What's the difference?
There’s a new name in the luxury upper-large SUV segment and it’s one many buyers will be unfamiliar with. Enter the Denza B8, a brand positioned to BYD much like Genesis is to Hyundai, or Lexus to Toyota.
The flagship B8 6S leans heavily into luxury, space and rugged, squared-off styling, but the big question is whether it does enough to stand out against established heavy hitters like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, Land Rover Defender and Audi Q7.
And then there’s the bigger question - do we actually need an XL SUV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain? More to the point, who exactly is this pitched at?
Iconic/gangster G-Class Geländewagen aside, is there a cooler-looking Mercedes-Benz SUV than the GLB and so – by association – its electrically-powered EQB twin?
And while we're asking questions, does the electric connection make the EV version even more so?
Let’s take a deeper dive into the new EQB – a striking SUV that Mercedes reckons will be its bestselling EV for the foreseeable future. Because there's much more to this Benz than meets the eye.
The Denza B8 6S is a luxurious and well-equipped entry into the upper-large SUV segment, with space, comfort and technology that make it a serious contender. Even in six-seat form, it delivers strong family practicality and a level of kit that will appeal to buyers looking for something different in this space.
While the driving experience isn’t always fully convincing, particularly in terms of refinement and handling, its pricing and overall package do a lot of the heavy lifting.
On that basis, it’s a newcomer the established rivals will be wise to keep an eye on.
The EQB is a likeable yet complicated machine.
On one hand, the high pricing is a real hurdle, even in the base 250, while the 350 4Matic costing the wrong side of $110K driveaway can’t even be had with seven seats. What is the point of it?Â
On the other, though, the EQB is roomier than its appearance suggests, way lovelier inside than anticipated, and – especially after allowed to really be driven hard and fast – a whole lot more Mercedes-Benz in the way the 350 4Matic moves, steers, grips, rides and stops.
As a result, we’d skip the capable but bland 250 and try to haggle hard on the price of the altogether too-expensive yet compelling 350 4Matic instead. It’s the EQB to be in.