Mercedes ramps up its range of large EV models with this EQE SUV. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

If you're planning to switch out of a large combustion-engined Mercedes SUV any time soon in favour of a full-battery model, then this is the car the brand wants you to look at, the EQE SUV. Obviously based on the EQE EV saloon, it faces tough Crossover segment competition but delivers much of the elegant luxury you get in the company's top EQS SUV in a slightly more accessible package.

Background

The EQE SUV. Of all the large fully electric models Mercedes has recently introduced on its latest second-generation Electric Vehicle Architecture platform, this one is the most important. When the S-Class-sized EQS and E-Class-sized EQE saloons were introduced, we were told each would have a separate SUV derivative. Sure enough, the EQS SUV arrived in mid-2022 to compete in Range Rover SUVIP territory. And was followed a few months after by our subject here, the EQE SUV. This model has a far tougher task, taking on accomplished bigger volume large-sized EV players like the Jaguar I-PACE, the BMW iX, the Audi Q8 and the Polestar 3. Mercedes sees it as an electric version of its combustion GLE SUV and a different kind of car to its other large full-battery models. The idea is to aim at younger customers, but with pricing pushing up towards six figures, they'll need to be successful people.

Driving Experience

In terms of powertrain, things kick off with a rear-driven EQE SUV 350+ variant with a 288hp output, which offers 765Nm of torque and up to 376 miles of range from its 96kWh battery. If you choose the same car with 4MATIC AWD, you get the same power and torque outputs, but extra weight and use of a smaller 91kWh battery means range falls to a best of 339 miles. There's also an EQE SUV 500 4MATIC derivative with 402bhp, 858Nm of torque and up to 362 miles of range from its 96kWh battery. In addition, customers are also offered a 4MATIC Mercedes-AMG sporting model - the AMG EQE 53, which can offer 617bhp with 950Nm of torque, makes 62mph in 3.7s en route to 137mph and can manage up to 280 miles of range from its 91kWh battery. Performance further down the range is adequate but can be a little under-whelming in the 350 models, thanks to their prodigious kerb weight (at least 2,580kg). The 500 4MATIC variant is far more satisfying in this regard, improving the base version's 6.9s 0-62mph time to 4.9s. For these stats, you'll need to select the sharpest 'Sport' driving mode (one of four available); you'll need to spend most of your time in either 'Comfort' or 'Eco' if you're to get anywhere near the quoted EV range figures - though the standard heat pump helps to preserve driving mileage in really cold weather. All UK EQE SUV models get AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive damping, which you should find copes very well with the UK's appalling tarmac. Expect refinement to be excellent, aided by slippery aerodynamics. Owners may also like the range of selectable drive sounds - like 'Serene Breeze', which Mercedes claims sounds 'relaxed and natural'.

Design and Build

It's very possible that if you were familiar with large Mercedes EVs, you might mistake this EQE SUV for its EQS SUV showroom stablemate. Look more closely and you might spot this more affordable model's more heavily sloped roof line and more angled tailgate, both possible because this smaller design doesn't have to accommodate a third seating row. So it can be 262mm shorter, 19mm narrower and sit 32mm lower than the EQS SUV. That means a 4,863mm length that makes the EQE SUV a little more compact than its most obvious rivals: both the BMW iX and the Audi Q8 measure over 4.9-metres in length. The frontal look is familiar from other larger Mercedes EQ models, with a full-width light bar and LED headlamps with two triangular elements (instead of the three on an equivalent EQS). Inside, as with the EQS models, there's a choice of two different dashboard layouts. The most sophisticated uses the brand's ultra-wide Hyperscreen, a 56-inch curved display with three screens, one for the driver, one for the passenger and one in the centre. That'll be an expensive option on mainstream versions of this car, but it really lifts the cabin when fitted. As you'd expect, there's a slightly higher seating position than you'd get in an EQE saloon. And a more spacious rear seat too. There's 520-litres of boot space - that's 20-litres more than a BMW iX. And the 40:20:40-split backrest folds to extend that to 1,675-litres, plus there's space beneath the floor for the charging cables.

Market and Model

You're going to need to think in terms of a price starting point of around £75,000 for EQE SUV ownership; that's for the entry-level EQE SUV 350+ 4MATIC model with base 'AMG Line Edition' trim. Most customers will want a plusher variant, either mid-range 'AMG Line Night Edition Premium' or the top 'AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus' models. You'll need around £5,000 more to progress from the base rear-driven 350+ version to the 4MATIC variant. The faster EQE SUV 500 4MATIC is priced from around £90,000. You'll need a lot more for the high performance Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+, offered in 'Night Edition' and 'Night Edition Premium Plus' forms; prices start from around £115,000. One key cabin ingredient for all EQE SUV models is the 55.5-inch digital MBUX Hyperscreen set-up borrowed from the EQS. It's a £5,000 option on the 350+ variants if you avoid base spec; but it's standard on all 500 4MATIC and Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 variant. Standard equipment on all models includes AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive damping, an 'EASY-PACK' powered tailgate, heat-insulating glass, keyless entry, LED headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist and 'Active Park Assist with PARKTRONIC', plus a reversing camera. There's also a wireless charging mat, THERMATIC two-zone automatic climate control and an automatically dimming rear view mirror. Mid-range 'AMG line Night Edition Premium'-spec includes a panoramic sliding roof, the brand's 'DIGITAL LIGHT' projection function and a Burmester sound system. 'AMG Line Night Edition Premium Plus' trim replaces the usual 21-inch alloys with 22-inch rims, plus adds a head-up display and climatised front seats. The Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ models come with a range of AMG dynamic select drive programs - 'Slippery', 'Comfort', 'Sport', 'Sport+' and 'RACE START'.

Cost of Ownership

Mercedes still persists with an older-tech 400V electrical infrastructure for its EVs. Both the 91kWh and the 96kWh lithium-ion batteries can be charged at speeds of up to 170kW, which allows the EQE SUV to be DC-charged from 10-80% in 32 minutes. A 10-100% 22kW AC home charge would take 5 hours 15 minutes; with a more typical 7.4kW home wallbox, you'd need 15 hours, so you might struggle to complete an overnight charge. We like the clever choice of different charging programmes - 'Standard', 'Home' and 'Work', each of which allows you to pre-set things like departure time, maximum charge level and air conditioning settings. There's also a feature that Mercedes calls 'Eco-charging', which lowers the load on the battery during charging in a way that improves the longevity of the lithium-ion cells. As usual with an EV, you can lower the battery's charge state to a pre-set limit; or delay charging take advantage of off-peak electricity. As you'd expect, the battery can be replenished on the move by regenerative brake energy, a recuperation system that allows for single-pedal driving on its highest setting. Mercedes makes much of what it calls its 'holistic approach to the battery life cycle', which sees EV batteries taken out of the company's cars at the end of their usable lives and employed in energy storage facilities, rather than being recycled instantly. The brand says over-the-air software updates that work with the EV-specific navigation system extend the battery's life in-car as long as possible, because they determine the best heating and cooling cycles for optimal performance.

Summary

The EQE SUV hits the sweet spot in the fast-growing market for executive-level large EV Crossovers and you can expect it to out-sell all the brand's other EQE and EQS models combined. Out-selling tough rivals from Jaguar, Polestar, BMW and Audi will be a different matter, particularly as most EQE SUVs will be sold at well over £80,000. But this model's very Mercedes look and feel will stand it in good stead in that regard. It'll be interesting to see if owners of the equivalent combustion-engined Mercedes GLE are quite ready to convert into this, that car's direct EV counterpart. Perhaps that might take a little time yet. We're certainly surprised that Mercedes still doesn't think that an 800-volt fast charging electrified infrastructure is necessary for this class of car. The brand's EV revolution it seems, has a little way to go yet. But it's taken another step forward with this car.

Body Glass

Rear wash/wipe

Heated rear window

Front and rear electric windows

Electric windows with one touch function

Heat insulating dark tinted glass

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Electronic Stability Programme

Carpets/Rugs

AMG floor mats

Chassis/Suspension

Adaptive damping system

Airmatic air suspension

Communication

Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

5G Communications module

Wireless charging system

Driver Aids

Power assisted steering

Blind spot assist

Active distance assist DISTRONIC

Active lane keeping assist

DYNAMIC SELECT with a choice of driving modes (ECO, Comfort, Sport and Individual)

Acoustic presence indicator

Evasive manoeuvre support

Active parking assist with PARKTRONIC

Remote and charging services premium

Driver Convenience

Tailgate

Pre-installation for remote and navigation services

Extended MBUX functions

Fluorescent jacket for driver

Electric charging flap

Driver Information

Speed limit assist

12.3" digital instrument cluster display

Owners manual and service booklet in English

Widescreen cockpit

Mercedes Benz emergency call system

Preinstallation for live traffic

MBUX navigation premium

12.8" OLED central display

Fingerprint scanner

Pre-installation for digital key transfer

Driving Mirrors

Heated door mirrors

Embellishment Trims

Centre console in black fine structure look

Dashboard in anthracite linestructure lime wood trim

Entertainment

DAB Digital radio

MBUX multimedia system

Advanced sound system

Preinstallation for MBUX Entertainment Plus

Exterior Body Features

AMG bodystyling

Rear side wing doors

AMG Line exterior

AMG specific side skirts

Seamless door handles

Radiator grille with Mercedes benz star pattern

Exterior Lights

LED daytime running lights

LED rear lights

LED third brake light

Adaptive highbeam assist

Ambient lighting with projection of brand logo

Static LED headlights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

THERMATIC 2 zone automatic climate control

HEPA air filter

Energizing air control plus

Interior Features

Leather upholstery

Multifunction sports steering wheel in nappa leather

Storage compartment under center console

AMG line interior

Partition net

Illuminated door sills panels with Mercedes-Benz lettering

Flex Bottleholder

Interior Lights

Ambient lighting plus

Packs

Easy pack tailgate

Mirror pack - EQE

Parking pack - EQE AMG Line/AMG Line Premium/Sport Edition

Easy pack load compartment cover

USB package plus - EQE

Keyless go comfort pack - EQE

Memory seat pack - EQE

Integrated service pack - EQE

Safety

Driver airbag

Front passenger airbag

Front seatbelt pretensioners

Rear door child safety locks

Front passenger seat occupancy sensor

Seatbelt load limiter

Front passenger airbag deactivation

Window airbags

Tyre pressure monitor

Three point rear seat belts

Front seatbelt reminder

Sidebags in rear

Knee airbags

Centre airbag

Pre Safe system

Seats

Heated front seats

Rear head restraints

Split folding rear seat backrests

Front head restraints

3 seat bench in 2nd row

4 way lumbar support

Electrically adjustable front seats with memory function

Single front passenger seat

Security

Anti theft alarm system

Interior monitoring system

Guard 360 degree vehicle protection plus

Increased anti theft protection

Hands free access

Identification Label under Windshield

Vehicle Charging

Charging cable for wall box and public charging station - Type 2(mode 3) 5m

AC charging up to 22kW

CCS-2 connector - DC charging with combined charging system and compatible with AC and DC

Wheels

Summer tyres

Noise reduced tyre with foam absorber

Wheels - Alloy

21" AMG multi spoke Bi-colour alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

TIREFIT with tyre inflation compressor

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 610

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 11

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 10-100

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 31

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 170

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 10

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 155000

Battery Capacity in kWh: 91

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City: 645

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City - TEL: 645

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City - TEH: 636

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 546

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEL: 546

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb - TEH: 539

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 19.1

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEL: 19.1

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb - TEH: 19.4

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 3.3

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEH: 3.2

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb - TEL: 3.3

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City: 401

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City - TEH: 395

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City - TEL: 401

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 339

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEH: 335

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb - TEL: 339

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 70

Charging Port Location: Right Side Rear

Usable Battery Capacity: 91

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 170

Emissions - ICE

Standard Euro Emissions: N

CO: N

HC: N

NOx: N

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Engine and Drive Train

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

CC: 1

Cylinders: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Number of Valves: N

Camshaft: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

Engine Layout: N

Compression Ratio: N

Transmission: AUTO

Gears: 1 SPEED

Engine Code: N

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

EC Urban (mpg): N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Combined (mpg): N

General

Coin Series: AMG Line Edition

Coin Description: N

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 2

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 6

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 50E

Service Interval Mileage: 15500

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12

Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N

Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 87

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 90

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 80

NCAP Safety Assist %: 85

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 5

Badge Power: 292

Badge Engine CC: 0.0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

AdBlue: 0

Generation Mark: 1

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Performance

0 to 62 mph (secs): 6.6

Top Speed: 130

Engine Power - BHP: 292

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - KW: 215

Engine Power - RPM: 2662

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 564

Engine Torque - NM: 765

Engine Torque - MKG: 78

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Tyres

Tyre Size Front: 265/40 R21

Tyre Size Rear: 265/40 R21

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Type: 21" ALLOY

Wheel Style: AMG MULTI SPOKE

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4863

Width: 2141

Wheelbase: 3030

Width (including mirrors): 1940

Height: 1685

Height (including roof rails): N

Weight and Capacities

Minimum Kerbweight: 2560

Gross Vehicle Weight: 3115

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1800

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 555

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 520

No. of Seats: 5

Max. Roof Load: 100

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1675

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 12.3

Exterior Body Features

Manufaktur metallic paint

Manufaktur solid paint

Interior Features

Roof liner in grey fabric

Packs

Towing package

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Obsidian black

Metallic - Emerald green

Metallic - Selenite Grey

Metallic - High tech silver

Metallic - Sodalite blue

Metallic - Velvet brown

Paint - Special

Manufaktur metallic - Opalite white

Manufaktur solid - Alpine grey

Trim - Leather

Leather - Black/Space grey

Leather - Neva grey/Biscay blue