BMW X Models vs Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

What's the difference?

This is a highly competent all-rounder, given that it has the comfort and practicality for urban family duties yet with its revered M breeding can produce a level of performance which, in competent hands, could hold its own at a track day where its capabilities could be safely explored.

When I was telling my colleagues about the Mercedes-Benz EQC my summary was, basically, it’s the best electric luxury car I’ve driven. 

It’s plusher than a Jaguar i-Pace, more polished than a Tesla Model X - indeed, it feels like a different kind of electric car to both of those models. It’s an impressive foray into the segment, and we can’t wait for the chance to put it against some like-minded electric European luxury SUVs at some point in the future.

The fourth-gen X3, which has a lighter but stiffer body, shares the same wheelbase as its third-gen predecessor but at 4755mm end-to-end it's 34mm longer and it's 29mm wider.

It’s also 25mm lower, which combined with front and rear track-width increases and adaptive suspension damping to sharpen the handling underlines its sportiness and driver appeal, despite a substantial 2055kg kerb weight.

The new exterior design is characterised by short overhangs, flush door handles, a larger ‘split kidney’ grille, new LED taillights and L-shaped light elements for the LED headlights.

The new interior design is a classy mix of soft-touch materials and high-gloss hard surfaces in tastefully contrasting tones. The seats are upholstered in a new synthetic leather called 'Veganza' ('Espresso Brown' in our example) which according to BMW requires 85 per cent fewer CO2 emissions to produce than genuine leather (which is still available as an extra-cost option).

Combined with subtle use of ‘Magnolia’ fine-wood trim inserts, satin chrome, piano black, blue/red M highlights and slender ambient light-strips, it’s a cabin that exudes opulence.

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is entirely different to what we expect from the brand, but it’s really what we expected all along when it came to an electric SUV from the Daimler stable.

It is sleek, streamlined and smooth, with panels that almost look like they’re formed from liquid. And it has the eco-edgy graphics you’d expect, with a specific grille treatment (yes, a real grille), headlights that are unlike any other Benz (they even have an LED that runs the width of the grille), and a rear-end style that looks almost like it was penned with another Stuttgart-based brand in mind… Porsche. I’m talking about Porsche.

But one thing that I really love about the EQC is its moustache. It's more prominent when the car is finished in white paint, but there’s a moustache that former Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche himself could be envious of. And he had one helluva soup strainer.

It is clearly made to be slippery, despite essentially sharing its underpinnings with the more conventionally angular - yet still rounded-edged - GLC SUV.

While it is a nicely styled gizmo, I found there are some things that could be annoying.

For instance, I was trying to plug in at night in a dark area, and while there is a small light above the charge port, other EVs have a light that actually illuminates the area where you’re plugging in. 

And also, the plug port is on the driver’s side. If, like me, you had to charge up with the car on the street, it just adds a little bit more anxiety to the whole situation. I shudder to think what could happen if the charger was hit by a passing car - folding the mirrors in is one thing, but you can’t fold the power cable! The lead for the charger is long, thankfully. 

I know, most people (maybe even all people!) who buy and EQC are going to have undercover parking in a garage or carport, but it’s still worth remembering that the filler isn’t on the kerb side like a number of other EVs. 

It has almost identical dimensions to that car: 4774mm long on a 2873mm wheelbase, with a width of 1884mm and a height of 1622mm. For context, GLC is 4669mm long, same wheelbase, a bit wider (1890mm) and just a little more height (1639mm).

What about interior design? Well it’s also familiarly different, with a number of changes to the materials used but still the same tech and comfort you’d expect. Check out the interior images in the section below.

This would make a great family weekend escape machine, for which BMW quotes a 645kg payload rating. It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer, which could pose a challenge given the relatively low 100kg tow-ball download limit (TBD is typically around 10 per cent of trailer weight).

BMW also does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) so we can’t confirm if it can carry its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

Even so, the M50 has a useful-sized luggage area which offers up to 570 litres (or 0.57 cubic metres) of load volume with the rear seat upright.

This expands to 1700 litres (or 1.7 cubic metres) with the rear seat folded flat, which can be handy for a multitude of tasks like transporting a mountain bike or hauling home flat-pack furniture.

There’s comfortable space for the driver and front passenger, along with useful storage including large bottle-holders and bins in each front door.

The centre console has two small-bottle/cupholders plus wireless phone-charging and a pair of USB ports. There's also a glove box plus another box at the rear of the console with a padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear bench seat is surprisingly spacious, given that I’m 186cm tall and when seated behind the driver’s seat in my position I still have about 40mm of knee clearance, which is optimised by the concave shape of the front seat backrests.

The spacious and airy feel is enhanced by the ‘panorama’ glass roof which spans the full length of the seating area and allows generous headroom even for tall people.  

However, shoulder room is tight for three adults and the centre passenger’s feet must contend with the transmission tunnel, so even though it would be fine for three kids we’d suggest a limit of two adults for longer trips.

Rear passengers get privacy glass and pull-up roller sunshades, large-bottle holders and bins in each door plus net-type pockets and anchorage points for media devices on each front seat backrest. There are also two small-bottle/cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

The rear of the centre console has two USB ports, adjustable air-vents plus controls for zone temperature, airflow preferences and seat-heating.

The bench seat features a 40/20/40 split, which allows the centre backrest to fold forward independent of the two outer backrests to allow long loads like snow skis, home hardware etc to be carried if securely fastened.

A power tailgate provides access to the luggage area, which is equipped with a handy 12-volt accessory socket plus load-anchorage points front and rear, extra storage nooks for small items on either side and a retractable roller-type load cover. Overall, this vehicle offers good practicality for family duties.

If you’re thinking the EQC looks like a seven-seat SUV, you’re wrong. It’s a five-seater, with a decent sized boot, too.

The luggage capacity is 500 litres, which is decent for a car of this size, but bear in mind there is no spare wheel under the boot floor. 

Rear seat space is reasonably spacious for someone my size (182cm) sitting behind their own driving position, with decent knee and toe space. Headroom is not terrific, though, and anyone taller will need to watch their head as they get in and out of the car as the top sill eats into space quite a bit. 

Any middle-seat passengers might find the room a little less likeable, as the transmission tunnel intrudes quite a bit. Those with big feet might find shoehorning themselves in and out a bit of a challenge as the sills are quite large, and our car even had optional ($1200) “aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs” - side steps, essentially. They get in the way, too.

But if you’re just sitting two abreast in the back the seat comfort is really good, the trim quality is excellent, and there is a flip down armrest with the storage bin and pop out cupholders. There are rear air vents (no climate control adjustment in the back, though, and no USB charging either), and there are two map pockets, plus bottle holders in the doors. Up front you will find a mix of familiar elements if you’ve sat in any recent Benz model, but a few unique finishes and trim elements that might be new to you.

There’s a beautiful horizontal fin theme that runs around the cabin, as well as the now-traditionally audacious looking Burmester sound system speaker covers. They don’t quite gel with the aesthetic, to my eye. 

The dash-top material - “fine surface texture”, as Benz calls it - is unlike anything else we’ve seen from the brand, it’s kind of like a soft silky slippery fabric trim. While there are lovely copper trim elements that just add something visually entertaining and appealing to the space.

There is a large covered centre console bin with 2x USB-C charge points and there is an additional USB-C upfront next to the wireless phone charger. The Mercedes touchpad system that aligns with the MBUX media screen is reasonably easy to get used to, but being a Benz there are plenty of options for usability - the centre screen is a touch-capacitive unit, or you can use the steering wheel-mounted controller on the left side of the wheel to control the middle screen. The right thumb controller manages the driver info screen.

It was mostly very easily managed, although the menus did get stuck at times for me - mainly in the section around the energy consumption. Plus I tried the whole “Hey, Mercedes” command thing, and it failed on numerous occasions. 

The EQC is available in two separate lines at the moment. The first is the standard EQC 400, which has a list price of $137,900 plus on-road costs, and then there’s the Art Line edition for $143,800.

There’s no haggling, either. The EQC is part of Benz’s standardised pricing model, and there are nine dealerships/retailers Australia-wide that handle orders for the EQC. Or you can buy it online, if that’s more convenient! However, as we reported at the Australian launch of the EQC, the wait time can be long - up to seven months from clicking ‘order’ to the car arriving in Australia.

What will you get if you do order an EQC? It’s hardly an affordable midsize SUV, but you’re paying for new technology - and you’re getting a pretty well kitted-out car, too. 

The standard equipment list includes the AMG Line exterior package, 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, and a sunroof. 

The interior gets the AMG Line treatment with leather upholstery, as well as a 13-speaker Burmester sound system, keyless entry, push-button start, electric tailgate, a head-up display, Mercedes-Benz’s MB-UX media system with twin 10.25-inch screens including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring tech, DAB digital radio, sat nav and the option of augmented reality navigation instructions. That system also incorporates Mercedes-Me Connect online capability, including web search. 

There’s also an ambient lighting system with 64 colour choices, dual zone climate control, and heated front seats with electric seat adjustment and memory settings. 

Thrown in for nix is a five-year Chargefox subscription. Chargefox is Australia’s largest car charging network, with fast charger stations stretching from Cairns to Adelaide (and there’s a cluster in WA as well). 

There’s also a comprehensive safety technology suite included. All the details are covered off in the safety section below.

How about rivals? Well, its most natural competitors include the Jaguar i-Pace (from $124,100) and Tesla Model X (from $133,900), and there'll be an Audi e-tron electric SUV on sale in Australia by the end of 2020.

You might also think about the not-quite-fully-electric likes of the Volvo XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid (from $98,990), or even the plug-in hybrid Mercedes GLC 300e (from $83,500). 

According to BMW, the M50 xDrive features the most powerful inline six-cylinder petrol engine fitted to an M Performance model.

This 3.0-litre unit clearly benefits from BMW’s twin-scroll turbocharging technology, which combined with variable valve timing and an extra 13kW/200Nm from the 48V mild-hybrid technology produces a stomping 293kW of power at 5500rpm and 580Nm of torque at 1900rpm.

It also has a ‘boost’ function, which provides an extra burst of power for short periods when maximum acceleration is required when overtaking etc.

It’s activated by the left paddle-shifter on the steering wheel and automatically optimises transmission/chassis settings to suit. There’s also a drive mode selector, with ‘Sport’ offering the most responsive and engaging experience.

The eight-speed torque converter automatic is a refined and efficient transmission well suited to this full-time all-wheel drive application. Rapid-fire manual shifting is also available using the steering wheel paddles.

The EQC has a power output of 300kW and it has 760Nm of torque, which is enough to see its claimed 0-100km/h acceleration pegged at just 5.1 seconds.

The EQC’s top speed is 180km/h (limited for the sake of the batteries), and it has an 80kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

It uses a pair of asynchronous motors - one front, one rear - and they can alternate to do what’s best in the situation - be it working in 2WD (RWD or FWD), or in AWD. 

If you’re thinking about an EQC as a towing option, the towing capacity is 750kg for an un-braked trailer and 1800kg for a braked trailer.

BMW claims an official average combined consumption of 8.2L/100km but the dash display was showing 9.9 at the completion of our 210km test, which included a mix of suburban, city and highway travel.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, came in slightly higher again at 10.5L/100km, which given our test vehicle’s two-tonne-plus weight and performance capabilities is still reasonable economy.

So, based on our figures, you could expect a realistic driving range of around 600km from its 65-litre tank, which prefers premium 98 RON petrol.

With an 80kWh battery pack and a Type 2 CCS plug (up to AC 7.4kW / DC 110kW) the charge times vary pretty greatly depending on what output you’re powering up from.

Mercedes-Benz says a DC fast charging station should be able to replenish the battery bank in 1 hour 22 minutes (at a maximum of 110kW, though some Chargefox stations offer charge rates up to 350kW) while an AC charging station (like you’d find in car parks) or Mercedes-Benz’s own Wallbox system should take about 12 hours 13 minutes.

Charging from a regular household powerpoint is a last resort option. It is claimed to take 46 hours 40 minutes from empty to full (230-volt outlet, 10-amp/2.3kW). I plugged in to a powerpoint in my house and the car’s info display was stating it would take 9.5 hours to achieve the remaining 16 per cent of charge. It didn’t get to 100 per cent before I had to unplug, however.

My not-so-urban test drive loop commenced with 97 per cent of battery charge and an indicated range of 363km available. The idea was to get a feel for the “range vs reality” of the situation, so I did it in Comfort drive mode with the climate control active and no intent to either thrash the vehicle or baby it to save battery.

My drive ended with 36 per cent indicated charge remaining, after I’d covered 231.6km. That means, based on the car’s own algorithm, that it would have covered 315km before the battery was depleted, which is a long way short of the claimed 434km range.

The indicated energy consumption was 20.8kWh/100km, which is ‘thirsty’ for an EV. On our recent electric car comparison test, the most efficient of our EVs - the Hyundai Ioniq Electric - used just 13.0kWh/100km. Yes, I know the EQC is a lot heavier (2425kg kerb weight), but even the Tesla Model 3 was notably more efficient (18.5kWh/100km) than the EQC over very similar terrain and driving.

However, our testing saw us return an even better consumption rate than Mercedes-Benz’s claimed figure, which is 21.4kWh/100km.

First, the fun stuff. It certainly feels like ‘the ultimate driving machine’ when you slide behind the chunky leather-rimmed flat-bottom steering wheel and hold it in your hands.

The driver’s seat offers not only powered adjustment of backrest and base-cushion rake, but also four-way lumbar support and side-bolsters that can tighten their embrace of your upper torso to contend with high cornering loads.

There’s also manual extension of the base-cushion length for greater thigh support and a big left footrest to brace against, so you could not ask for a more accommodating and purposeful driving position.

The steering is perfectly weighted and the quartet of enormous disc brakes provide ample bite with superb pedal feel. Combined with its adaptive suspension and wide grippy tyres, the X3 is a family car that’s also invigorating to drive, particularly when you select the ‘Sport’ mode.

The enhanced engine response and sharper steering that result (even the instrument panel display changes) make any twisting mountain road an engaging experience, enhanced by an intoxicating exhaust note that only a BMW M six can deliver.

The turbocharged engine offers an unyielding surge of acceleration from well below peak torque at 1900rpm to maximum power at 5500rpm, making BMW’s claim of 0-100km/h in a scant 4.6 seconds sound credible.

You can also manually change gears using the steering wheel paddles, but we found the gearing and shift calibrations so good that we preferred to leave it in auto mode.

However, the X3 M50 has two distinct personalities, as in more relaxed drive modes it’s just as happy serving as practical family transport during the week for grocery shopping, daily school runs and other common tasks.

It’s also a comfortable tourer for family getaways, with long gearing that requires only 1500rpm to cruise at 100km/h where low engine, tyre and wind noise allow highway conversations at lounge room levels.

If you have a garage and a Wallbox connector, there’s no reason the Mercedes EQC couldn’t be a terrific option as a commuter, a second car, or even your primary vehicle. 

The thing with all electric cars is that it’s about settling into a rhythm. If you use the car to commute to work, maybe you can charge it there. Or you might have a solar array and charge at home.

No matter the situation, you’ll be getting a rather nice vehicle to live with, based on my week with the EQC.

It’s a plush car, that’s for sure. The silence it offers is truly relaxing, and there’s effortless torque to pull you away from a standstill. The way you can build pace to overtake, the rush of noise-free acceleration, is pretty astounding. Perhaps not as visceral as in a GLC 63 AMG, but it’s still an experience.

The steering is direct and doesn’t require much thought, though it does lack a little bit of feel. But it’s easy to predict and quick to respond, making for pleasant progress around town. It’s easy to park, as well, with a great surround view camera system, as well as front and rear parking sensors. And if you’re not confident, the car has semi-autonomous parking, too.

The brake pedal feel takes some acclimation, because it responds pretty well, but the action is hard to modulate at times. That is partly due to the brake regeneration system, which actively captures energy that would have otherwise been lost during braking. You can adjust the level of aggression of the regen brakes, too, by tapping either the up or down shift paddles. The most aggressive setting will almost pull you up to a halt from urban speed without any brake pressure required.

The suspension of the EQC feels more settled than the last GLC I drove, and that could be in part due to the extra weight and stiffness of the battery cell under the body. The centre of gravity feels low, and it feels stuck down to the road in most situations.

The ride is mostly fine, but with big 20-inch wheels and low profile tyres, it can jar on hard edges. I also noticed that it can feel a bit unsettled at higher speed, as the body moves around - from side to side - more than I would have expected. It deals well with undulation changes and big dips, and if the surface is good, so are the comfort levels in the cabin. 

It’s a Mercedes-Benz, so as you’d expect the safety offering is comprehensive and extensive. 

The EQC received a five-star ANCAP crash test rating in 2019, scoring highly for child occupant protection in particular. But it also has all the safety assist nannies you’d expect, too.

There is autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning that works from 7-200km/h, plus active lane keeping assistance from 60-200km/h and lane departure alert, along with active cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, rear AEB, driver fatigue monitoring, auto high beam lights and tyre pressure monitoring. 

There are nine airbags (dual front, front side, rear side, curtain and driver’s knee), and the EQC has a pair of ISOFIX anchor points for baby seats and three top-tether points to affix child seats.

It comes standard with a five-year, unlimited km warranty.

Scheduled servicing is determined by BMW’s vehicle monitoring system which advises when a service is needed, typically around 12 months/15,000km.

A capped-price servicing package covering five years/80,000km (whichever occurs first) totals $2475, or an average of $495 per service.

It mightn’t have the same method of propulsion as a petrol or diesel Merc, but it has similar service requirements. You still need to take it to the workshop for maintenance every 12 months - or every 25,000km! - whichever comes first.

Owners can either pay as they go for servicing, or pay up front and bundle it into their finance. The upfront rate is $1350 for three years/75,000km. Pay as you go will peg you along at $450 (year one), $750 (year two), $450 (year three). 

When the EQC launched it came with a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, but that was recently updated to a five-year/unlimited km plan, bringing Benz inline with the likes of Korean luxury maker Genesis, not to mention the majority of mainstream car brands.