The Drive Report: Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+

The seats on the EQA continue to feel rather stiff. There’s sufficient lumbar support, but you can never help shake off the feeling that these were built for larger, heavier people

One of the most effective ways of gauging the extent of the new Mercedes-Benz EQA’s technological leap is to take the current-gen GLA for a short spin. One of the brand’s best selling cars in India, the GLA has the same advantages as the EQA – they share the same silhouette, the same dimensions and the same MFA2 platform. And yet, when you’re behind the wheel it’s a dramatically different experience. Where the GLA’s 1.3-litre turbo-petrol feels anemic and out of breath, the EQA offers gut-pressing acceleration. By the time you’ve overcome the lag on the GLA, the EQA has soared ahead with barely any effort from the driver’s part.

As far as comfort-driven, daily and highway driving are concerned, the likes of the new Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ mark a paradigm shift. It’s what Mercedes-Benz is banking-on for higher market penetration of luxury EVs. The EQA, priced at Rs 66 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom price), is currently the least expensive EV offering from Mercedes-Benz, clashing directly with the likes of the BMW iX1 while offering greater range and a slightly larger battery among other things. Mercedes-Benz India has even broken down the math – Over a 4-year period, the owner of an EQA stands to save Rs 2.4 lakh in running and maintenance cost, when compared to its direct ICE counterpart. With the loan and down payment amount being nearly identical to what one would pay for a luxury ICE SUV, the two are on an even playing field.

Except they aren’t really, as demonstrated by a variety of attributes that the EQA possesses.
Performance
The EQA gets a 70.5 kWh lithium-ion battery, with a front-axle mounted motor churning out 188 bhp and 395 Nm of torque – figures that put it head and shoulders above the GLA petrol and diesel. However, the figures aren’t the sort you’d find on the iX1 or the XC40 Recharge, both of which feel much quicker in pretty much any driving scenario and offer all-wheel drive. Still, what the EQA loses out in neck-snapping acceleration, it makes up for with an extensive WLTP range of 560km (the dash displayed a max range of 470km, so expect the real-world figure to be somewhere around 450 km). That said, the acceleration is by no means underwhelming. In “Eco” mode you do feel a decided drop in power, but switch to “Sport” and it surges clean ahead. The EQA has three regen modes (normal, strong and maximum) operated via paddle shifters. While the third-setting is the most effective in terms of regen, it’s “strong recuperation” that gives you the smoothest driving experience sans passenger heads lolling about.

Sticking in “Sport” mode will induce a bit of torque steer and wheelspin, so ferocious is the delivery of instant torque. Regen doesn’t feel as consistent as it does on the iX1, not if it’s single pedal driving you’re after. The modes only change the throttle response, so the steering wheel feels light no matter what. The same goes for the ride quality, which is superbly cushioned and comfort-oriented.
Equipment
This is where the EQA has a clear advantage over its rivals, because it’s absolutely stacked with features. The 10.25-inch central display screen isn’t intrusively large and along with the usual array of cameras and sensors offering a crisp, hi-definition view of the outdoors, it also had a new augmented reality system integrated into its native SatNav system which offers markers and information superimposed onto a real-time view of the road ahead. There’s also a new HUD system which can be adjusted for height and brightness using the steering wheel’s touch-sensitive track pads.
The seats on the EQA continue to feel rather stiff. There’s sufficient lumbar support, but you can never help shake off the feeling that these were built for larger, heavier people. They also continue to lack ventilation – a glaring omission that needs looking into. Unlike the GLC you don’t get an invisible bonnet function, but the front, bumper-mounted camera offers a great view, allowing you to navigate rocky terrain.
Design
There are a lot of GLA elements here, but like all Merc’s EVs, the EQA has a softer countenance with rounded-off edges for greater aerodynamism. An opaque grille with a backlit constellation of 3-pointed stars and 19-inch, 10-spoke alloys are the chief highlights of the exterior design, while rose gold coloured, turbine-style AC vents, and a dual-tone interior design mark a considerable uptick in overall quality when it comes to compact-sized Mercs.

Verdict

To be fair, Mercedes-Benz India seems to have cracked the EV code already, having surpassed BMW in EV sales this April. The EQA may be the smallest of its EVs, but in a way, it is a more studied product. The total cost of ownership is now practically on par with that of its ICE counterpart, especially if you take an 8-year window into account. It’s quick but not at the cost of range, it feels compact on congested roads and feels like the right blend of speed and comfort.