Mercedes-Benz has turned its EQE electrical sedan into an SUV, and it’s referred to as the… EQE SUV.
Easy identify, then. However the EQE SUV has a sophisticated job in Australia, taking up all the pieces from the BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron, and Kia EV9 electrical crossovers, to the petrol and diesel BMW X5, Audi Q7, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
In contrast to the EQA, EQB, and EQC that led Mercedes-Benz’s electrical cost in Australia, the EQE rides on a devoted electrical automobile structure below the pores and skin.
It affords a high-tech inside that borrows a lot from the larger, costlier S-Class and EQS, and a claimed vary across the magical 500km mark in EQE 300 and EQE 350 guise.
That is the Mercedes-Benz household SUV of the longer term. Is it any good?
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV value?
The EQE SUV vary sits (very) barely above the bottom petrol GLE 450 ($133,670) on worth.
It very barely undercuts the BMW iX xDrive 40 ($135,900), though the Beemer is all-wheel drive as customary, and is meaningfully cheaper than the Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro ($153,900).
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV pricing:
- 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV: $134,900
- 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4MATIC SUV: $144,900
- 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC SUV: $164,900
- 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV: $189,900
All costs exclude on-road prices
What’s the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV like on the within?
Like every new Mercedes-Benz, the cabin of the EQE SUV is a high-tech showcase.
With ambient lighting working the width of the dashboard bleeding into the doorways, two high-resolution screens, and loads of expensive-looking chrome and wood bits, it’s straightforward to see loads of individuals being bought on the EQE from the second they pull the motive force’s door shut within the showroom.
Behind the high-tech tinsel, the basics are stable. The driving place is great, the view out of the tall home windows is panoramic, and the leather-based trim feels suitably high-end given the beginning worth.
With all of that stated although, there are components of this cabin which are extra involved with wanting good than feeling good.
The short-travel seat controls on the doorways stay nasty, the door grabs themselves aren’t rock stable like they actually must be in an costly Benz, and the large expanse of gloss black working down the central tunnel is a magnet for fingerprints.
There’s no questioning the effectiveness of the infotainment expertise, although. The 12.8-inch display flowing down the dashboard has graphics adequate to make an iPad jealous, and responds immediately to inputs.
Mercedes-Benz doesn’t drive you to go diving by menus to do fundamental duties like altering the fan, that means you don’t really feel the lack of bodily buttons and switches too keenly right here, and the educational curve is extremely flat. Rival manufacturers ought to take word.
When you do wish to sidestep the Mercedes interface, wi-fi Apple CarPlay connects rapidly and takes up the highest two-thirds of the show. The motive force’s show is equally polished, with slick graphics and the choice to point out full-screen maps.
Storage areas abound up entrance. There’s an honest glovebox, door pockets with area for bottles, and an enormous open area beneath the central tunnel. You’ll be capable to put an outsized purse below there, though it’s not notably effectively hidden from the skin world for those who’re leaving the automobile.
If it’s good to cost up there’s a wi-fi charging pad beneath the dashboard, together with six (6!) USB-C ports up entrance. That’s two within the central bin, two within the open space for storing beneath the central tunnel, and two in a storage bin subsequent to the cupholders.
Rear seat area is beneficiant, as you’d count on. There’s loads of head room below the panoramic glass roof, and leg room is great behind full-sized adults.
The tall window line and panoramic roof imply it’s a lightweight, shiny place to spend time, and the seats themselves are good and supportive.
Air vents, two extra USB-C ports, and local weather controls all function again there, together with a trio of top-tether factors and two ISOFIX factors for little one seats. The seat backs fold 40/20/40.
Claimed boot area is 520L with the rear seats in place, increasing to 1675L with the rear seats folded.
The boot itself has a big underfloor area in your cost cables, or for valuables you wish to eager hidden from prying eyes.
What’s below the bonnet?
There are 4 drivetrains within the EQE SUV line-up.
The one-motor rear-wheel drive EQE 300 SUV produces 180kW of energy and 550Nm of torque. It has an 89kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery pack, good for a claimed vary of as much as 446km on the WLTP check cycle.
We noticed a median vitality consumption determine of 21kWh/100km on a blended metropolis and freeway drive.
The twin-motor all-wheel drive EQE 350 4MATIC SUV produces 215kW of energy and 765Nm of torque, good for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.3 seconds. It makes use of the identical battery pack, and has a claimed vary of 436km.
The twin-motor all-wheel drive EQE 500 4MATIC SUV produces 300kW and 858Nm, for a 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds. It attracts on a 90.6kWh battery pack, good for a claimed vary of as much as 440km on the WLTP check cycle.
The twin-motor all-wheel drive EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV produces 460kW and 950Nm, for a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds or 3.5 seconds with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package deal. It makes use of the identical battery as the five hundred, good for a claimed vary of as much as 380km on the WLTP check cycle.
The entire vary is able to 11kW AC charging, and 170kW DC quick charging.
How does the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV drive?
The EQE SUV has is each bit as clean and quiet as you’d count on.
It’s a really regular expertise from behind the wheel, as if Mercedes-Benz has made each effort to make the educational curve as shallow as potential for anybody transferring up from a petroleum or diesel GLE.
There’s no neck-snapping burst of acceleration off the mark, only a clean, swelling surge of torque that will get this 2385kg household SUV off the road effortlessly. It’s practically silent, with no wind or street noise sneaking in at metropolis speeds.
There are 4 ranges of regenerative braking on provide; the usual possibility may be very mild, whereas essentially the most aggressive permits you to go away the brake alone till it’s time to return to an entire cease.
Unusually, the regenerative braking system truly dips the pedal in its most aggressive mode.
Additionally on provide is an computerized mode, which makes use of navigation information and the front-facing radar to brake the automobile as you method a junction, or if the automobile in entrance slows down. It’s a bit unusual at first, however the system actually does work.
Though it’s a giant automobile, the EQE is straightforward to park in tight areas. The surround-view digicam is tremendous high-resolution, and the sunshine steering combines with a surprisingly small turning circle – even with out rear-wheel steering – to make the EQE really feel smaller than it truly is.
At increased speeds, it’s properly settled. There’s no fake sportiness right here, which implies the journey is good and relaxed over massive freeway crests and dips, and the sound deadening is great.
Even on rural Australian highways there’s hardly any noise from the tyres inside, and the super-slick exterior design means there’s no wind noise from the mirrors or pillars at 100km/h.
Mercedes-Benz has a few of the smoothest, smartest driver assists within the enterprise. Even in driving rain with slick, shiny roads the lively lane-centring retains the automobile completely positioned between the white strains, and there’s no phantom braking from the radar cruise management.
The system will even change lanes for you once you point out, offered you retain your palms on the wheel to take cost if issues go flawed.
So typically, the motive force assists in new vehicles trigger extra complications than they clear up by poor calibration. Right here, the techniques truly make your life simpler.
What do you get?
EQE 300 SUV highlights:
- AMG Line exterior package deal
- Digital Mild LED headlights
- Adaptive high-beam
- 21-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels
- Illuminated aluminium-look working boards
- Panoramic sliding sunroof
- AMG Line inside package deal
- Head-up show
- 64-colour adjustable ambient lighting
- Keyless entry and begin
- Energy tailgate
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Satellite tv for pc navigation with augmented actuality
- Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Wi-fi telephone charger
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Leather-based upholstery
- Heated entrance seats
- Burmester 3D sound system
- Anthracite linestructure lime wooden trim
- 8m home charging cable
- 5m public AC charging cable
EQE 350 4MATIC SUV and EQE 500 4MATIC SUV add:
AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV provides:
- Rear-axle steering
- AMG Energetic Trip Management air suspension
- 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system
- Nappa leather-wrapped AMG steering wheel
- Ventilated entrance seats
- AMG Night time Package deal
- 22-inch alloy wheels
- Crimson-painted brake calipers
- Guard 360° Car Safety Plus package deal
Choices
There’s a choice of choices obtainable throughout the vary.
-
Abroad mannequin proven
- MBUX Hyperscreen ($6700, excl. EQE 300 SUV)
- Airmatic air suspension ($3400)
- Rear-axle steering ($2900)
The EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV comes with the latter three options as customary whereas additionally providing an obtainable AMG Dynamic Plus Package deal ($7400), which provides:
- Elevated high pace (240km/h)
- ‘Efficiency’ AMG Sound Expertise
- Race Begin ‘Increase’
Is the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV protected?
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has but to be examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
All fashions come customary with the next security gear:
- Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Car, Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
- Turning manoeuvre operate
- Congestion emergency braking operate
- Intersection start-off operate
- Blind-spot help
- Entrance, rear cross-traffic help
- Driver consideration alert
- Energetic Steering Help
- Lane maintain help
- Energetic emergency cease help
- Protected exit warning
- Pace restrict help
- Encompass-view digicam
- 10 airbags
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV value to run?
Mercedes-Benz backs the EQE with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee and supplies a 10-year, 250,000km guarantee for the high-voltage battery.
Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, and a three-year service plan will set you again $1950 for those who prepay by Mercedes-Benz. A four-year package deal is $3000, and a five-year package deal is $3555.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV
The EQE SUV is precisely what you’d count on from Mercedes-Benz.
Though that might be seen as a destructive alongside the wild-looking and fantastically trimmed BMW iX, it’s unlikely to discourage current Mercedes-Benz SUV house owners trying to make the change to electrical energy.
Do you want any greater than the bottom EQE 300? Having not pushed the total vary but, it’s laborious to say – however the draw of all-wheel drive, and the minimal affect it has on claimed vary makes the thought of the EQE 350 4MATIC interesting.
Clean, quiet, and refined, the EQE SUV a really good strategy to haul round your loved ones.
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