Mercedes-Benz EQA 2022 review: 250 EV test

Like most electric cars, the cost-of-entry for the EQA is a bit higher than its combustion counterpart. But in the premium space in which Mercedes plays, the delta between equivalent spec levels of the EQA and GLA (on which it's based) is much less than for, say, Hyundai’s Kona Electric.

The EQA 250, which is the only variant thus far available in Australia, wears a before on-roads price-tag (MSRP) of $76,800.

The EQA 250 wears a before on-roads price-tag (MSRP) of $76,800 (image: Tom White).

Pricey for a small SUV, even a premium one, but the fact it comes in at just $6900 more than the spec-equivalent GLA 250 is impressive.

Especially when you consider Hyundai’s similarly sized Kona Electric (at $66,000) commands a $28,000 price premium over its combustion equivalent. Ouch.

The EQA’s main primo rival for now is the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric ($76,800), and there’s always the threat of the sleek Tesla Model 3 Long Range ($73,400).

The latter will soon be joined by its SUV equivalent, the Model Y, which should still be priced within consideration distance when it arrives some time in 2022.

With every electric car, you’ll need to consider range in the value equation, and this electrified small SUV is pretty good here with a WLTP-certified 426km on offer.

It rides on glitzy 19-inch alloy wheels (image: Tom White).

While the Model 3 Long Range offers significantly more for less money, I’d consider the Merc to have plenty of distance between charges for most city-slickers.

There’s more good news when it comes to charging, which ups the convenience factor for the Mercedes, but we’ll talk about that in the energy consumption part of this review.

Standard equipment includes pretty much everything you can think of, fulfilling the German brand’s flashy interior promise.

There are glitzy 19-inch alloy wheels, full LED light systems all around, the brand’s signature dual 10.25-inch ‘MBUX’ digital dash and multimedia array with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, built-in sat nav and DAB+ digital radio.

Also included is a 10-speaker audio system, wireless phone charging bay, power adjustable front seats with heating function, ‘Artico’ synthetic leather interior trim, dual-zone climate control, and an LED ambient interior lighting package.

It gets the brand’s signature dual 10.25-inch ‘MBUX’ digital dash and multimedia array with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (image: Tom White).

Our car also came packed with the ‘AMG-Line Sports Package’ ($2269) including improved seats and interior trims, as well as 20-inch alloy wheels, the ‘Vision Package’ ($2269) which includes a panoramic sunroof with surround parking cameras, black interior woodgrain trim ($231), and ‘Urban Guard Vehicle Protection Plus’ ($846) including enhanced anti-theft alarm and monitoring systems, for a grand total of $83,193 when you factor in $816 of luxury car tax (should this really apply to electric cars?).

I’d argue much of the options list is unnecessary, although I will admit the panoramic sunroof was a fitting addition, particularly as it was packaged with the handy surround parking suite.

The EQA 250 plays in a competitive small SUV space, although the practicality on offer in this class varies greatly.

To start with, on our EQA the driving position is easy to slide into, and adjustability is fantastic with a large range of motion for the wheel and seat.

Visibility is also superb, with a huge windscreen and front glasshouse making for a confidence inspiring environment. It’s also easy to peer over this car’s stout nose, making parking easy.

In the EQA the driving position is easy to slide into, and adjustability is fantastic (image: Tom White).

While I find the feel of Benz’s Artico seat trim well above average for a synthetic leather, the seat bases leave a lot to be desired in terms of comfort.

This isn’t an issue unique to the EQA, it extends across all of the brand’s small car offerings below the C-Class sedan, and it leaves me with the feeling (from the driver’s seat) I’m sitting on the car rather than in it.

The bases don’t have much give, and don’t feel super supportive, even with the optional AMG-Line seats.

That said, the door cards, centre armrest, and even the dash-top are made of lovely, soft-touch materials, just in case you needed a reminder this is a luxury offering.

Cabin storage comes in the form of a decently sized centre console box, pockets with bottle holders in the doors, dual bottle holders in the front, and a small bay with a phone charger in front.

Rear passengers are treated to decent room for a car in this segment, and the back doors open nice and wide for easy access.

The seats are the same deal as the front – nice material but could be more supportive.

Like other EVs in this class the floor position is raised, leaving you feeling as though you’re floating a bit, but there’s still enough room for adults on the outboard seats. I had healthy knee, head, and arm room at 182cm (6'0") tall behind my own driving position.

Rear passengers are treated to decent room for a car in this segment (image: Tom White).

There are dual adjustable air vents for rear passengers, a single USB-C outlet, a small storage bay, nets on the backs of the front seats, and a drop-down armrest with a further two pop-out bottle holders.

Sadly, thanks to its electric underpinnings, the EQA has a significantly smaller boot than its petrol-powered GLA sibling, at just 340L – hatchback sized.

It fit our largest (124L) CarsGuide travel case, alongside a duffle and some charging cables, leaving not much space to spare. There is a tyre repair kit under the floor, but that’s about it.

The EQA has a significantly smaller boot than its petrol-powered GLA sibling, at just 340L (image: Tom White).

Sorry EV hopefuls, no 'frunk' this time around, the EQA having drive components under the bonnet.

Speaking of drive components, the only EQA spec available in Australia has a single motor producing 140kW/375Nm driving the front wheels via a single-speed reduction gear automatic transmission.

Those figures are good, allowing this heavy small SUV to still sprint to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds.

The only EQA spec available in Australia has a single motor producing 140kW/375Nm (image: Tom White).

The higher-performance all-wheel drive EQA 350 variant is due later, with a significant performance bump, which the EQA will need to take the fight to Tesla’s incoming Model Y.

Our EQA 250 is capable of travelling 426km (WLTP) on a single charge courtesy of a relatively large 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

This is plenty of range to avoid ‘range anxiety’ for most city dwellers, and certainly enough to include most common intercity journeys.

Claimed energy consumption is a less-good story, with the bar set at 17.7kWh/100km. And after a week behind the wheel I managed a rather disappointing 22.9kWh/100km.

That’s double the number I’ve achieved in the Hyundai Kona Electric, and significantly higher than the 16-ish kWh/100km I’m seeing in my Nissan Leaf e+ long termer.

After a week behind the wheel I managed a rather disappointing 22.9kWh/100km (image: Tom White).

I would have liked to at least meet the claim given I spent most of my week in 'Comfort' mode with the regenerative braking system maxed out.

The EQA has a single Type 2 CCS European-standard charging port located at the rear on the driver’s side.

On DC it's capable of accepting up to 100kW allowing a 10 – 80 per cent charge in as little as 30 minutes, and impressively on AC can accept up to 11kW, meaning you can charge at slower AC locations in a convenient 4.1 hours. Not many EVs in this size-bracket can claim the same.

The EQA has a single Type 2 CCS European-standard charging port located at the rear on the driver’s side (image: Tom White).

Plugging in to an average ~2.4kW wall socket will see a full charge time in the realm of 27 hours.

Mercedes bundles in a three-year subscription to ChargeFox locations, which is currently the largest non-Tesla network in Australia.

Mercedes now offers a five year and unlimited kilometre warranty across its range, which brings it in line with mainstream offerings, and generally ahead of its luxury rivals.

This also includes five years of roadside assist. In the case of the EQA, its high-voltage battery system is covered for the industry-standard eight years and 160,000km.

Mercedes now offers a five year and unlimited kilometre warranty across its range (image: Tom White).

The EQA only needs to visit the shop once every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever occurs first, and a five-year service plan comes in at $2200 or $440 a year.

Great value for a product in the premium space. And so it should be, as electric vehicles theoretically have significantly less serviceable items than their combustion counterparts.