BMW i Series vs Mercedes-Benz E53

What's the difference?

The thing that really grabs you from behind the wheel of a car like this is just how far EVs have come. The fact you can get a ridiculous range and have a really, really good time on the right twisting road is a pretty good deal and solidifies the fact EVs like this one are the future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number of automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ is a superb blend of high-tech hybrid muscle and cossetting top-end luxury. Value is competitive, it looks (and feels) the business, despite the conventional sedan configuration it’s surprisingly practical (except for the modest boot), fuel-efficiency is a key benefit and safety is stellar. The ownership proposition is okay for the category but that’s not top of mind when an enticing series of corners ranges into view. It’s an impressive package.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

It's hard to talk about the design of the BMW iX3 without spending some time at the front end. This is a bold, bold take on a BMW grille, and one that is entirely devoid of chrome or metallic lashings.

That’s not to say it’s boring. The iX3 has a light theme that runs inside and outside, the latter of which is called the Iconic Glow exterior package, which replaces the physical embellishments with white lighting that frames the kidney grille and the other inserts. It looks very cool and very modern.

In the cabin, the lighting theme continues, this time under the dash inserts that illuminate from within. But that’s not what really draws your eye.

That honour goes to the Panoramic Vision, which replaces the traditional driver’s screen with a pillar-to-pillar display that stretches the width of the cabin and displays all your key driving info.  It seems like a strange thing to get your head around but it felt natural almost immediately, with everything you might need (including a g-meter in its sportiest mode) on display.

Also new is the funky and chunky BMW steering wheel, which reminds me a little of one of those double-sided lizards, in that it can be hard at times to figure out which way is up, and which features 'Shy Tech' (features and controls stay out of sight until the driver or passenger needs them).

All in all, I like the space. There are just enough traditional-feeling elements mixed with new tech to make it feel futuristic and familiar.

At first glance the E53 passes as a flash-looking Mercedes-Benz E-Class running 20-inch rims, especially in the launch car’s rich ‘Patagonia Red’ finish.

But then, there’s something about the AMG sedan’s stance that sets it apart. Which makes sense because the front fenders are wider by 11mm on both sides (compared to the E-Class) to make room for a wider front track (increased by just over 30mm over the previous-generation E53).

Wheelbase has also increased by just over 20mm to almost 3.0m and the car’s more aggressive nose treatment enhances the distinctive look.

There’s the AMG-specific radiator trim with ‘Panamericana’-style vertical slats, the sleek dual-section headlights and a large lower inlet that directs air to an additional front intercooler as well as an external opening for a wheel-arch cooler.

In profile there’s barely a hard edge to be seen, although character lines in the bonnet and along the car’s flanks contribute to a taut surface treatment.

At the rear, horizontally-connected LED tail-lights feature a stylised Mercedes three-pointed star signature, then a rear apron housing a diffuser and twin double tailpipe ‘trims’ and a bootlid spoiler on the left and right round off a beautifully proportioned design.

Climbing inside means a trip to screen city with an upright digital display in front of the driver flanked by a large central screen to the left and an additional panel for the front passenger beyond that. It’s a lot.

But once you’re on top of all the glass surfaces, details like open pore grey ashwood trim on the lower console come into focus, as do the brushed metal accents, beautifully sculpted ‘Performance’ front sports seats (optionally fitted to our launch drive example), racy stainless steel pedal covers and the five spoke AMG performance steering wheel with configurable rotary buttons.

It’s a supremely luxurious and comfortable interior. 

The BMW iX3 is 4782mm in length, 1895mm in width, 1635mm in height and it rides on a 2897mm wheelbase.

It doesn't feel huge, but there's certainly enough space in the back seat for me. At 175 centimetres I have enough knee and headroom sitting behind my own driving position, plus you can adjust the angles of the rear backrest to get a little more comfy.

But while the front seat feels very modern, the rear is more a traditional back seat experience. Back seat riders get their own air vents and temperature controls, twin USB-C charge ports and a pull-down divider with twin cupholders, but that's about it.

The auto-opening boot reveals a 520-litre luggage space (1750 with the seats folded), all of which is unencumbered by charging cables and the like, which are housed in the 58-litre frunk.

Towing and electric vehicles are never the greatest of matches, such is the drain on the battery, but the iX3 can be fitted with a standard tow ball, unlocking a braked trailer capacity of 2000kg.

At over 4.9m long, close to 2.1m wide and a little under 1.5m tall, with a 2961mm wheelbase, the new E53 is a substantial car and feels it on the inside.

Plenty of breathing space for the driver and front passenger thanks in part to the away slope of the screen-dominated dash.

Generous storage, too, with large door bins including enough space for big bottles, a deep lidded box between the seats (which doubles as a centre armrest), a generous glove box and two cupholders under a sliding top at the front of the centre console. 

Hit the second row, and sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm position, I have plenty of head and legroom, with enough shoulder space for three adults on short journeys. A trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be fine for a road trip.

Storage is pretty handy as well with hefty door bins and two pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest. No map pockets on the back of the (optional) Performance front seats, though.

Four-zone climate control means there’s individual temperature control for each side of the back seat, with adjustable vents at the back of the front centre console and trailing edge of the B-pillars. Very civilised.

Power and connectivity runs to three USB-C outlets and a wireless device charging pad in the front.

Thanks to the traction battery under its floor, boot volume is restricted to 370 litres (compared to 540L in the conventional E-Class sedan), although there are bag hooks, tie-down anchors and the 60/40 split-folding rear seat is able to liberate more space.

No spare tyre of any description, just a repair/inflator kit, which might make sense for automotive designers and engineers trying to maximise space and reduce weight, but doesn’t make sense for an owner stranded on the side of the road with an unrepairable puncture.

Priced at $199,900, before on-road costs, the Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ lines up against an interesting mix of internal combustion, hybrid and pure-EV contenders, the most closely aligned on spec and price being the BMW M4 M Competition xDrive ($201,300), Lexus LS500h F Sport ($199,250) and Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo ($197,400).

And as you’d expect for a performance sedan on the cusp of $200K the standard equipment list is long. Aside from the performance and safety tech we’ll get to shortly, the E53 features four-zone automatic climate control, 17-speaker Burmester surround sound audio (including digital radio), Nappa leather trim (including the steering wheel) and the ‘MBUX Superscreen’ display consisting of three screens - 14.4-inch central media, 12.3-inch instrument/info for the driver and 12.3-inch for the front passenger.

You can also tick off the box on Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity, plus the power front seats (with memory) are heated.

There’s also a head-up display, panoramic sliding sunroof, ambient lighting, keyless entry and start, built-in nav, a 360-degree virtual top-down camera view, LED exterior lighting and 20-inch alloy rims. 

There’s more, but you get the idea. This car is loaded with included features that help it match or better its diverse competitive set.

There are four optional AMG packages available - The ‘Night Package’ ($3000) which includes aero-influenced body elements, special rims and more. The ‘Carbon Fibre Package’ ($6000), featuring a range of carbon bits including the exterior mirror caps, bootlid spoiler and interior pieces like the centre console and steering wheel. A ‘Performance Seat Package’ ($5000), which unsurprisingly focuses on racier front seats with integrated headrests. And the ‘Energizing Package Plus’ ($5300) adds ‘multicontour’ front seats that are heated (as are the centre console lid and door armrests) and individual fragrance for the interior, as well as ionisation of the cabin air.

We’ll focus on the 50 xDrive, as that’s the one we’ve driven, and because the powertrain is a peach. Its twin-motor all-wheel drive set-up delivers a total 345kW and 645Nm, which is a lot. And because there is no traditional transmission to step through, and because all that oomph arrives at once, it feels plenty punchy indeed.

BMW says the sprint to 100km/h takes 4.9 seconds, and we believe them. Top speed is a claimed 210km/h.

The E53 is powered by a 3.0-litre, turbo-petrol, in-line six-cylinder engine working in concert with an electric motor housed within the car’s nine-speed (torque-converter) automatic transmission. 

Drive goes to all four wheels via an electro-mechanically controlled clutch distributing power between the front and rear axles.

Engine performance is up by around 10kW compared to the previous E53 thanks to software upgrades, a new twin-scroll turbo with higher boost pressure (1.5 bar vs 1.1 bar) as well as additional front and wheel-arch intercoolers. 

The engine alone produces 330kW/560Nm while the permanently excited synchronous motor chips in with a solid 120kW/480Nm for overall outputs of 450kW/750Nm.

As we mentioned at the top of this review, this is another big plus for the iX3. Its massive 108.7kWh net NMC battery delivers a maximum driving range of 805km, which is frankly ridiculous. To get it, you need to engage Efficiency Max, which dulls the drive experience, but that is an impressive number all the same. Engage the sportier settings and the figure drops to more like 650km-plus. 

Charging is 22kW AC and an impressive 400kW DC – or 300kW in the upcoming 40 model — which means a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 21 minutes when plugged into the fastest of chargers.

BMW says to expect 15.1-17.1kWh/100km in terms of energy usage on the WLTP cycle.

The E53’s official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel figure is 1.7L/100km, a spectacularly frugal number for such a high-performance machine. But it’s worth noting it’s predicated on the drive battery being constantly and completely recharged.

Speaking of which, the 28.6kWh, 400-volt traction battery is housed at the rear of the car under the boot floor. It delivers a claimed EV-only range of up to 100km, although that will diminish dramatically if you decide to push up towards the car’s pure-electric top speed of 140km/h.

Important to note the battery’s 21kWh ‘day-to-day’ capacity, designed to keep charge in reserve for any required ‘high-performance boosts’.

An 11kW AC charger is onboard with regenerative braking also harvesting energy, the car automatically selecting the level of recuperation power in line with traffic conditions.

In pure EV mode you can also manually adjust regen through four levels via the steering wheel-mounted transmission shift paddles. 

Auto stop/start for the engine is standard and 98 RON premium unleaded is recommended, although 95 RON is okay at a pinch.

The E53’s official fuel consumption figure and 50-litre tank capacity translate to a range approaching 3000km! But to bring that down to earth somewhat, on the launch drive program, covering urban and mostly highway running, we saw a (dash indicated) average of 6.4L/100km, which equates to a more realistic, but still lengthy, 780km between fills.

BMW spent a lot of time describing this car as being of revolutionary importance to the brand. It was designed as an EV from its inception, but is also the flag bearer for the New Class gen of cars, and so it has all sorts of features and tech that will roll out across the rest of the BMW range.

Does it feel overly revolutionary from behind the wheel? Not really. I mean, it drives forwards and backwards, and turns around corners when you move the wheel, all of which is to be expected.

But it does mostly feel very BMW, which I think is what they meant. The Jekyll-Hyde nature of the iX3 becomes apparent the moment you engage its sportiest driving modes and flatten your foot. This is proper push-you-back-in-your-seat acceleration that feels slightly more violent than the iX3's claimed zero-to-100km/h time suggests.

Then there's the flip side of that coin. Engage Efficiency Max and you can seemingly drive forever (or at least more than 800km), sipping battery juice and riding in peace, quiet and comfort. 

But at its core, and no matter the drive mode, it feels like a BMW. Crucial to that is a thing the brand calls the Heart of Joy, which sounds utterly sci-fi but really is a computer brain that works on traction and power to make sure you never lose grip.

If you've ever been in a car where the traction control light is flashing on a dash, you'll know what usually happens is it cuts engine power until you find grip, and it gives you power again, then cuts it, then gives it to you as required to find the grip, and it can give you that kind of jerky, stop-starty kind of feeling.

The iX3 doesn't do that. Instead, it plays with traction and is far more subtle without ever cutting power, and gives you the feeling of being able to tip into a corner and then power out without ever feeling like you're going to lose grip, or power.

The bigger electric motor is at the rear axle, which delivers most of your performance unless you need extra grip. So, when you are powering out of a bend, it feels a lot like a rear-wheel drive car and really well sorted from behind the wheel.

If that's the driver's side of the equation, the other side of it is pretty good, too. We took to the town at city speeds, and it was super comfortable, quiet and absorbed most of the road imperfections pretty easily.

Interestingly, the suspension isn't high-tech. There's nothing adaptive about it, and there's no air cushioning or anything like that. But it feels well tuned, and is pretty comfortable, even on dodgier road surfaces, while still delivering a sense of connection.

My favorite kind of mid-size SUVs are ones that have that dual nature. Something that has space for the family and all of their things, but also something that can be a fair bit of fun on the right twisting road, and this one absolutely nails that brief. It is a hoot to drive on twisty stuff. 

Downsides? Well, you can't entirely disguise more than two tonnes of weight. If you're going downhill, especially on a twistier road, you can feel the weight around you, especially when you go to pull up in a hurry, despite the strong-biting brakes.

The other thing is the steering, which is direct and lovely but quite light. It doesn't have that meaty heft some BMWs offer, and as a result, it can be interesting to place the vehicle. You can find yourself a bit further over in the lane, or further away from an apex than you're expecting, because your light inputs have really shifted the vehicle. 

But BMW has nailed the brief here. Do keep an eye out for the cheaper one that's coming, though. It could be a bang-for-bucks, rear-drive bargain.

If you’re lining up for a Mercedes-AMG you want an optimal blend of luxury and performance and the E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ nails that delicate balance.

With 450kW (that’s 612hp!) and 750Nm under your right foot, engaging ‘Race Start’, pushing the accelerator to the floor and letting the car do its thing will result in 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.8 seconds. The fat band of mid-range torque is so satisfying to lean into.

Induction, engine and exhaust sounds combine to produce a suitably gruff soundtrack with the hybrid powertrain operating seamlessly. Hit your preferred track day or tempt legal fate and you can explore the car’s claimed (governed) maximum velocity of 280km/h. 

The nine-speed auto is slick and manual changes using the wheel mounted paddles are rapid.  In normal conditions the AWD system is biased to the rear and an electric rear locking diff helps keep things under control if you decide to get the bit between your teeth on a twisting drive.

A chunky brace links the front suspension strut mounts and the car feels predictable and stable in enthusiastic cornering. Rubber is Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (245/35 fr / 275/30 rr) which grips with satisfying determination but does make its rumbling presence felt on anything approaching a coarse chip surface (despite the car’s standard acoustic glass).

Speed-sensitive power-steering delivers accuracy and good road feel without any jitters, the standard active rear-axle steering playing its part. The ‘turning point’ is 100km/h with the rear wheels subtly turning in the opposite direction to the fronts up to that speed and in the same direction beyond it.

‘AMG Ride Control’ combines steel spring suspension (strut front, multi-link rear) with adaptive adjustable damping for the choice of ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport+’ settings. Comfort is the pick for B-road running on typically uneven surfaces. The optional ‘Performance’ sports front seats are comfortable and grippy in equal measure. 

Braking is by ventilated composite rotors all around, with beefy four-piston fixed calipers up front. An electro-mechanical brake booster is designed to combine electrical recuperation with the hydraulic brake for more frequent and efficient energy harvesting over a longer period of time. The pedal feels firm and progressive with smooth initial bite. 

All around vision is good for a conventional sedan with a quality reversing camera, 360-degree overhead view and front and rear parking sensors helping massively with parking duties. That said, a 12.5m turning circle isn’t tiny.

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but that doesn’t mean it comes up short in terms of crash-avoidance and passive safety tech.

It features a comprehensive suite of ‘Advanced Driver Assistance Systems’ (ADAS) features including ‘Active Brake Assist’ (Merc-speak for AEB), adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change and lane-keeping assist, front and rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, driver attention monitoring, adaptive high-beam, ‘Park Assist’ (including front and rear parking sensors) and tyre pressure monitoring.

And if an impact is unavoidable the airbag count runs to 11 - dual front, front and rear side, full-length side curtains, driver and front passenger knee and a front centre bag.

As the name implies, ‘Auto Emergency Call’ will contact emergency services after a collision and there’s even the obligatory Mercedes first aid kit and high-vis vests. 

There are three top tethers for child seats or baby capsules across the rear seat with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer rear positions.

BMW offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is about right for the traditional premium players, but off the pace elsewhere. The traction battery is then covered for eight years or 160,000km.

The service intervals are condition based, rather than timed, and BMW sells a pre-paid package for the iX3 which is $1614 for four years, or $2420 for six years.

You can upgrade either to what BMW calls Service Inclusive Plus, which includes high-wear stuff like brake discs and pads and it is $5535 for four years or $6615 for six years.

There are around 50 BMW dealers across Australia covering mainly cities and key regional centres.

The Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid 4Matic+ is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty with the high-voltage battery covered for eight years/160,000km. Those terms match the key players in the premium and luxury parts of the market.

Mercedes-Benz ‘Road Care’ assistance is included for the duration of the main vehicle warranty. 

Maintenance is recommended every 12 months/25,000km, with service plans offered across three- ($4110), four- ($5410) and five-year ($7570) periods. That’s an average of around $1350 for the first two and $1500 for the last one. That added powertrain complexity obviously has an impact in the workshop.