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Mercedes EQE SUV Review: The Hills Are Alive With The Sound of Stuttgart's Silence
German luxury carmaker Mercedes is pushing hard as it looks to go fully electric by the end of the decade. With India being one of the firm's fastest-growing markets, it comes as no surprise that the EQ electric push is being felt here.
In the past year or so, we've seen the arrival of the flagship EQS sedan onto our roads as well as the maddeningly practical EQB 7-seater SUV. The latest from Stuttgart's EQ portfolio to hit India's roads is the EQE SUV.
So, when Mercedes invited us to Gulmarg to drive the EQE SUV, we had to say yes to an electric drive in the beautiful mountainous climates of Kashmir.
Mercedes EQE SUV Review: Design & Features - The Familiar EQ Exterior With The Star Trek Interior
Take a look at the all-new Mercedes EQE SUV for India and all the exterior design highlights from Merc's EQ electric brand really start popping as you glance around this all-electric luxury SUV.
At the front, the regular ICE grille makes way for the EQ lineup's sealed-off setup with a massive Merc logo in the centre along with hundreds of three-pointed star logos spread across its black expanse.
Above the faux grille sits a lightbar connecting the Digital Light LED headlights that feature an adaptive high beam setup. Further down the bumper is chrome trim around the intake that sits under the registration plate.
The sides of the EQE SUV feature rather smooth bodywork with the dominant feature being the 20-inch aero alloy wheels, the shiny chrome on the door handles and window surround and the charging port just above the right rear wheel arch.
The rear section of the Mercedes EQE includes design highlights like the slight spoiler on the roof housing the third brake light along with EQ lineup-specific 3D helix connected taillights. Underneath the taillights sits the three-pointed star badge which when pressed opens the boot.
Step inside the cabin of the EQE SUV and you'll be transported to a world that only a few years ago was in the realm of science fiction. The edge-to-edge, 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen setup still makes us really want to say "Hit It" when we're cocooned into the EQE SUV's seats.
Like in the EQS, the hyperscreen is in fact three displays behind a thick pane of tempered glass. There are two 12.3-inch screens on each side, with the one behind the wheel acting as the instrumentation while the one on the left allows the front passenger to have a bit of fun on the go.
The middle screen is the largest of the troika at 17.7 inches and controls the infotainment setup for the EQE SUV. The screen also supports a variety of apps including a built-in nav system, as well as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and comes paired with the wonderful 15-speaker Burmester 3D surround sound system that transforms the cabin into a concert hall.
If all those screens weren't enough, Mercedes has also plied the EQE SUV with a heads-up display. Also present are a host of other features including a massive panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting and an air filtration system, four-zone automatic climate control, and a fragrance diffusing system to keep the insides nice and fresh all the time.
Sitting on those seats as the EQE SUV wafts along is an absolute joy. The ventilated front comfort seats keep you cool and offer brilliant lumbar support. Add in the massage function and even a drive after a hard day at work feels like a soothing journey.
The rear seats are no slouches and offer loads of support ensuring that tiring long journies are a thing of the past. There is enough room at the back for even taller adults to ride in comfort.
To ensure that the occupants enjoying the EQE SUV's cabin are kept as safe as possible, Merc has equipped the EV with a host of safety features including a Level 2 ADAS, multiple airbags, the digital lighting system, a 360-degree camera and parking assist among many others.
Mercedes EQE SUV Review: Specs & Dimensions - Electric Charge
The new Mercedes EQE SUV is 4,863mm long, 1,940mm wide and 1,685mm tall with a 3,030 mm long wheelbase. The new Mercedes EQE SUV weighs in at over 2.5 tonnes and sports a 520-litre boot.
Powering this behemoth of an electric SUV is a dual-motor setup that is connected to a large 90.56kWh battery pack. The dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup of the EQE 500 SUV produces 402bhp and 858Nm of peak torque which propels the EQE SUV from 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 210km/h.
The EQE SUV's massive battery delivers a claimed WLTP range of 550km on a single charge. Mercedes provides an 11kW AC charger (9.5 hours 0-100% charge) with the EQE SUV and the EV also supports DC fast charging at speeds of up to 170kW.
The Mercedes EQE SUV for India offers 174mm of ground clearance. This can be raised by as much as 25mm using the air suspension setup fitted to the EQE SUV.
Mercedes EQE SUV Review: Driving Impressions - Silent Smooth Operator
The Mercedes EQE SUV is the proper essence of a smooth and silent operator but it isn't too bothered to have a bit of fun when you mash the pedal of speed. If you do deploy the fun pedal at its fullest, the EQE SUV takes no time in proving that it can dash down a straight.
The drivetrain of the EQE is extremely refined, no matter which of three driving modes you choose - Eco, Comfort, Sport, Off-Road and Individual. The steering adjusts itself depending on the drive mode you're in weighing up as you move from Eco to Sport.
The air suspension also changes its setup automatically depending on the mode you're in and makes every journey as smooth as possible. The EQE SUV glides over bumps and ruts treating them with utter contempt. However, the EQE SUV does feel agile when you push it into corners but it would prefer that you glide through them instead.
There are three levels of regen on offer which work quite fine. However, the brake pedal doesn't feel the best in terms of feel, which we hope is something Merc can fix.
Mercedes EQE SUV: Final Thoughts & Verdict - Another Smooth Electric Operator From Stuttgart
The Mercedes EQE SUV is the third all-electric EQ model from the Stuttgart firm for India. On the road, the Mercedes EQE SUV is agreeably comfortable, gliding past the normals with a smoothness you've come to expect from a car from the three-pointed star badge.
The only big minger seems to be the price as the EQE SUV 500 is currently sold as a CBU which makes those with the big wallets think about the EQS electric land barge that sits a few big bucks higher.
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