Mercedes-Benz EQA Review: First Drive

Mercedes’ most affordable electric SUV is a sensible pick for those wanting a posh city runner

The Mercedes-Benz EQA is an electric SUV based on Mercedes’ smallest SUV — the GLA. In India, it is offered in a single ‘EQA 250+’ variant, that features a large 70.5kWh battery pack and promises a claimed range of up to 560 km. 

This compact EV competes directly with Volvo’s XC40 Recharge. For a similar budget, you could also consider other electric alternatives such as the Kia EV6 or the BMW iX1. For less money, you can also consider the BYD Seal and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

What does the Mercedes-Benz EQA have in store for you? 

Design

Compared to other models in Mercedes’ electric ‘EQ’ lineup, the EQA’s connection to its ICE-sibling — the GLA — is a little more obvious. Sure, it has all the usual EQ styling elements which includes connected LED lighting up front, a closed off grille with plenty ‘three-pointed star’ detailing and an edge-to-edge tail lamp design too. 

Mercedes-Benz has chosen a rather sweet looking set of 19” AMG alloy wheels, which makes the EQA look sporty. 

There are some interesting colours to choose from such as the ‘Mountain Grey Magno’ (matte grey) and ‘Patagonia Red’ which come from Mercedes’ bespoke ‘Manufaktur’ paint range. Other options include a deep ‘Spectral Blue’, alongside the usual white, silver, grey and black. 

The EQA isn’t a particularly large vehicle, measuring just under 4.5m in length. Don’t expect it to play bully on the road. However, it does have a big personality. We like that the design isn’t overdone, nor is it a radical departure from the vehicle it’s based on. Given Mercedes’ clean lines and smooth surfaces, it’s sure to age well. 

Interior

Getting in and out of the EQA is an easy affair. Since the battery pack is placed under the floor, it feels slightly raised compared to a regular GLA. This might actually feel a tad more convenient to the elders in the family. 

Once inside, it’s familiar territory. The layout of the dashboard, the feel, fit and finish of the materials used are identical to that of the GLA. That’s also to say it’s pretty much exactly what you’d expect in a vehicle that costs as much. There’s a generous use of soft-touch material on the dashboard and the door pads, and the steering wheel gets a meaty leather wrap too. 

To give the EQA its own style, there’s use of bronze-coloured accents in the AC vents, and the seats get a splash of fabric upholstery in the centre that’s made out of recycled PET bottles. The cabin is livened up with clever use of ambient lighting (configurable, 64 colours) that illuminates the AC vents as well as the tiny stars on the crash pad. 

Both front seats can be electrically adjusted, and you get three memory settings for each too. Under thigh support adjustment, however, is manual. 

From a space standpoint, the EQA feels strictly par for the course. There’s just about enough room for four 6 footers to spend time in the vehicle. Kneeroom and headroom aren’t superlative in any way, just as much you’d need to not feel cramped. 

However, there’s one major bother. Since the battery pack is placed below the floor, you sit in a knees up position. This is especially apparent at the rear, where under-thigh support feels lacking.  Width isn’t particularly impressive either at the rear, so the EQA is best used as a four-seater. Thankfully, unlike the GLA, the EQA gets a rear-armrest which adds to the comfort. 

Boot Space 

The EQA has a wide but shallow 340-litre boot. This means that storing large bags is impractical, as is stowing smaller bags vertically. You’re better off using cabin-sized trolley bags to pack your luggage, of which the EQA will happily accommodate four of. 

As you’d expect, you can fold down the rear seat in a 40:20:40 ratio or entirely should you need to carry more luggage. 

Features 

For the price, the Mercedes-Benz EQA comes very well-equipped. Here’s a quick run through of the highlights: 

Other feature highlights include keyless entry, push-button start stop, powered front seats with memory, wireless charging, dual-zone climate control, powered tailgate and five type-C charging ports. All the must haves are covered, but the absence of front seat ventilation seems odd. 

Safety

Safety equipment includes the staple of seven airbags, ABS with EBD, and electronic stability control. The EQA features a front camera and rear radars which enable a few ADAS features such as blind spot monitoring, and auto emergency braking. As is the case with most Mercedes vehicles, emergency braking is a bit too sensitive for our often unpredictable driving conditions and best left switched off in Indian conditions. 

Performance

For India, the EQA is available in the EQA 250+ version. There’s a large 70.5kWh battery pack, paired with a 190PS/380Nm motor that powers the front wheels. 

One of the easiest ways to describe the performance of the EQA250+ is ‘effortless’. The smooth, silent and instant nature of the EQA’s powertrain is easy to get used to. There are three pre-configured drive modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport — in ascending order of excitement. That said, even in its most sporty setting, the EQA isn’t really going to get you giggling. Claimed 0-100kmph timing is a modest 8.6 seconds, too. 

You can alter the level of brake energy regeneration using the steering-mounted paddle shifters. There’s an ‘intelligent recuperation’ mode too that alters the level automatically. 

Claimed range stands at 560km (WLTP cycle). In the real world, you should be able to get in excess of 400km quite easily. The EQA can be charged with a 11kW charger from 0-100% in 7 hours 15 minutes. A 10-80% charge at 100kW will take just 35 minutes. Given these figures, you could use the EQA rather comfortably for those quick Mumbai-Pune, Delhi-Gurgaon runs. 

Ride and Handling

For its size and weight, the EQA’s ride quality is comfortable. On smooth roads, you’d have absolutely no complaints. The open highway feels like the EQA’s natural home where it remains rock solid at triple digit speeds. Any expansion joints encountered at these speeds are dealt with minimal in-cabin movement. 

We had the chance to take the EQA through some non-existent roads too. While we were momentarily worried about grazing the underbody battery pack over bumps, the EQA surprised pleasantly. There’s some expected rocking movement at low speeds over the really rough stuff, but other than that the EQA managed to keep its occupants cocooned. 

Verdict

If it’s pure value you seek, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 might seem tempting, and if you want more fun and drama, there’s the Kia EV6 or the to look towards. However, if you wanted a small Mercedes-Benz for heavy city use, possibly giving your GLS/S-Class a well-deserved break in the process, the EQA will fit the bill perfectly. 

At Rs 66 lakh, the EQA costs almost 14 lakh more than its petrol cousin, and upto Rs 10 lakh more than the diesel version. If your usage is low, justifying this price gulf is impossible. However, if you foresee heavy usage — in the range of 80-120km per day, the EQA might just work out to be cheaper in the long run owing to higher depreciation benefit, an assured 67% buyback from Mercedes Benz (at the end of the 4th year), lower running and maintenance costs.