The new EQA 250+ has one of the longest drive ranges in its segment, but is that enough to make it the best in the luxury compact EV SUV class? We find out.
Meet the latest electric vehicle from the Mercedes-Benz lineup, the EQA 250+. The SUV is the fourth EV in the portfolio after the EQS, EQB and EQE. Based on the GLA, the EQA is the most affordable EV from the three-pointed star and borrows design, technology and safety features from its internal combustion engine version (ICE), the GLA. The compact EV SUV goes up against the BMW iX1 and Volvo XC40 Recharge.
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ review: Specs and Drive
There’s a reason why Mercedes-Benz decided not to bring in the 4Matic version and introduced only the front-wheel drive EQA 250+. The EV is powered by a single motor and a 70.5kWh battery pack which makes the EQA very special as it offers a range of 500 to 560 km (WLTP cycle) on a single charge. The SUV is not a slouch as it produces 188 bhp and 385 Nm of torque. Now that we have got the specifications out of the way, let’s find out how the EQA drives in real-world Indian conditions.
The EQA is available in four drive modes — Comfort being the default, Eco, Sport and Individual. Step on the pedal and like any EV, the power is instantaneous. We have noticed that manufacturers have now curbed the power surge for the initial acceleration. Don’t get me wrong, the EQA sprints like a stallion and to make things more interesting, there is always the after-burner Sport mode.
The steering wheel is light and lets you carve through chock-a-block traffic and even helps you park at tight sports effortlessly. On the downside, the steering wheel lacks feedback around high-speed corners. There is a certain lack of confidence, which keeps a check on you because the body roll is fairly evident as is with most EVs.
One may think that soft suspension setup may be the reason for the EQA’s handling traits but that’s not the case. The EQA is quite tight strung and even shallow bumps and ditches can be felt. The ride quality is firm, especially for the rear passengers. Apart from that, the 19-inch alloy wheels also add to the rigidity.
Mercedes-Benz offers a one-pedal drive function as the EQA is equipped with regenerative braking and the settings can be changed with the help of the paddle shifts. We tried it in the start-stop traffic with vehicles charging down on the wrong side of the road, but the re-gen system was spot on and reacted perfectly to the driving challenges.
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ review: Design and Interiors
As mentioned earlier, the EQA is based on the GLA, hence, it retains its brawny SUV road presence. The EV SUV gets some design tweaks like an enclosed black front panel with metal studded three-pointed stars. The EQA sports Mercedes-Benz’s EV ethos with a slim connected LED DRL running below the hood lid and merges with the headlight cluster. The front bumper has been revised with a closed lower lip with three chrome strips. The side profile remains identical to the GLA with a new set of 19-inch AMG alloy wheels. The EQA comes with a new connected LED tail lamp.
Step inside the cabin and straight away you notice the commanding seat position. Adding a touch of sustainability, the upholstery is made of PET bottles. The front two seats are fully electrically adjustable with Energizing Kinetics that offers additional comfort.
The EQA retains Mercedes-Benz’s signature turbine air condition vents with a rose gold finish and a silver ring. Like the GLA, the centrepiece is the twin 10.25-inch infotainment system and the digital driver’s console. Based on the latest MBUX generation 2 OS, which makes it user-friendly and one of the best in the business. We did miss the trackpad and the shortcut buttons on the front armrest.
The floor is raised to accommodate the battery pack and therefore, the rear seat squab is lowered to ensure the headroom isn’t compromised. The rear seating position is slightly on the crouching side and the under thigh support could be better.
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ review: Features
The EQA passenger dashboard section gets a backlit star pattern panel with 64 ambient colour options. The SUV has a head-up display, which is crystal clear and reads out navigation directions, speed, speed limit and even cruise control. The head-up display has various adjustable settings like height, brightness and position.
One of the stand-out features is the augmented reality navigation system that takes live images from the front camera and pops up when you’re entering an intersection with turn arrows on the infotainment screen. Alongside it, there’s a map that lets you know live traffic conditions.
Another unique function is gesture control which will be available for both the front passenger and the driver. With a 3D camera on the control panel, one needs to point both index and middle finger at the touchscreen and it will activate the saved command like switch off the display or start energize kinetics. Apart from this, it gets the usual bells and whistles like five Type-C ports including front and rear along with a 12 V socket, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, hands-free tailgate and dual-zone climate control.
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ review: Safety
The EQA is as safe as a vault and has all the state-of-art features like seven airbags including one for the driver’s knee. With a 360-degree camera and two radar sensors, all the angles of the EQA is visible on the display and have blind spot monitoring that straightway sends warning alerts to the driver. It is also equipped with automatic emergency braking, spots pedestrians and cyclists on the road and lane keeping assist.
The EQA has been awarded a 5-star rating by Euro NCAP safety testing. It scored 97 per cent for adult occupant safety and 90 per cent for a child.
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ review: Verdict
The Mercedes-Benz EQA will be the most affordable EV in Mercedes-Benz India’s portfolio, but it could priced slightly higher than its direct competition. The Volvo XC40 Recharge starts from Rs 54.95 lakh, ex-showroom, while the BMW iX1 costs Rs 66.90 lakh, ex-showroom. As a luxury EV SUV, the EQA ticks all the boxes in terms of technology and features, but its USP is the 560 km driving range.
If it is charged by a 100 kW DC charger then it takes only 35 minutes to charge 80 per cent, which is around 400 km. The standard 11 kW AC charger takes over 7 hours to juice up the battery completely. Therefore, the EQA does drive away the range anxiety. On top of that Mercedes-Benz is offering an 8-year warranty on the battery. With the most extensive service network in the luxury car division, the EQA looks like quite a tempting proposition.