn you about oncoming vehicles when you’re reversing out into the road).

Our verdict

The EQE isn’t without its strengths, being extremely quiet, comfy on the motorway, lavishly equipped and relatively good value if you buy on PCP finance. But those attributes aren’t enough to keep it ahead of the more polished i5.

Not only is the latter sharper to drive, but it also features a better interior with more space in the back seats. To top it all off, it’s a bit more efficient and faster to charge.

So, why have we stopped short of awarding the i5 five stars? Well, it’s because, as with the EQE, its appeal to private buyers is limited by its high price. But although the i5 isn’t the new class benchmark (that’s still the Tesla Model 3), it has significantly more to offer than its rival here.

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1st – BMW i5

For Sharper handling; more user-friendly interior controls; more rear seat space; punchier performance; larger boot
Against Desirable options are costly; slightly unsettled motorway ride; pricier on a PCP
Recommended options Technology Plus Pack (£3300), Comfort Pack (£1700)

What Car? rating 4 stars out of 5

BMW i5 review >>

BMW i5 deals >>

2nd – Mercedes EQE

For Even quieter at a cruise; plush motorway ride; more standard equipment; cheaper to finance
Against Not particularly quick; grabby brakes; patchy interior quality; rear head room is tight for tall adults
Recommended options None

What Car? rating 3 stars out of 5

Mercedes EQE review >>

Mercedes EQE deals >>

Specifications: BMW i5 eDrive40 M Sport Pro

Engine Electric motor
Peak power 330bhp
Peak torque 295lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd automatic, rear-wheel drive
0-60mph 5.6sec
30-70mph in kickdown 4.4sec
Top speed 120mph
30-0mph braking 8.7m
70-0mph braking 46.3m
Noise at 30mph 58.1dB
Noise at 70mph 65.0dB
Kerb weight 2205kg
Tyres (std) 245/40 R20
Battery capacity (usable) 81.2kWh
Rapid charging type CCS
Peak charging rate 205kW
Charging time 7kW home wallbox (0-100%) 13hr
Charging time rapid charger, peak rate (10-80%) 28min
Rapid charger, miles added per hour 440 miles
Real-world range (est) 244 miles
Official range 338 miles
Efficiency on test 3.0 miles/kWh
CO2 emissions 0g/km

Specifications: Mercedes EQE 300 AMG Line Premium Plus

Engine Electric motor
Peak power 242bhp
Peak torque 406lb ft
Gearbox 1-spd automatic, rear-wheel drive
0-60mph 7.2sec
30-70mph in kickdown 6.9sec
Top speed 130mph
30-0mph braking 8.6m
70-0mph braking 45.7m
Noise at 30mph 56.5dB
Noise at 70mph 62.7dB
Kerb weight 2355kg
Tyres (std) 285/30 R21
Battery capacity (usable) 89kWh
Rapid charging type CCS
Peak charging rate 170kW
Charging time 7kW home wallbox (0-100%) 14hr 15min
Charging time rapid charger, peak rate (10-80%) 33min
Rapid charger, miles added per hour 410 miles
Real-world range (est) 231 miles
Official range 337 miles
Efficiency on test 2.6 miles/kWh
CO2 emissions 0g/km

Read more: Best and worst electric cars >>