It wasn’t that way back now that in case you needed a premium electrical car (EV), Tesla was your solely recreation on the town.
That’s all modified now. The posh institution has rolled out electrical fashions, and extra not too long ago premium-branded autos on devoted EV platforms have began to look, like this Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Tesla has additionally cleared some area, withdrawing its Mannequin S and Mannequin X to deal with extra reasonably priced autos.
Mercedes-Benz’s first EV in Australia was the EQC, closely based mostly on the earlier GLC. However over the previous couple of years, the three-pointed star model has been busily rolling out a variety of autos on its devoted Electrical Automobile Structure.
First got here the EQS Sedan, adopted by the EQE Sedan, however extra not too long ago Mercedes-Benz has launched the 2 EVA-based autos that may probably do bigger volumes: the EQE SUV and EQS SUV.
Good luck telling them aside. Much more so than Mercedes-Benz’s combustion-powered fashions, which regularly comply with a nesting doll design technique, the EQE SUV and EQS SUV seem indistinguishable at a look.
Styling is subjective, however I’ve to say the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is one ugly car. And sadly, it’s not one thing that could possibly be simply fastened with a facelift, as its form and proportions are simply… off.
In reality, I couldn’t discover a single one that genuinely favored the outside styling. Mercedes-Benz was clearly chasing effectivity positive factors with this ultra-aerodynamic styling – and certainly the EQE SUV has a slippery drag coefficient of 0.25 – however the firm went manner too far in that route.
All EQE SUVs offered in Australia include the AMG Line bundle, which incorporates some significantly gauche aspect steps which can be relatively pointless until you’re very quick with petite toes. The crossover solely has 192mm of floor clearance, so it’s not such as you’re climbing up right into a LandCruiser right here.
Don’t decide a guide by its cowl, although. When you get behind the wheel, issues brighten up significantly for the EQE SUV.
How does the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV in opposition to equally sized autos.
Mercedes-Benz
EQE SUV
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV price?
The EQE 350 SUV is priced identically to a diesel-powered GLE 300d, so that is one instance of an EV not commanding a large premium over a comparable combustion-powered car.
It’s value noting that as Mercedes-Benz has moved to an company gross sales mannequin in Australia, it employs fastened costs. You gained’t be capable of haggle something off the sticker as you might be able to with, say, an Audi Q8 e-tron or BMW iX.
2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV pricing:
2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV: $134,9002024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV: $144,9002024 Mercedes-AMG EQE 53: $189,900
Costs exclude on-road prices
To see how the EQE SUV strains up in opposition to its rivals, try our comparability device.
What’s the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV like on the within?
The EQE SUV could take Mercedes-Benz’s new exterior design language to its excessive, however inside it’s a little bit extra acquainted.
Which means it has Mercedes-Benz’s ultra-modern inside design language, with a big, portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen, a free-standing digital instrument cluster, and a sea of gloss black trim.
There’s additionally the model’s distinctive ambient lighting, which lets you choose a number of colors without delay, with gentle streaming out from the dashboard, doorways, footwells, and even from the perimeters of the seats. The pastel-fantastic Miami Rose is my favorite of the pre-set themes.
The sunshine additionally streams out of the turbine-style air vents on the dashboard, which bookend a dashboard that’s successfully one big expanse of delicate, striated wooden trim. You too can go for wooden trim for use on the centre console, which might be a welcome reduction from the smudge-prone gloss black trim.
The doorways shut with a stable thunk, however all just isn’t good when it comes to construct high quality or materials selections.
The button to open the centre console bin, for instance, has an inexpensive really feel and sound to it. Laborious plastic is used for the decrease halves of the doorways, though barely rubberised plastic might be discovered on the entrance seatbacks. Mercedes has additionally utilized smudge-prone gloss black trim to the steering wheel – i.e. the factor within the automotive you contact probably the most.
The column stalks additionally don’t really feel as properly damped as I’d count on for a luxurious car. And whereas I’m moaning about column stalks, who at Mercedes-Benz thought it will be a good suggestion to make the gear shifter really feel like an indicator stalk and place it the place an indicator stalk can be in a typical car?
For what’s alleged to be a black inside, which has the potential to be drab, the EQE SUV’s cabin is stuffed with fascinating trim selections. There’s the sheer expanse of wooden, in addition to suede and strange however interesting leather-like materials on the sprint and doorways. In fact, if you would like much more distinction, a Neva Gray/Biscay Blue inside is a no-cost possibility.
The digital instrument cluster with its thick bezel seems considerably dated, however the graphics are something however. As different German manufacturers do, Mercedes-Benz provides a full-screen map view for the cluster which is kind of detailed, whereas there are different selectable themes.
Navigating is a breeze within the EQE SUV as a result of not solely are there detailed, engaging maps on the touchscreen and instrument cluster, there’s a excessive degree of element for the maps that seem within the head-up show.
Utilizing the embedded navigation, as a substitute of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, additionally permits you to make the most of a intelligent augmented actuality perform that overlays footage of the street forward with arrows.
The infotainment system general is definitely navigable, and the presence of haptic suggestions while you press it’s a intelligent contact – pun meant.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay take up a lot of the display, and might be simply returned to by way of a shortcut button within the high proper, however an array of on-screen local weather management buttons are all the time seen.
Beneath the display is a row of bodily buttons for capabilities like quantity management, the surround-view digital camera, the settings menu, and the hazard lights.
The voice assistant could possibly be smarter. Unusually, whereas saying “I’m chilly” will get it to regulate the cabin temperature, as in lots of autos from rival luxurious manufacturers, I used to be rebuffed once I requested it to open the sunroof. It was additionally set off a few occasions for no obvious cause.
It’s a bit disappointing {that a} luxurious automotive this value doesn’t have ventilated seats or a massaging perform.
There’s an uncommon perform that strikes to the entrance seats that sees them transfer barely in several methods when you’re on the transfer, ostensibly to scale back fatigue and enhance long-distance consolation, however each passenger I had promptly turned it off. The seats are greater than comfy that this function doesn’t appear vital.
Up entrance, there’s a deep centre console bin with two USB-C shops, plus a big shelf on the base of the centre console with further USB-C shops. There’s no scarcity of locations to plug in your cellphone.
Step into the second row and also you’ll discover a comfy bench and a flat flooring. That expansive panoramic roof bathes the cabin in gentle, and there are two USB-C shops hidden behind a flap, plus map pockets, air vents, and a fold-down armrest.
Press the tip of the armrest as soon as and there’s a slit, and press that once more and a pair of cupholders come out.
There are three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchor factors for little one seats, and the rear bench folds 40/20/40.
One unusual omission on this inside: there are not any seize handles above any of the home windows.
There’s 520L of boot area, increasing to 1675L with the rear seats folded. You gained’t discover a spare wheel again right here however there’s underfloor storage for charging cables and the like.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
The 350 sits in the course of the EQE SUV lineup in Australia, above the single-motor rear-wheel drive EQE 300 and the extra performance-oriented dual-motor all-wheel drive AMG EQE 53 SUV.
The nameplate launched with a further variant – the EQE 500 SUV – which has since been withdrawn.
How does the Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 SUV drive?
There’s an virtually old-school Benz really feel to this ultra-modern EV. It feels heavy, stable and purposeful on the street.
Trip consolation can also be chic. You may ignore all of the AMG Line accoutrements, as a result of there’s nothing remotely sporty about this – and that’s no unhealthy factor.
Are you able to hustle it round a nook? Certain, although you’ll discover there’s noticeable physique roll and listen to a little bit of tyre squeal. Moist climate meant no spirited mountain run throughout my week with the EQE SUV, however my city driving impressions led me to consider this wouldn’t be the most effective choose for corner-carving.
Why? As a result of this 2678kg (tare) electrical SUV is a cruiser not a bruiser. However that doesn’t imply it’s a wallowing mess, as whereas there’s a gentle suspension tune, physique management is mostly fairly good and the EQE SUV feels tied down… if very, very heavy.
We did discover the EQE SUV bob often on the freeway, nonetheless.
Air suspension is elective for an additional $2614, however – though I haven’t pushed an EQE SUV so outfitted – it feels scarcely vital.
Isolation is superb, with bumps and ruts absorbed capably. The cabin can also be whisper quiet, with wonderful insulation from the skin world.
You may select between two ‘Sound Expertise’ choices: Vivid Flux and Silver Waves. The previous is a bit try-hard, however the latter has an virtually intoxicating sound that everybody I drove round totally loved.
It sounds low, throaty and deep while you’re accelerating, much like a large-displacement, combustion-powered engine, rising to an more and more futuristic crescendo earlier than dying off when you attain cruising velocity. Then, it’s a return to blissful silence.
The outside Sound Expertise is odd. The automotive continues to make bizarre, vaguely futuristic sounds after you flip it off and earlier than you lock it.
6.3 seconds to 100km/h is hardly sluggish, however the EQE 350 SUV doesn’t push you again in your seat like some EVs do. However that’s hardly the purpose of this plush SUV, is it?
As an alternative, energy supply is easy and easy, and the EQE SUV by no means feels overwhelmed by the stout 765Nm of torque on faucet – and neither do you.
The steering has a pleasant, progressive really feel and stable weighting to it, however the brakes don’t really feel as much as the duty of stopping this car.
Whereas we didn’t do instrumented testing of stopping distances, we did discover stopping energy to be unexceptional and located the brake pedal lacks really feel.
There’s regenerative braking, as with different EVs, with three ranges of depth. Nonetheless, there’s no devoted one-pedal drive mode, and the best degree of recuperation gained’t carry the car to a whole cease – although, in an eerie contact, you’ll see the brake pedal shifting.
Along with flashing blue or crimson while you change the cabin temperature (ineffective), the ambient lighting will even flash for security causes, for instance in case you cross a lane marking (intelligent!)
The lane-keep help works properly at retaining you inside your lane, and being steering-based it’s much less alarming than the brake-based methods present in some Benzes.
The EQ menu on the touchscreen is useful, displaying numerous alternative ways you possibly can maximise vary and what number of kilometres they’ll internet you. For instance, it’ll show what number of further kilometres of vary you’ll get in case you change your local weather management settings.
Much less helpful is the visitors gentle view, which shows digital camera footage from the entrance of the automotive everytime you come to a cease. Maybe that is helpful in case you’ve pulled as much as a really particular sort of intersection with visitors lights that you may’t see by your windscreen. For probably the most half it was simply distracting.
There’s an off-road menu, which supplies you a clear chassis view in addition to readouts of the place energy is being distributed.
Talking of cameras, the surround-view digital camera setup within the EQE SUV is great and incorporates a 3D view of the car which you’ll swipe round.
The Digital Gentle LED headlights are additionally wonderful, shifting with the steering wheel and casting ample illumination on the street forward with out dazzling oncoming motorists.
We didn’t get to check out the novel highlight perform, nonetheless, which may establish and illuminate pedestrians.
What do you get?
The EQE 350 SUV doesn’t add a lot over the entry-level mannequin.
EQE 300 SUV highlights:
AMG Line exterior packageDigital Gentle LED headlightsAdaptive high-beam21-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheelsIlluminated aluminium-look working boardsPanoramic sliding sunroofAMG Line inside packageHead-up display64-colour adjustable ambient lightingKeyless entry and startPower tailgate12.3-inch digital instrument cluster12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment systemSatellite navigation with augmented realityApple CarPlay, Android AutoWireless cellphone chargerDual-zone local weather controlLeather upholsteryHeated entrance seatsBurmester 3D sound systemAnthracite linestructure lime wooden trim8m home charging cable5m public AC charging cable
EQE 350 4MATIC SUV provides:
AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV provides:
Rear-axle steeringAMG Lively Trip Management air suspension4MATIC+ all-wheel drive systemNappa leather-wrapped AMG steering wheelVentilated entrance seatsAMG Night time Package22-inch alloy wheelsRed-painted brake calipersGuard 360° Automobile Safety Plus bundle
Is the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV secure?
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a five-star ANCAP security ranking, based mostly on testing carried out by Euro NCAP in 2023.
It acquired an grownup occupant safety ranking of 87 per cent, a baby occupant safety ranking of 92 per cent, a susceptible street consumer safety ranking of 80 per cent, and a security help ranking of 86 per cent.
Normal security gear consists of:
10 airbagsAdaptive cruise management with cease/goAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Automobile, Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detectionTurning manoeuvre functionCongestion emergency braking functionIntersection start-off functionBlind-spot assistFront, rear cross-traffic assistDriver consideration alertActive Steering AssistLane maintain assistActive emergency cease assistSafe exit warningSpeed restrict assistSurround-view digital camera
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV price to run?
The EQE SUV is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre car guarantee, plus an eight-year, 160,000km battery guarantee.
Servicing is required each 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first. Mercedes-Benz provides three-, four- and five-year service plans, priced at $2240, $3525 and $4085, respectively.
Whereas these are no less than $1500 cheaper than a combustion-powered GLE’s plans, they’re nonetheless on the dear aspect for an EV. Audi provides six years of free servicing with its Q8 e-tron, whereas even an iX’s six-year plan prices solely $3075.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV
There’s lots of competitors on this a part of the EV market now, with the entire institution manufacturers wanting a bit of the pie – and most making a reasonably convincing argument.
The Audi Q8 e-tron provides a way more typical look inside and outside, but it surely’s round $10,000 extra. That’s an excessive amount of to be offset by its superior after-sales bundle.
The BMW iX additionally provides a polarising exterior and a particular inside, and in all-wheel drive xDrive40 Sport guise it’s a cool $8000 lower than the EQE 350 SUV – and that’s earlier than any haggling. It’s additionally equally comfy.
Until you want all-wheel drive, stepping all the way down to the EQE 300 SUV and pocketing the $10k is a sensible alternative. You could lose 35kW and a second to 100km/h, however you continue to have all of the attributes that make this luxurious SUV endearing.
These embody a glitzy (if imperfect) cabin, stellar expertise and an opulent trip. It could be a strange-looking creature, but it surely has loads of appeal.
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