Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs BMW i Series

What's the difference?

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class C200 is such a stylish sedan and I would totally have one. The driving performance, luxurious features and practical size made it a winning combo for my family. The price point is definitely up there but you do get a high-end build for the cash. I've seen bigger boots in other sedans and not being able to fit a third child seat will limit some families, but this still easily earns an 8.5/10 from me.

My son really loved this one. The ambient lighting was the highlight for him and he thought it looked like a "space car" inside. He gave it a 9/10.

BMW’s iX M60 isn’t just the brand’s flagship all-electric SUV, it’s a statement that the electric future is here and it doesn’t have to be boring.

Pricing aside, the top-spec iX serves up practical space and prodigious performance in a package that is punctuated with panache.

The sizeable battery also allays any concerns over range, while the cabin’s appointments and fit and finish are definitely befitting of a BMW.

It’s not designed to be for everyone, and that’s okay, too, because the small customer base willing to part with around $230,000 for an electric SUV in 2022 will find a lot to like about the iX.

The C200 is a sleek and elegant steed.

Initially, you may think this is just a standard Merc showcase. There's the nice big badge on the pronounced nose. Beautiful sleek lines in the body... but it's the attention to detail that make this feel special.

There's a repeated badge motif in the grille and a cute cursive Mercedes logo tucked into the corner of the windscreen. The puddle lights on the doors project the badge at night time and you can often spot a badge etched into the LED lights.

However, it's the interior that's the highlight for me and I feel like it's a big step up from previous models I've been in.

Our model has the grey 'Artico' synthetic leather trim (says grey but it's really white) and a lovely mix of piano black and shiny chrome inserts that are set against soft touchpoints throughout.

The quality of the build oozes through every stitch and join. Don't even get me started on the cool customisable ambient lighting system inside, which makes this feel like you're on the set of Tron and really elevates the interior.

It's quite fun to build one of these in Mercedes' online configurator. You can customise your trims to make it feel like your own and their blue paintwork options are great (I do love a blue car).

Close your eyes and ask your eight-year-old self what an electric BMW SUV would look like, and chances are something like the iX will come to mind.

Sleek and slender, but still very BMW is the best way we can describe the iX.

Of course, we cannot talk about styling on a BMW without mentioning its front grille.

With a more vertically stacked orientation, the iX’s grille has been described as ‘toothy’ or even an ‘eye sore’ by the public in the past. But honestly, we think this attention-grabbing front end suits the swagger of the M60.

The gold highlights throughout are especially baller, and the grille serves as double-duty to hide a lot of the front-facing cameras and sensors required for more of the high-tech driving features like semi-autonomous driving.

The grille is flanked by BMW’s usual quad-headlight design for a menacing appearance on the road, and we particularly like the contrasting colours and sharp lines of our grey-coloured test car.

Another cool feature is the front badge, which can be popped up and serves as an inlet for the windscreen washer jets.

In profile, the 22-inch wheels look almost too small against the huge swathes of bodywork, but BMW has done a good job in slimming down the M60 thanks to the gloss-black stripe that runs along the bottom of the doors.

Speaking of, the handles might not pop-out like some of its rivals, but the recessed handle is highlighted nicely with gold-copper accents that also run along the beltline and door mirrors.

The D-pillar is also broken up with a blacked-out section that divides the roof, also helping slim down the behemoth BMW, and up close the section is embossed with ‘iX’.

At the rear, the clamshell boot might look large and bulky, but the design is helped by the very slender tail-lights and bumper broken up with more gloss-black.

Step inside the cabin, and the iX’s aesthetics are similarly unconventional, but the interior design also follows function.

For starters, the odd-shaped steering wheel is the feature that stands out the most, but you quickly realise the flat bottom helps with entry and exit into the driver’s seat.

As an all-electric model, there is no transmission tunnel, with the footwell between the driver and front passenger easily accessible for a more open-feeling cabin.

There is an armrest of course, while the area for multimedia controls is adorned with a one-piece, wood-like finish to contrast the crystal control knob. It’s a mix of technology and the natural environment, you see, much like the iX itself.

Do we love the styling of the iX M60? Much in the same way Louis Vuitton’s latest fashion range might not appeal to the masses, the iX M60 is likewise a polarising proposition.

To answer the question, yes, the iX M60 is a very stylish SUV that draws the eye and turns heads like nearly nothing else on the road – and that is exactly the point.

I'm not going to lie – there are sedans out there that have an almost limo-like space inside but the C200 isn't one of them.

It's not small by any means and all occupants enjoy the comforts of decent legroom and headroom but it's not cavernous considering the specs (1437mm high/1820mm wide/4751mm long).

The optional panoramic sunroof does cut into the headroom for back seat passengers, which is something to consider if your family is very tall.

The storage is maybe a tad leaner-than-average for a car of this size. The glove box and middle console aren't massive but will suffice.

The cupholders up front can be removed if you need extra storage space for larger items and back seat passengers enjoy retractable cupholders in the armrest.

The way the front doors curve out creates a larger than normal storage bin and drink bottle holder – which help make up the difference. There is a dedicated phone pocket, to tuck it out of the way.

The boot space is 455 litres (VDA), which isn't as large as some others on the market but it was plenty big enough for my family's needs.

There's a handy under-floor storage pocket for smaller items, like the puncture repair kit, because you don't get a spare tyre in this.

When it comes to ease of use, my six-year-old loved not needing my help to get into his seat and he still enjoyed a decent view out of the wide back window.

The amenities in each row are good but not class-defining. Still, creature comforts have be well-thought through.

Front occupants enjoy heated seats and fantastic lumbar and under thigh support. Dual-zone climate control sorts out the temp, and the cool circular air vents that make loud audible 'clicks' when manoeuvred give the interior a jet cockpit vibe.

While I've never had an issue opening or closing a sedan boot, the powered lid was a nice feature to have this week.

The tech throughout is great and intuitive to use. The massive 11.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system is cool and is easy to use once you become acclimatised to Mercedes system.

The customisable digital instrument panel makes the driving experiences feel individualised.

The interior is a chilled out space with gentle scrolling touchpads taking the place of most 'push' buttons and dials.

Think of each surface as being a bit like a touchscreen tablet in how you operate it. I was a little worried the touchpads would be laggy but they're very responsive.

There's only one USB port in the whole car, which limits charging for other passengers but I did enjoy the easy connectivity of the wireless Apple CarPlay.

The electric heated front seats are a nice touch but I was amused by the 'kinetic' function on both. It's what you might call a 'massage' function on another car but here they don't really work. It's best to think of them as a way to do some (very) gentle stretching on a long trip.

The 360-degree camera view is super clear and crisp but the dynamic guidelines (which tilt the camera angle) are a bit too dynamic for my liking and I relied mostly on the bird's eye view to park.

As I've mentioned, the ambient lighting system creates a stellar atmosphere inside. I've often wondered why other car manufacturers haven't jumped on that bandwagon because it's a relatively cheap way of creating wow factor. And it generates massive wow factor in here.

Despite what it might look like on the outside or how it drives behind the wheel, BMW’s iX is undoubtedly a large SUV in shape.

Measuring nearly five metres long, and featuring a 1967mm width and 1696mm height, the iX M60 is certainly a sizeable machine.

However, it is the three-metre long wheelbase that is the most important measurement here, as it enables a vast and expansive interior space fit for the family.

The front passengers have ample room to get comfortable, and like we said in the design section of the review, there is nothing dividing the footwells of occupants up front.

This makes it the perfect place to park a backpack, handbag or even nappy bag when on the go, and means the front passenger doesn’t lose out on any legroom.

Even the armrest affords storage solutions for all the little things you might have you in pockets, while a wireless smartphone charger means you always have somewhere to place your device.

The front seats, finished in a quilted leather, might look plain, but are wonderfully supportive – even when the speedo climbs and you're carving up corners.

And in the rear, the story is largely the same, with seats that look and feel great and plenty of room for passengers to get comfortable.

My 163cm frame had no problems with leg-, head- or shoulder-room, but the base middle seat is raised a little.

We’ll also call out the great way BMW has hidden the ISOFIX mounting points for child seats, which is hidden by a flap that can be raised or lowered depending on what is needed.

It’s an elegant solution to something that can be an eyesore in other models, and shows the lengths BMW has gone to for the little details.

There is also a fold-down armrest for passengers back there, while the back of the front seats feature two USB-C charging ports, map pockets and spots to insert entertainment screens. 

Open the clamshell boot and there is a cavity that will swallow 500 litres of volume, plenty for a small family like ours, with the charging cables hidden neatly under the floor.

The boot floor is very long, too, meaning large objects will easily fit into the rear, while the 40/20/40 rear seats can be folded down to increase carrying capacity to 1750L.

To put that into perspective, something like the Ford Ranger is rated for more than 1200L in its tray, and while we would never condone the use of an iX to carry worksite tools, it does make carrying a surfboard or Ikea furniture that much easier.

However, it's worth pointing out that there is no front trunk in the iX, as there are electric motor and mechanical bits found in there. 

It’s just a shame that in a car of this size, BMW has not managed to position things with room left for a bit of usable space under the bonnet.

The 2023 BMW iX is available in four flavours, with the entry-level xDrive40 variant coming in at $135,900, before on-road costs.

The same powertrain is also available in Sport trim for $149,900, while a higher-output xDrive50 Sport sits at $174,900.

However, the top dog of the iX range is the M60, priced at a substantial $222,900.

As you can probably tell by the M badging, the iX M60 has more of a performance bent than its more affordable siblings, but it still commands a nearly $90,000 premium over the entry-level BMW electric SUV.

You are also getting a long list of equipment for the spend, though, with standard equipment including keyless entry, push-button start, heated and cooled front seats, a head-up display, and four-zone climate control – all things expected of a luxury model like the BMW iX.

The over-the-top extras you get on the M60 however, include soft-close doors, 22-inch alloy wheels and an electrochromic glass roof which can change its opacity by sending electricity through the middle layer of film. How high tech!

We also like that the iX can use the front-facing camera as a dashcam so you do not have an unsightly camera with long cables attached to the windscreen.

The iX M60 also features a curved 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and massive 14.9-inch multimedia touchscreen with the latest 'iDrive 8' software.

Look, there’s no denying the iX M60 is a pricey vehicle, especially when stacked up against the Audi e-tron S ($173,900) and Jaguar I-Pace HSE ($160,217), but the BMW does kick it up a notch in performance compared to its perceived rivals.

Tesla’s upcoming Model X Plaid will no doubt have something to say about that, but pricing and timing for that model is yet to be revealed. For reference, the last Model X offered in Australia was in 2020, and the top-spec Performance variant was priced at $177,375.

So, does the BMW iX M60 represent good value for money? Not really. But buying a brand-new iPhone whatever on the day it launches is also not good value for money.

Early adopters and people who appreciate having the very latest in technology will always be asked to pay a premium.

The C200 has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine with an integrated starter-generator. 

What's that, you ask? So, glad you did. It's basically an electric battery that also acts as your starter... or alternator.

It smooths out vibrations from the engine and generates some power from braking. Making this a very mild hybrid. Note the 'mild'.

Is it powerful? Surprisingly, yeah. It has a maximum output of 165kW and 300Nm of torque. Combine that with the starter-generator and we have a powerful little engine that can push the C200 from 0-100km in 7.3 seconds, while still feeling like there's power in reserve.

The nine-speed auto transmission is damn smooth and there's no clunky gear changing at any speed. It's got great pick-up, too, for when you need to overtake or zip across traffic.

A large part of why the iX M60 is so much more expensive than its siblings, is because of its powertrain.

With two electric motors spinning all four wheels, the iX M60 makes a staggering 455kW of power and (are you sitting down?) 1100Nm of torque.

This means the iX M60 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Not bad for a 2.5-tonne SUV, and it puts many petrol-powered rivals to shame.

This also makes it much more potent than the xDrive40 (240kW/630Nm) and xDrive50 (285kW/765Nm), while also blowing away the Audi e-tron S (370kW/973Nm).

The only electric car that comes close right now in Australia is the Porsche Taycan Turbo S (560kW/1050Nm), but the Tesla Model X Plaid supposedly makes 760kW/1020Nm from three electric motors.

And while the Tesla is not yet available, the Taycan Turbo S is more than $100,000 pricier than the iX M60, and doesn’t offer the same levels of practicality.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 6.9L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 7.2L, which was awesome for the heavy driving I did this week on a combo of urban and open-roads.

The light regen braking probably helps this coast comfortably into being a very efficient sedan for its size.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and you'll need 66 litres of it to fill the tank.

Driving range using the official consumption figure is around 950km, and 915km using our real-world number.

Equipped with a 112kWh battery pack, the iX M60 features 566km of driving range according to the WLTP cycle.

In reality, we saw closer to 540km of driving range on the dash readout with a full charge, but of course this is all subject to things like the level of regenerative braking you apply, ambient temperature, the driving mode chosen, air conditioning and weight.

Officially, the BMW iX M60 consumes 26.5kWh per 100km, but our week with the car saw an average of 25.6kWh/100km with driving mainly focussed on short, inner-city trips that are advantageous to an electric car.

This betters the energy consumption of models like the Taycan Turbo S, which features a combined-cycle test of 28.5kWh//100km, but is much more energy-hungry than something like a Nissan Leaf (18kWh/100km).

This figure is also very dependent on driving style and environment, but for a 2.5-tonne SUV that will ferry the family and more, consumption isn’t too bad.

Charging options include 11kW for AC and 200kW DC fast-charging – the latter of which can juice the iX M60 from 10-80- per cent capacity in just 35 minutes, if you can find a compatible outlet, of course.

The steering feels solid and concise. The tyres seem like they're glued to the road, making winding roads downright fun to tackle. Oh, and the sharp 11 metre turning circle is wonderful.

The handling makes this your best friend in a car park. The lower ground clearance did elicit some unladylike grunts when I parked on a hill, but otherwise the wide door apertures makes it easy to get in and out of.

The only thing I would note is the low-profile ground clearance. Just be aware of your speed and angle when you handle car park ramps or road bumps in this. They are not your friends.

Maybe it’s just us, but as soon as we step into the driver’s seat of the iX M60, the “Gotta Go Fast” theme song for the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon just comes to mind.

And that’s probably because this BMW all-electric SUV seems to want to do one thing... go fast.

Sure, there are various driving modes on offer, including 'Sport' and 'Efficient' (as well as 'Expressive' and 'Relax', weird names, but okay BMW), but no matter what mode you are in, there is just an eagerness and urgency in the iX.

And this feeling of immediacy isn’t just because the iX is an electric car. We’ve experienced that before in other EVs. This is because it’s an M-badged BMW.

The iX M60 is wonderfully responsive to throttle inputs, and the 1100Nm (!) available makes it almost comical getting up to speed from a freeway on-ramp.

And in day-to-day traffic situations, it feels like you’ve got cheat codes on while driving.

Waiting to turn into traffic and see a gap that you wouldn’t normally be able to squeeze into? The BMW iX M60 can do it.

How about cruising along and need to change lanes, so you nudge forward a bit for the opening in traffic? Put the foot down and in the span of half a second, the BMW iX M60 has surged forward enough to flick the indicator on.

And take the iX M60 out to some twisties and that brute force will get you to the end of the road in a time you didn’t think was possible in a 2.5-tonne large SUV.

It’s almost unfair how the instant torque makes it everything so much easier on the blacktop.

But that eagerness is a double-edged sword, as when you want things to calm down and operate the iX in the smoothest manner possible, it’s harder than you might think.

Because the throttle is so sensitive and the powertrain so potent, even the slightest twitch of the right foot can lead to a quick burst of speed that knocks you back into your seat.

Even with things dialled down to the Efficient drive mode, it didn’t do much to curb the unruly iX M60 from wanting to break free at the first moment of carelessness.

Don’t get me wrong, it never gets dangerous or unpredictable, but it’s a bit like toilet training a toddler – you’ve always got to be on top of it.

And for some, that’s fine, but for others when you’ve just had a full-on day at work and have to commute home to the family, it can get tiring. 

BMW’s iX range, including the M60, was awarded a maximum five-star safety rating from ANCAP when tested in 2021.

The adult and child occupant protection tests notched the highest results (91 and 88 per cent respectively), while the vulnerable road user score (73 per cent) and safety assist (78 per cent) examinations also yielded respectable scores.

Standard safety features include all the usual suspects such as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view monitor and traffic sign recognition.

However, there is no rear AEB offered on the iX, which is odd in a vehicle that offers all the bells and whistles in terms of equipment. 

Littered throughout the cabin, there are nine airbags in total, including a front centre airbag to protect against passengers colliding in the event of an accident, as well as second-row chest and head cushioning units.

The C200 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.

There are multiple servicing options and on the five-year plan, the services average $1090 annually, which is quite expensive.

Servicing intervals are pretty good at every 12 months or a longer than usual 25,000km, whichever comes first.

Like all new BMWs, the iX now comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.

BMW held out at three years/unlimited km long after competitors had moved to five years. But this finally matches the assurance periods offered by premium rivals Audi, Genesis, Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz, and is up two years from the BMW warranty offered just earlier this year.

The iX uses BMW’s 'Condition Based Servicing' system, which means the vehicle will notify owners of when it needs maintenance, therefore there aren’t any scheduled servicing intervals.

However, services are bundled into four- and six-year plans, priced at $1520 and $2195 respectively. An annual average of $380 for the former, and $367 for the latter, is competitive in this part of the market.