BMW IX3 vs Mercedes-Benz EQE

What's the difference?

The BMW iX3 is a rarity in the market, a premium-feeling electric model that's not a whole lot dearer than petrol alternatives.

For those happy to trade some of the Tesla Model 3 and Kia EV6 GT's all-paw performance for a luxurious cabin, slick drive and badge cachet, the iX3 M Sport is a very attractive package. Until Audi's Q4 and Q6 e-tron arrive, the iX3 remains basically peerless in this part of the market.

No wonder, then, that BMW is Australia's third most popular electric car brand after Tesla and BYD. The vehicles capture everything the brand promises at a price that looks good on paper and better in the real world.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic is an electric sedan that will comfortably house your family. My son really liked this one, the ambient lighting in particular!

It has enough power to satisfy the drivers out there and a driving range that will make you feel at ease. But the boot is small and this car will suit families whose kids are out of the pram stage best. I really like the safety and standard features on the EQE but the ongoing costs are a bit expensive for an EV.

Now that we've seen the new X3, the current model is already dated. Not that it was a cutting-edge design at launch but there is precious little offensive about this mid-size SUV.

Fussy wheel designs, strange closed in grilles and clashing blue accents aside the iX3 M Sport remains a plenty handsome option as you approach.

Inside the cabin's shapes feel positively conservative next to BMW's latest efforts like the X2 and 7 Series but, in a way, this is no bad thing.

It's also nice that you can tailor this car's appearance to your liking without spending extra, the combination here rocks a nice blue paint with tasteful brown upholstery for a classy look.

You can have Oyster white leather or simple black and the paint colour palette is refined without being restrictive.

Love it or leave it, the swoopy design of the EQE sedan is decidedly modern with a shiny black grille that features a repeated Mercedes-Benz star motif and the aerodynamic covers on the 20-inch alloy wheels.

The nose is snubby and dips down too low for it to look sexy but the rear earns some design points with its elegant proportions, 3D ‘helix’ LED lights and cute spoiler.

The chrome accents around the windows and the illuminated flush door handles add some pizzazz, too.

I’m not a massive fan of its exterior looks but the interior is gorgeous! The dashboard features an 12.8-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel that pull your focus with their crystal-clear graphics but they need to, because the dashboard has a whole lotta empty space which looks a tad boring.

The side air vents are styled like jet turbines but are a little finicky to manoeuvre.

The black suede-like headliner creates a plush aesthetic but when you open the panoramic sunroof, the cabin is downright airy.

The door panels, which double as a grab handle, house the window and side mirror controls and its super handy to have the seat-configurator and memory functions on the door itself, rather than the side of the seat. This positioning makes them much easier to see!

Mercedes has added LED ambient-strip lighting around a lot of the interior, including the front seats, which has a massive wow factor at night time.

The ambient lighting can be adjusted up to 64-ways and also features a dynamic element where the lights pulse (under certain selections) when you accelerate. 

The BMW X3 was developed with family buyers in mind and that has paid dividends because it has an extremely practical cabin with lots of thoughtful storage.

Each of the four doors has a bottle holder and generously-sized pocked for extra storage. There are two cup-holders in the centre with a wireless charging pad, secure spot for the key fob and USB port in easy reach. You can slide a roller cover down to hide valuables.

Key driving controls are smartly grouped together around the iX3's unconventional gear selector. Here, you'll find the start/stop button along with hard switches for drive mode selection, stability control and exterior cameras.

Right next door is where the rotary 'iDrive' controller lives with yet more physical shortcut buttons. Including the extra option to easily interact with the multimedia system on the move is a refreshing delight that you don't see in so many touchscreen-heavy EVs. There's also a physical stack for HVAC and seat heating controls.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen is responsive and bright with BMW's slightly older system having a more conventional appearance than the latest software in the iX2. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wireless and still work flawlessly.

If there are some negatives, they would be some build-quality niggles. On the whole the materials are high quality and the car is well screwed together but the indicator stalks feel decidedly flimsy compared to BMWs of old and I noticed a rattle from the parcel shelf on the road.

The eight-way power adjust seats with tilt and under-leg extension are classic BMW, being sporty enough to hold you in but with enough padding to stay comfy. Though we will knock this car down for lacking power lumbar adjust.

Those in the back will be plenty comfortable even if they're taller than 180cm with ample head, leg and toe-room. There doesn't appear to be a major compromise to the floor height despite BMW stacking 10 lithium-ion modules beneath.

Vision out is excellent with an expansive glasshouse and full-length sunroof.

Amenities include two USB-C charge points, a third climate zone, fold-out armrest with pop-up cup holders and generous storage in the doors.

Fitting child seats should be pretty simple with doors that open wide, two sets of ISOFIX ports (that you can't lose the covers of) and three prominent top tether anchors in the recline-adjustable backrest.

The boot is large with 510L of space at a minimum that expands to 1560L if you fold the 40/20/40 split backrest flat. There's a sense of solidity in that process, too, with sturdy levers and components.

So sturdy that the retractable luggage cover is quite difficult to remove, especially for shorter owners. Other niceties include a single shopping bag hook, LED lighting and 12-volt socket in the back.

No BMW X3 comes with a spare tyre so that should come as no surprise. The iX3 instead has a tyre repair kit. There is underfloor storage in the iX3, though, which is the perfect place to store both charging cables — Mode 2 and 3 — that are included.

Mercedes uses the term ‘saloon’ for its sedans and this term highlights the space each passenger will enjoy in the EQE sedan! There is plenty of head and legroom up front and you don’t feel like you’re on top of your co-pilot, either.

The electric front seats are comfortable with their adjustable lumbar control and extendable under-thigh support. The kinetic function on both also make longer journeys an absolute pleasure.

The rear seats are well-padded and you get limo-like legroom but the swoopy roofline does cut into the headspace. I’m comfortable enough with my 168cm (5'6") height but someone with a few inches over six-foot may not be.

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to individual storage options with large middle and centre consoles, the latter can be made even larger because the two cupholders are retractable.

There is a massive shelf underneath them that has a handy elastic strap for larger items, like a handbag. The glove box is on the shallow side but both doors have a drink bottle holder and storage bin.  

In the rear, individual storage is also decent with two map pockets, two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, as well as a drink bottle holder and storage bin in each door.

The other amenities in the rear are good with a couple of reading lights and directional air vents. I would have preferred to have seen climate control, too, but there’s enough here to satisfy.

The technology looks high-end but is relatively simple to operate once you get used to the Mercedes-Benz operating system.

The touchscreen multimedia screen has haptic feedback, which just means it vibrates when you touch it, and built-in satellite navigation with an augmented reality feature.

The digital instrument panel is customisable and the coloured head-up display is easy to see.

It is simple to connect to the wireless Apple CarPlay and there is also wired Android Auto.

Charging options are fantastic throughout the car with four USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad to choose from up front.

However, it’s annoying to use the charging pad if you’re also using the cupholders as its awkward to try and get a phone in and out of the housing. In the rear there are another two USB-C ports.

For the class, the boot isn’t massive at 430L and the wheels do cut into the width but it’s been big enough for my shopping errands.

You get a tyre puncture repair kit in the EQE sedan and I like the way you can electrically fold the rear seats if you need extra storage space. Having the hands-free powered boot lid is very convenient. 

There are three models for the EQE sedan and our test model is the mid-spec 350 4Matic grade, which will cost you $144,900, before on-road costs. It manages to slide into being the most affordable compared to its rivals and it has a tonne of features. 

Front occupants enjoy creature comforts like heated and electrically-adjustable front seats that feature four-way lumbar support, extendable under-thigh support, as well as, three-position memory function. They also have a ‘kinetic’ function which I liken to gentle stretching.

Premium items include a panoramic sunroof, black headliner, dual-zone climate control, AMG floor mats, 360-degree view camera system, Burmester 3D sound system, hands-free powered boot lid and electrically folding rear seats (access to the controls are via the boot lid).

The built-in satellite navigation also features an augmented reality feature, which shows dynamic directions overlaid on a video feed. Some might call this gimmicky but it does help navigating a city with all of the little laneways!

On the exterior you get 20-inch alloy wheels with aerodynamic covers and a glossy black grille that features a repeated Mercedes-Benz star motif.

There are a few cool lighting features on the EQE like the Mercedes-Benz logo projected from the side mirrors, a 64-way coloured ambient lighting system and something that Mercedes calls ‘Digital Light’ – which are LED HD adaptive projector-like headlights.

In this case there isn't much under the bonnet except for electric gubbins. The single electric motor – that uses no rare earth materials – resides at the back and generates 210kW/400Nm.

Those outputs are fairly close to a petrol X3 30i, though of course this model is rear-drive only.

Thanks to the rapid response of electric motors, the iX3 M Sport can sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds (claimed).

BMW has chosen to give the iX3 a long-travel progressive throttle pedal that makes grunt easy to meter out. However, the regenerative braking could do with a little more refinement.

There are two settings, 'D' — just like letting off the throttle in a combustion car — and 'B' which is quite strong. The blending between regenerative and physical caliper-on-rotor braking is vague, though, which can make low-speed moves a bit jerky.

The 350 4Matic is an all-wheel drive with two electric motors that have a combined power output of 215kW and a massive 765Nm of torque. The lithium-ion battery has a large 90.5kWh capacity.

The 350 4Matic has a 0-100km/h sprint time of only 6.3-seconds but it feels gusty and you get a tummy-sucking sensation when you have to put your foot down.

The iX3 M Sport's WLTP rating is a respectable but not groundbreaking 461km on the combined cycle. The reality is a little bleaker, our test car displaying 316km on its digital instruments at 100 per cent charge.

Going against what you might expect for an electric car, the iX3 was not very efficient in town, we initially saw 24kWh/100km on the read-out which is quite high.

It is better suited to a longer, steady-state run. Our regular 200km country and suburban test loop dropped the consumption to 18kWh/100km for a real-world driving range of 411km.

When it's time to bring the charge levels back up the iX3 will take on AC electricity at 11kW, for flat to full in seven and a half hours.

Public fast-charging caps out at 150kW (DC) though averages to 104kW over a 10-80 per cent session. This should take 21 minutes, says BMW.

We only observed a maximum of 101kW on a DC charger though the pylon did not appear to be performing at full energy with other vehicles having similar issues.

The 350 4Matic has an official energy consumption figure of 17.6kWh. My average sat round 16.9kWh and that is after a lot of open road driving. Happy with that.

With a driving range of up to 590km, I didn’t feet any range anxiety!

The charging port is a Type 2 CCS which will accept up to 170kW on DC, which means you can charge it from 10 - 80 per cent in 33 minutes. On an 11kW system, you can see that time jump to just under 10hrs.

Despite no saucy straight-six, V8 or twin-cam four-cylinder there is an inherent 'BMW-ness' in the iX3 M Sport. The way it steers, accelerates and rides all match the brand's DNA.

It is not a plush SUV, with some firmness to the suspension even in Comfort mode on the adaptive dampers — this may have something to do with BMW's 40PSI front and 45PSI rear tyre pressure recommendations — but without ever being crashy.

Build up a little more speed, beyond 60km/h for example, and the body settles nicely with a solid, assured stance.

There's no evidence of suspension noise and road noise is very well insulated as well, even without the up-spec M Sport Pro's acoustically insulated glass. 

The steering is light in Comfort mode which makes it ideal for urban driving. It also has three turns lock-to-lock which is a lot for a sporty-ish BMW, however that is largely down to the improved steering angle. Without an engine or AWD system, the iX3 has a great turning circle of just 12.1 metres.

Moving things up a notch into Sport adds extra weight to the steering which helps judge the grip on good roads, which is pretty decent from the 245/45R19 Yokohama Advan Sport V107 tyres.

When you approach the limit, the iX3 is very secure but significant mid-corner bumps can unsettle the car, bringing its 2180kg tare weight (a 325kg penalty over the xDrive20i) sharply into focus. Pull it back a touch, though, and the iX3 M Sport is plenty rewarding on a country road.

Mostly, the iX3 is a refreshingly natural electric car out on the road. You could put anyone in the driver's seat and they'd be smooth just like in a combustion car.

With the amount of power the 350 4Matic model has, it’s no wonder I enjoy driving it! The motor is responsive and the car doesn’t shift around when you have to put your foot down, either.

The EQE handles beautifully on the road where it feels stable and sure of itself. It tackles corners without breaking a sweat and the steering is crisp.  

The ride comfort is high quality with suspension that smooths out bumps without feeling floaty. The cabin space is quiet even at higher speeds.

There are three levels of regenerative braking – none, normal or strong – ‘strong’ enables a one-pedal driving experience.

It’s responsive enough that you’re confident using it in stop/start city traffic but it wigs me out how the brake pedal moves by itself when activated!

I have kept the level at the default ‘normal’ setting but do tend to turn it off whenever I need to reverse because it can cause a ‘bunny hop’ effect at lower speeds.

The EQE is super easy to park with a clear 360-degree camera system, as well as, front and rear parking sensors. 

The EQE comes jammed pack with safety features and I think the 'Pre-Safe' systems are cool.

For example, a pre-crash audio tone will transmit through the speaker system when an imminent collision is detected. It elicits a reaction from your inner ear that dampens sound when the accident occurs. 

Other features that come standard, are LED daytime running lights, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure warning, intelligent seat belt reminders, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree view reversing camera, traffic sign recognition, driver fatigue monitor, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality.

The EQE also has rear collision emergency stop and stolen vehicle tracking. The autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian, and rear detection is operational from 7.0-80km/h (up to 250km/h for car detection).

The EQE achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022. There are a whopping 10 airbags, including a front centre airbag and drivers knee bag.

Back seat passengers also get side chest airbags, whereas its usual to only see these on the front row.

Families will be happy to see ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers, but two seats will fit best. There’s plenty of room for front passengers when you install a 0-4 rearward facing child seat.

The iX3 M Sport is now covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty in Australia.

Servicing is due on a conditional basis with the multimedia system prompting the owner when to visit a dealer.

BMW offers serviced packages for electric vehicles that last six years/unlimited kilometres, with the iX3's pack costing a reasonable $2325 over that time.

On the EQE you’ll enjoy a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by a 10-year or up to 250,000km warranty (whichever occurs first) – which is better than most.

You can pre-purchase either a three-, four-, or five-year servicing plan and the five-year plan costs a flat $3555, or an average of $711 per service.

That’s quite expensive for an EV and the servicing intervals are more in line with a fuel-based car than an EV at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.