BMW iX3 vs Mercedes-Benz EQC
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
Too close to call on resale: both keep about 44% of their value over three years. Decide on the deal, not the badge.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| iX3 | EQC | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 1 690 000 | R 1 575 000 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 29 538/m | R 27 528/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 67% | 67% |
| Retained after 3 years | 44% | 44% |
| Value after 3 years | R 748 576 | R 697 637 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 941 424 | R 877 363 |
| Value after 5 years | R 505 210 | R 470 832 |
| Our tier | Premium EV | Premium EV |
BMW iX3 →
South Africa first got the iX3 in 2022 as a China-built electric X3, and that car was withdrawn when the new X3 generation arrived. An all-new Neue Klasse iX3 launches locally in the third quarter of 2026 from about R1.69 million. The nameplate is central to BMW's local EV plans.
Known for: electric x3 reborn on the neue klasse platform
Mercedes-Benz EQC →
Mercedes' first modern EV reached SA in 2022 at around R1.58 million and was discontinued globally soon afterwards. Few were sold locally. Used values have dropped sharply, as is typical of first-generation EVs.
Known for: short-lived first mercedes ev
Common questions
Which holds value better, the BMW iX3 or the Mercedes-Benz EQC?
They are close to inseparable: 44% vs 44% retained after three years. Buy on price, spec and the deal you can get, not on resale.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The BMW iX3 loses about R 941 424 over three years and the Mercedes-Benz EQC loses about R 877 363. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the BMW iX3 runs about R 29 538 per month and the Mercedes-Benz EQC about R 27 528, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.