Verdict
Design | Consolation | Tech | Efficiency | Security | Gasoline Financial system | Pricing | FAQs
–Los Angeles, California
The Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan is a polarizing determine within the trendy EV market. From the cab-forward stance to the tech-laden cabin, the EQE does nothing to cover its electrified credentials, trying extra like an area pod than the E-Class to which it’s nominally associated.
However there’s extra to the mid-size Mercedes EV than meets the attention. With a dual-motor powertrain pumping out 402 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque, the 2023 EQE500 is as overpowered as it’s overstyled. And but, I can’t assist however be charmed by its insistent futurism, with Velocity Racer four-wheel steering and synthwave inside illumination holding issues fascinating when the off-the-line thrust begins to really feel passé.
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Exterior Shade: Starling Blue Inside Shade: AMG Black / House Gray Wheel Measurement: 20 Inches
Like its EQS huge sibling, the EQE sedan makes proud use of Mercedes’ “one-bow” styling language for EVs. The low entrance finish and stubby tail are linked with one single brushstroke, the 59.5-inch roofline peaking simply behind the motive force to offer the automobile a barely rearward-leaning stance. Not like the light-barred EQS, the EQE makes do with separate headlights, and bracket-shaped daytime operating lights brighten up the looks a bit. Round again, a full-width taillight panel will get coiled lighting components, similar to a light-weight bulb.
Past these particulars, deciding whether or not or not you just like the EQE is a matter of opinion – I benefit from the mid-90s idea automobile look so much, personally. What’s not up for debate is how superior the AMG Line aero wheels are. Embossed with a zillion little Mercedes stars, these wheels measure 20 inches and provides the EQE500 some stellar rolling inventory.
Inside, the EQE doesn’t provide the MBUX Hyperscreen, however the seeming acre of wooden trim on the dashboard is a becoming substitute. The sprint high and windowsills dovetail across the inside in a swooping aircraft, trying crisp and appropriately trendy, and the minimalist AMG sport seats match the spaceship vibe very effectively. There are a couple of chinks within the armor, although. The door pulls – a typical touchpoint, clearly – are finished up in chintzy, aluminum-look plastic, and the excessive sprint inhibits visibility given the plunging entrance finish. In any other case, the EQE’s cabin hits the precise notes.
Seating Capability: 5 Seating Configuration: 2 / 3 Cargo Capability: 15.1 Cubic Ft
Bombastic acceleration apart, the EQE500 is a really genteel automobile by which to motor round city. Adaptive dampers are normal, they usually do nice work of their softest setting to even out the bumps on dangerous pavement. A low 0.22 drag coefficient and door-mounted mirrors scale back wind roar, and regardless of the EQE’s frameless home windows, there isn’t a lot street noise to talk of.
The aforementioned entrance seats provide an excellent quantity of adjustability and are padded sufficient to be cozy for an extended day of errands, and there’s sufficient area for a driver and entrance passenger to get cozy sufficient. Sadly, the rear seats aren’t as accommodating – a excessive flooring necessitated by the 90.6-kilowatt-hour battery saps some toe room and forces a barely awkward, thighs-up seating place. I’ve the identical situation within the EQS, and it’s a bit worse within the smaller EQE.
Heart Show: 12.8-Inch Touchscreen Instrument Cluster Show: 12.3 Inches Wi-fi Apple CarPlay / Android Auto: Sure/Sure
Not like the EQS sedan, the EQE doesn’t provide an MBUX Hyperscreen on its choices sheet. However until you continuously have a front-seat passenger who wants fixed leisure, you gained’t miss the dash-spanning panel of glass. The 12.8-inch touchscreen offered me with greater than sufficient digital actual property, and as an added bonus, parts of it don’t get blocked by the steering wheel as they do on the Hyperscreen’s bigger middle show. One possibility that does carry over is enhanced ambient lighting, a function of the mid-level, $850 Unique trim bundle that additionally consists of augmented-reality navigation.
Motor: Twin Completely Excited Synchronous Output: 402 Horsepower / 633 Pound-Ft Battery: 90.6-Kilowatt-Hour Lithium-Ion
Pushing a mixed 402 hp and 633 lb-ft from a pair of electrical motors (with none subscriptions), the Mercedes-Benz EQE500 is a shocking thrill in a straight line. Its 60-mile-per-hour dash of 4.5 seconds doesn’t sound all that spectacular in a world of three.3-second Kias, however the Mercedes doles out its thrust gently from a cease to keep up management. As soon as on the fly, the twin motors present blistering passing energy, and onramp acceleration is way extra ferocious than any Mercedes not sporting an AMG badge has a proper to be.
If solely the EQE500 had the brakes and tires to again up the ability. Though the regenerative braking system is powerful, bringing the automobile to a halt with ease, the pedal itself is tough to modulate, and laborious panic braking doesn’t really feel as stout appropriately given the ability on board – blame a 5,424-pound curb weight and all-season tires. These two coconspirators rear their heads once more in laborious cornering, the place the EQE releases its grip up entrance ahead of I’d like. At saner speeds at the very least, the automobile turns corners fairly properly, thanks partially to the usual 10-degree rear axle steering.
Driver Help Stage: SAE Stage 2 (Arms-On) NHTSA Ranking: Not Rated IIHS Ranking: Not Rated
As regular, Mercedes-Benz costs further for its admittedly wonderful suite of Stage 2 lively security and help options. Though lively lane departure prevention is normal, my tester’s Driver Help pack is the one approach to get adaptive cruise management, lively lane adjustments, and stop-and-go performance. C’mon Mercedes, simply make it normal. It’s so good at holding the automobile distanced from surrounding site visitors that it’s a disgrace to maintain it behind a $1,250 wall.
Effectivity: 83 Metropolis / 82 Freeway / 82 Mixed MPG EV Vary: 260 Miles
Base Worth: $74,900 + $1,150 Vacation spot Trim Base Worth: $87,050 As-Examined Worth: $98,350
The only-motor, 288-hp Mercedes-Benz EQE350+ begins at $76,050 with vacation spot, however moving into the EQE500 is a minimal $87,050 funding. My tester carried an extra $11,300 in choices, the largest tickets being a $2,100 AMG Line inside and $2,200 AMG Line exterior, in addition to $1,600 for a black microfiber headliner. Ditch these bits and also you’re left with substantively the identical car for simply over 92 massive.
However even in case you train some restraint with the choices, the Mercedes-Benz EQE remains to be a darned costly car when you can get the quicker, quicker-charging BMW i4 M50 with each single possibility checked for $84,370. A loaded Tesla Mannequin 3 Efficiency is cheaper nonetheless, at $71,240 together with the pipe-dream Full Self Driving possibility. Or, for about the identical value of the EQE I drove, I might additionally buy the extra spacious Tesla Mannequin S, which will get at the very least 375 miles of vary and hits 60 in a fleet 3.1 seconds.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE500 sedan does a couple of issues very effectively. It’ll wow onlookers who spot its rear wheels cranking across the car parking zone, and the properly completed cabin turns right into a Miami nightclub when the solar goes down due to the ambient lighting. It’s quiet and refined, too, and the look-at-me styling broadcasts its EV pretensions to the world. For me, this mid-size EV is at the very least $10,000 too costly to be a wise purchase, so thank goodness it has some intangibles to assist compensate.