Verdict
The BMW X5 costs RM51,912 more at RM470,800, and its 308 hp/540 Nm 3.0-litre inline-six cuts the 0-100 km/h time to 5.4 seconds against the XC90’s 7.7 seconds. It also brings a 650-litre boot, 14.9-inch display, head-up display and auto parking. The Volvo XC90 is the more rational Malaysian family buy: RM418,888, seven seats, integrated second-row booster seats and a far lower RM428 annual road tax versus RM1,637. Its 451-litre boot is the trade-off for that third row.
X5
Pick the BMW X5 if you want 308 hp, 540 Nm, a 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time and a 650-litre five-seat boot.
XC90
Pick the Volvo XC90 if you need seven seats, integrated second-row booster seats, a five-year warranty and RM428 annual road tax.
Key differences
- Price: BMW X5 RM470,800; Volvo XC90 RM418,888.
- Performance: BMW X5 308 hp, 540 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds; Volvo XC90 249 hp, 350 Nm and 7.7 seconds.
- Seating and boot: BMW X5 has 5 seats and 650 litres; Volvo XC90 has 7 seats and 451 litres.
- Road tax: BMW X5 RM1,637 per year; Volvo XC90 RM428 per year.
- Warranty: BMW X5 has a 2-year manufacturer warranty; Volvo XC90 has a 5-year manufacturer warranty.
- Wheels: BMW X5 wears 21-inch wheels; Volvo XC90 wears 20-inch wheels.
X5
- 308 hp and 540 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.
- 650-litre boot is 199 litres larger.
- Head-up display, auto parking and 14.9-inch touchscreen.
- RM51,912 higher purchase price and RM1,209 more annual road tax.
- Only five seats to the XC90’s seven.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty versus five years.
XC90
- Seven seats, including a 50:50 third row.
- Integrated booster seats on the outer second-row seats.
- Five-year warranty plus 8-year/160,000 km hybrid battery warranty.
- 249 hp and 350 Nm trail the X5’s 308 hp and 540 Nm; 0-100 km/h takes 7.7 seconds.
- 451-litre boot is 199 litres smaller than the X5’s.
- No head-up display or auto parking, where the X5 has both.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM470,800 | RM418,888✓ |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | Executive | Executive |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM1,637 | RM428✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, Turbochaged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 16-valve DOHC with Direct Fuel Injection, Turbocharger, Variable Valve Timing with MHEV Assistance |
| Capacity | 2,998 cc | 1,969 cc |
| Horsepower | 308 hp at 5,000 rpm✓ | 249 hp at 5,400 rpm |
| Torque | 540 Nm at 1,750 rpm✓ | 350 Nm at 1,800 rpm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 6 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol Hybrid/REV | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore × Stroke | 82 mm × 94.6 mm | 82 mm × 93.2 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 11 | 10.3 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | — | 14 hp |
| Motor Torque | — | 40 Nm |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Eight-speed Steptronic | 8-Speed Automatic Transmission with Geartronic |
| Gears | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Volvo |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 5.4 seconds✓ | 7.7 seconds |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h✓ | 180 km/h |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,935 mm | 4,950 mm |
| Width | 2,004 mm | 1,958 mm |
| Height | 1,765 mm | 1,776 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,975 mm | 2,984 mm |
| Weight | 2,240 kg | 2,350 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 83 litres | 71 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 650 litres✓ | 451 litres |
| Front Tyre | 275/40R21 | 275/45R20 |
| Rear Tyre | 315/35R21 | 275/45R20 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Continental PremiumContact 6 SSR Run-flats | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension | Double Wishbones with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension | Multi-link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 20" 5-spoke Black Diamond Cut Black Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 21" Style 915M Light Alloy Wheels | 20" 5-spoke Black Diamond Cut Black Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Air Suspension with Adaptive Dampers | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 8 (Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Driver's Knee, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Electric for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats | Available on 2 Outer Rear Seats, with Integrated Boosters |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Full Auto Brake, Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | For All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED headlights with Auto High Beam | Dynamic LED Projectors with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Driver and Passenger Powered Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Ventilation |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Second row 40:20:40 Split Folding with integrated booster child seat for the outer seats, Third Row 50:50 |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | Panoramic Sliding Sunroof | Panoramic, Front Tilt and Slide |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 USB-A, 1 USB-C Front, 4 USB-C Rear | — |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | Powered Sunroof Shade, Manual Rear Window Shades | Manual Rear Door Window Shades, Powered Sunroof Shade |
| 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) | 11.2" Central Display with Android Automotive OS, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto Connectivity, Bowers & Wilkins High Fidelity Audio 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 Knob Twist |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Active Cruise Control |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Contactless Opening, Powered Boot | Powered Boot, Contactless Opening |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | — |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | — |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, with 360 Surround View Camera |
| 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 |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 3 years | — |
| Warranty Notes | — | 8-year/160,000 km Hybrid Battery Warranty |
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 & XC90 for sale
X5 vs XC90 FAQ
Is the BMW X5 or Volvo XC90 better?
The X5 is better for outright performance and cargo space, with 308 hp, 540 Nm and a 650-litre boot. The XC90 is better for family capacity and running costs, bringing seven seats and RM428 annual road tax.
What is the price difference?
The BMW X5 costs RM470,800 and the Volvo XC90 costs RM418,888, so the X5 is RM51,912 more expensive.
Which SUV is better for a large family?
The Volvo XC90 is the clear choice for a large family because it has seven seats, a 50:50 third row and integrated booster seats for the outer second-row positions. The BMW X5 has five seats.
