Mercedes-Benz EQA Review 2023

The Mercedes-Benz EQA is the smallest electric car in the firm's 'EQ' sub-brand, an alphabetised range which spans from EQA all the way up to EQV. It might be the cheapest and most compact EV Mercedes makes, but it still costs from over £47,000. In this review we'll see if it can justify this premium price. 

Mercedes-Benz is not shy when it comes to churning out new cars. It usually has the largest number of different bodystyles of any car company out there, with a full nine different models based off the A-Class (not including several other AMG variants). Yet just two of those compact A-Class-based cars are electric. Why is that? 

Well, it can't escape your notice that the five-seat Mercedes EQA and seven-seat EQB are small SUVs. SUVs are very much on trend of course, but another reason these are the first compact models to go all-electric is that the tall bodies allow chunky battery packs to be wedged into the floor without the passenger compartment turning into a coffin.

It's the same reason why there's so many high-riding rivals to the EQA, including the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Volvo XC40 Recharge and the Lexus UX 300 e. Even lower-riding alternatives are still somewhat SUV-shaped, and these include the new Genesis GV60, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Polestar 2 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. 

Mercedes-Benz won't thank us for calling the EQA a touch old-tech in its design, joining the XC40 and UX as being an electric car based upon a petrol and diesel car (the Mercedes GLA) rather than a bespoke, ground-up like many offerings. 

But that hasn't stopped it delivering respectable range and efficiency, with a possible WLTP-rated 263 miles on a charge from its 66.5kWh battery. Rapid charging speeds are up to 100kW, which was decent a few years ago but is now behind the class best, although it'll still give you a 10 to 80 per cent charge boost in around 40 minutes. 

With 190PS from an electric motor powering the front wheels only, the EQA 250 won't be much cop at racing Teslas away from the lights, as its modest 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds suggests. But it feels quicker than that, offering adequate performance for most needs but little to engage the keen driver. Happily, more powerful four-wheel drive EQA 300 and 350 variants are on the way. 

The same applies to the overall driving experience, with excellent refinement but underwhelming handling and a ride that's soft but not as composed as we'd hoped. It's a little disappointing given the calibre of electric SUV rivals around these days. 

Still, the EQA's best trait is how normal it feels - it's perfect if you want an electric car that doesn't feel totally alien compared to a petrol or diesel car. With the same classy, high-tech cabin as the EQA, plus a decent amount of space, it can slip into family life with ease. We just wish it was better to drive given how much it costs. 

Looking for a second opinion? Why not read heycar's Mercedes-Benz EQA review.

There will be no complaints from those up front in the EQA, with a nicely raised driving position, plenty of adjustment in the seats and wheel and leg and (particularly) head space to spare. Storage is pretty good, including a deep compartment under the centre armrest and a cupholder/phone storage compartment with a sliding lid. 

First impressions of the rear aren't bad either, as legroom and head space feels fairly plentiful for six-footers. It's only when you climb inside that you realise there's quite a compromise to make: the height of the floor. 

Sticking the big battery pack under the floor has raised the floor, forcing Mercedes to drop the rear bench down to maintain headroom. That means your knees are a lot higher off the ground than in the GLA, leaving taller adults in a less-than-comfortable squatting position. 

Many EVs suffer from this, but the EQA seems to be inflicted more even than combustion car-based rivals such as the XC40 Recharge, let alone bespoke EVs like the Q4 e-tron. 

The boot, too, isn't all that competitive. At 340 litres its 100 litres smaller than the GLA on which it's based and a full 180-litres less than a Q4 e-tron, with no proper cable storage area and no front boot to boost capacity. At least the rear seats split 40/20/40 and fold nice and flat. 

The Mercedes EQA borrows its interior largely wholesale from the GLA, even sharing the same 'engine' start/stop button and steering column-mounted gearshifter. 

That means you get a cabin that excels visually, with a really upmarket look and (for the most part) a decent quality feel, with impressive backlit air-vents and mostly nice materials. It's not all perfect, though, as we do have some gripes. 

Key to our complaint is that some areas of the cabin feel cheaper than you'd expect at this price point - remember, the petrol GLA starts at around £35k. The column stalks feel brittle and hollow, for example, while the dashboard of our example was surprisingly creaky over bumps. It feels like the cool design has taken priority over a feeling of solidity.

We've few complaints with the infotainment in the Mercedes EQA, which pairs a 10-inch digital dial display with a 10-inch infotainment screen in a neatly integrated bezel. It's one of the smartest systems around, with lots of features and crisp, responsive displays. 

You can also control it in different ways, via the central touchscreen, via a touchpad surrounded by shortcut buttons on the centre console or via Mercedes' advanced voice control system (the latter of which is clever but not faultless). It's a bit of a shame the BMW iDrive-style rotary dial is no more, as that's a doddle to use on the move, but the touchpad is fairly slick. 

We also like that Mercedes has kept a few physical buttons around, with rocker switches for the temperature and proper volume rollers on the wheel. 

The Mercedes EQA starts from £47,500 in entry-level 250 Sport trim, with AMG Line trim adding £1,500 and AMG Line Premium another £2,000. 

Prices for the more powerful versions are also available, with the 225PS EQA 300 starting at £52,010 in AMG Line form and the 288PS EQA 350 around £1,000 more. We've not yet driven either, however, and Mercedes seems to have rather long waiting lists for any EQA models. Bear in mind, too, that none of them are eligible for the UK plug-in car grant. 

It's surprising how little the jump up is from the front-wheel drive 250 to the four-wheel drive models, so we'd be tempted to wait for those and benefit from increased performance. Do remember that those models are likely to have shorter ranges, however. 

Overall the EQA doesn't seem that overpriced given its premium image and kit levels. But the Kia/Hyundai/Genesis EV trio are either similarly priced or a fair bit cheaper, while offering much faster charging, longer ranges, roomier cabins and better driving experiences. 

The EQA might not lead the class when it comes to range or performance, but the front-wheel drive 250 model offers pretty impressive efficiency. Officially it's up to 3.5 miles per kWh, and that seems achievable, which equates to a respectable 233-mile real-world range.

That's important, because while you might get more out a charge from some other EVs they might not offer as much bang for your buck when it comes to charging cost. A 10 to 80% charge should cost between £20-25 on most rapid chargers, although maximum speeds of 100kW pale in comparison with the Genesis GV60, which is more than twice as fast. 

Happily, the Mercedes EQA comes as standard with an 11kW on-board charger, which when paired up to the appropriate home wallbox means a more affordable home charge and 90% of range added in under six hours. 

It's also great the UK government has (for cars registered after April 2022) scrapped the 'premium car' tax for electric cars, meaning every EQA has free road tax (VED). You only get a three-year warranty, though - some rivals offer five or seven years. 

It remains to be seen how reliable the EQA will be. Mercedes-Benz as a brand finished in the upper half of the latest Honest John Satisfaction Index in 13th, although it's very disappointing to see the related Mercedes A-Class finish in bottom place of the survey for reliability. At least electric cars have less moving parts to worry about than petrol or diesel cars. 

The Mercedes GLA is known for offering a predictable handling and a comfortable ride, so the EQA should be pretty much identical, right? Not necessarily.

You see the EQA is around half a tonne heavier than the GLA thanks to that big battery. Again, all EVs have this weight burden, but some are better than others at disguising it. The EQA is okay, but not the best.

It's great around town, with good all-round visibility, nippy performance even in 250 form and positive steering. The ride is generally pretty soft and quiet, too, but catch a big pothole or manhole cover and it thumps and jolts more than we'd expect. There's also more whine from the electric motor than befits a Mercedes, while the brakes aren't all that progressive, making it difficult to come to a stop smoothly. 

Out on the motorway the EQA fairs pretty well despite its modest pace, with low road and wind noise and a ride that smooths out nicely. You can adjust the regenerative braking manually through two stages via the wheel-mounted paddles or leave it in auto mode, where it judges how much is required given traffic conditions. 

There are better electric cars for fun country road drives than the EQA, that's for sure. The steering isn't too light but it's not hugely confidence inspiring, while the body leans a fair bit in the bends and it's unsettled by mid-corner bumps. It's just not as composed or balanced as the rear-wheel drive Audi Q4 e-tron, and a fair way off the dynamic feel of a Kia EV6. 

The entry-level Mercedes EQA 250 gets a single electric motor driving the front wheels with an output of 190PS. It's the only one we've driven so far, managing a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of just 99mph. 

It's at the slower end of premium electric cars, but unless you're at high speed it feels nippier than those figures suggest and will deliver enough performance to not feel gutless. Those after the kick in the back that cars like the Volvo XC40 Recharge or AWD Kia EV6 deliver will be disappointed, though, never mind the stomach-churning punch of a Tesla Model Y.

Those in need of a bit more performance will be better waiting for the all-wheel drive EQA 300 or 350 to arrive. The latter promises a much more competitive 0-62mph time of six seconds.

The Mercedes EQA is one of the safest cars in its class, managing a five star Euro NCAP crash test rating. More than that, an adult occupant protection score of 97% is extremely impressive, with a nearly as strong 90% child occupant rating too. 

All versions of the Mercedes EQA come with automatic emergency braking, a driver drowsiness detection system, blind spot monitoring and active speed limit assist. You'll need to pay extra for tech such as rear-cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control, though, which is a shame.

The two-wheel drive EQA makes for a pretty poor tow car with a 750kg braked trailer towing limit. The 4MATIC all-wheel-drive EQA is a bit more useful with a 1800kg braked towing capacity.

The range kicks off with the entry-level Mercedes EQA Sport, which features 18-inch alloys, LED headlights with automatic high beam, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a reversing camera and the 10-inch dual-screen navigation and instrument system.

Stepping up to the Mercedes EQA AMG Line focuses on upgrading the styling with a sportier exterior bodykit, different alloy wheel design, upgraded sports seats with leather, aluminium pedals and a flat-bottom sports steering wheel.

The range-topping Mercedes EQA AMG Line Premium upgrades the wheel size to 19-inches, plus brings keyless entry, a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging and an uprated sound system.