BMW M5 Sedan vs Lexus RX

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BMW M5 Sedan in South Africa

BMW M5 Sedan

M5 Sedan Plug-in Hybrid 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 2,782,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 430 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 16.5 km/l
VS
Lexus RX in South Africa

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,642,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BMW M5 Sedan vs Lexus RX: the short answer

M5 Sedan and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

RX starts ZAR 1,265,500 cheaper M5 Sedan from ZAR 2,782,000 · RX from ZAR 1,516,500

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification M5 Sedan RX
Maximum Power M5 Sedan430 kW @ 6000 rpm RX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque M5 Sedan750 Nm @ 1800-5400 rpm RX430 Nm
Engine Size M5 Sedan4395 cc RX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy M5 Sedan16.5 km/l RX11.5 km/l
Ground Clearance M5 Sedan140 mm RX185 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

BMW M5 Sedan

M5 Sedan

Hagalu editorial rating
3.8/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

M5 Sedan

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

RX

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

M5 Sedan

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

RX

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec M5 Sedan RX
Model Introduced Year 2024 2023
Generation G90 full-M four-door executive sedan with an electrified V8 powertrain and M xDrive. Fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV
Facelift History Current G90-generation BMW M5 Sedan in its South African plug-in-hybrid launch form. Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style Sedan SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Premium Sedan Luxury SUV
Vehicle Type Car SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1895-2005 kg
Spec M5 Sedan RX
Length 5096 mm 4890 mm
Width 1970 mm 1920 mm
Height 1510 mm 1695 mm
Wheelbase 3006 mm 2850 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 140 mm 185 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 67.5 l
Boot/Cargo Space 466 l 612 l
Kerb Weight 2510 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2940 kg 2590 kg
Payload Capacity 505 kg -
Towing Capacity 2000 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 4 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.9 m
Front Headroom 992 mm -
Rear Headroom 957 mm -
Front Legroom 1042 mm -
Rear Legroom 889 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This M5 Sedan and RX comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: M5 Sedan 97 vs RX 85.

Efficiency index: M5 Sedan 72 vs RX 46.

Safety-equipment index: M5 Sedan 92 vs RX 93.

Practicality index: M5 Sedan 62 vs RX 75.

Ownership-cover index: M5 Sedan not separately scored vs RX not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

M5 Sedan leads by 5 points

M5 Sedan and RX are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 82 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 83% source coverage
82
#1 Evidence leader

M5 Sedan

83% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 97 Check Practicality 62
Performance 97
Efficiency 72
Safety 92
Practicality 62
Leads by 5 points
77
#2

RX

70% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 93
Practicality 75
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance M5 Sedan +12 Efficiency M5 Sedan +26 Safety RX +1 Practicality RX +13

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

M5 Sedan

Performance 97/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 62/100

RX

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 75/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BMW M5 Sedan leads the specification evidence index with 82 pts vs 77 pts for RX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, M5 Sedan leads. However, RX may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

M5 Sedan vs RX questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.