Oh yes, it’s another electric from the German car maker; it’s fourth in the country. But it’s unlike the others in many ways.
Paradise on earth! That’s what they call the Kashmir Valley, and Gulmarg is one of the crown jewels. I feel so lucky and blessed to be here enjoying this fantastic mountain air and doubly lucky and privileged to be able to do it in a car that's sustainable and actually respects all the gorgeous natural beauty that surrounds us. Oh yes, it’s another electric from the German car maker; it’s fourth in the country. But it’s unlike the others in many ways.
The face is very recognisable as an EQ family member, you have this black treatment, the big logo and the stars all around that are something you solve the EQS sedan and of course on the EQS SUV as well which we still haven't gotten India, it just means that while it's very typical EQ it's a little bit taller and makes it look more SUV like signature DRL’s and sporty bumper very short overhangs, nice 20-inch dual-tone alloys, and this is the part I really want to talk about as you come around to the side of the car using hey it's not too big it looks nice and compact in fact your mind starts telling you is that even bigger than the EQC it looks smaller.
It isn't smaller, but yes, it looks like that. The good news is that it means you think, Hey, this is going to be nice and tight and sort of sporty on the road, and the better news is that because it is longer and bigger than the EQC, it's also got a much longer wheelbase—more than 3000 mm in fact—and that wheelbase is even longer than the one on the iX, the BMW that everybody is gonna make comparisons with when it comes to the EQE.
Overall, though, the iX is a little bit bigger than this. It also means that there's plenty of room for the future, more capable second generation of the EQC SUV. And as I said, there is plenty of room in the EQE SUV as well.
Dimensions | Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV | Mercedes-Benz EQC | BMW iX |
|---|---|---|---|
Length | 4863 mm | 4762 mm | 4953 mm |
Width | 2141 mm | 2096 mm | 2230 mm |
Height | 1685 mm | 1624 mm | 1695 mm |
Wheelbase | 3030 mm | 2873 mm | 3000 mm |
Ground Clearance | 145 mm | 142 mm | 202 mm |
The first thing that you notice is the massive 56-inch hyperscreen on the EQS. The OLED central and passenger screens are a huge talking point. Pun intended. All infotainment, connectivity, and comfort features have been carried over from the EQS like biometric facial and fingerprint authentication, ventilated seats with massage functions, the latest MBUX-connected car tech and more. But this one comes with the added touch of the invisible bonnet.
The EQE SUV is the first electric car from Mercedes-Benz with this feature that we’ve also seen on the new GLC. It also gets a Burmester sound system and an in-built air purifier - both Mercedes staples. There’s good roominess in the rear and that massive sunroof adds to the sense of space in the car as well. But you don't get much in terms of features at the rear. So not quite the chauffeur-driven ride perhaps? You have to drive this one, not be driven! And that totally works for me.
There are lots of different drive modes on the EQE just like every other Mercedes just like every other EQ but it does get the off-road mode as well, which means of course thanks to the air suspension you can, not just manipulate the ride height of the car but you can also change some of its settings to better suit a broken or absolutely off road surface and as luck would have it I have come up to one right now alright let's navigate this little slowly.
Powertrain | Dual Electric Motors |
Battery Capacity | 90.56 kWh |
Max Power | 402 bhp |
Peak Torque | 858 Nm |
Range | 550 km |
With a Mercedes and especially with an EQ our experience has been limited to the likes of the EQS SUV I have driven the EQS sedan and then of course the EQB. So you don't really expect sporty driving from any of them to a large extent they are not meant to do that the good part with the EQE is it does it and it does it well, handling is a lot better than. The good news is that handling the car really delivers and delivers more than you would expect.
Having driven the EQS SUV and the EQE sedan, I can tell you this one is a great blend of those two, and more ideal in a sense than them also. The airmatic suspension comes as standard on the EQE SUV and that’s great news because you get a travel of 25 mm to navigate through difficult roads. It also, like in the EQS, can remember the road conditions and adjust the suspension accordingly, but you need to set it up for it to work.
9 airbags and Level 2 ADAS functionality are part of the package. The EQE SUV 500 even has a 5-star EuroNCAP crash test rating. So it’s a tough nut and loaded with safety features.
This is a significant launch for the company. While the car is pricey, and it is not as yet being built in India, in so many ways it is today’s E-Class – the defining car for the brand. The EQE SUV will probably be assembled in India at a later stage though. Mercedes-Benz already has a strong order book for it as a lot of owners would like one during the festive season.
Yes – even though it costs Rs. 1.39 crore (ex-showroom, India). But we do have the range-topping 500 variant with everything standard. And for what it's worth it's being offered with good service packages, a 10-year battery warranty and the service intervals are every 30,000 km. It is a good package, balancing capability with efficiency, luxury, and comfort.
And while the BMW iX may seem more formidable in performance terms, the EQE SUV notches up the classy appeal and the tech features. A great addition to the Mercedes-Benz India lineup.
Photography By: Prashant Chaudhary
