2023 Mercedes Benz EQE SUV | First Drive
For the latest Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/Mercedes-benz/eqe-suv/
There's so much tech in the Mercedes Benz EQE SUV I could do an entire video just about that. But, lucky for you, I’m going to talk about that a whole bunch more.
But first, context. The EQE SUV is the fourth model from Mercedes that rides on their exclusive all-electric platform. The EQS, EQS SUV and EQE sedan all came first.
This EQE SUV is the smallest of all those vehicles with the shortest wheelbase at 119.3-inches. If you were to slot the EQE SUV between their non-EV products it would fall between the GLE and the GLS.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s take a look at it. It’s got a predictable shape, looks pretty much like a smaller EQS, not much by way of unique characteristics but it’s not super sedate. It’s got a slight fast-back roof style so looks a little more on the sporty and aerodynamic side of things. Mercedes always offers great paint choices and the EQE is no exception. That brown is killer.
When you come inside things start to get infinitely more interesting. There is a massive modern aesthetic in here and it’s that borderline lounge like vibe we’ve been expecting. Well it’s here. The seats are big and comfortable and luxurious with an optional massage function.
The highlight of the interior has to be the massive OLED screen. The standard base model screen is impressive enough but upgrade to the Hyper screen and this sucker stretches the entire span of the dash. It uses haptic feedback for controls and get this your passenger can watch a movie with headphones. If the driver looks too much at that screen it shuts off. Or you can just pull over and watch a different movie on your screen. Graphics and clarity are killer. Is it too much? Tell me in the comments!!
Another cool interior feature is the heat pump, which comes standard across the trim walk and like traditional heaters pulls waste heat from the inverter and motor and uses that to heat the cabin, which is ridiculously quiet I might add, so you’re not using up precious battery. Brilliant.
When it comes to the driving experience, the big question for me is, okay, this is an EV but is it still Mercedes level. Speaking from the ride comfort and on optional air suspension which I’ll be honest is a bit too bouncy and soft for me. Especially from the passenger seat even when adjusting the side lumbar around turns I was shifting back and forth a lot. I don’t like how it’s tuned in those 22-inch wheels.
When it comes to quickness, the EQE SUV delivers. Specifically, it delivers 288 horsepower and and 417 lb-ft of torque on the base 350+ model (Single 217 kW output). (350 4Matic: Dual motors w/217 kW total output/288 hp, 564 lb-ft torque) If you opt for the dual motor 350 4Matic that torque number increases. And with the high output dual motor 500 4Matic (Dual motors w/300 kW total output/402 hp/633 lb-ft torque) you get significant bumps in both categories. Mercedes claims it’s got a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds.
As far as stopping all that power and weight and momentum you do get true one-pedal regenerative driving.
Range on the 350+ hits at 279 miles. For the 4Matic 350 that goes down a bit to 253 when you’ve got on all-season tires and the 500 4Matic gets 269 miles. All three take about 9.5 hours to fully charge when using a Level II but you can get to 80% from 10 in about 32 minutes with a max 170 kWh charger. That means if you need a quick 100 miles on a fast charger you could likely get it in about ten to fifteen minutes. And the warranty on those batteries is 10 years or 155,000 miles.
Safety features include blind-spot monitoring, speed limit assist and traffic sign recognition, active brake assist with a cross traffic warning. If the word assist is in the feature it’s in the EQE SUV.
Let’s talk about pricing for a quick second. The EQE SUV starts around $77,900 for the 350+ trim. That doesn’t include destination (Graphic: destination: $1,150). Maybe I’m jaded at this point but I’ve seen how quickly car prices can go and for what you’re getting here this doesn’t seen unreasonable.
Move up the trim ladder to the EQE 350 4Matic and it’s the same price – remember you get more torque and all-wheel drive but less range, so fair trade. When you hit the 500 4Matic you’re looking at a 89,500 starting price.
Lots of Luxury lots of tech. Mercedes is really at the top of their game when it comes to EVs. If you’re in the market for a luxury electric vehicle then the EQE should really be on your list.
00:00 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV
0:55 Exterior
1:19 Interior
5:25 Driving Impressions
10:43 Range
11:30 Safety Features
14:03 Price
14:49 Competitors
