Mercedes-Benz Eqa350 vs MG Im6

What's the difference?

On one hand, the EQA 350 4Matic has the styling, interior presentation, forceful performance and handling prowess to make you forgive its very expensive price tag, especially when so many rival EVs are also so talented.

But there’s too much that’s ordinary about this Mercedes to justify its huge ask, including a lack of that final polish in the way it drives and rides.

Despite being a recent release, the EQA is already feeling beyond its age. For the money, the 350 4Matic feels out of its depth.

A super solid first outing from the IM brand. Don't let the pricing fool you, there is still bang for buck on offer in the IM6 Performance, even if it at times feels a bit too digital for my tastes.

A high-riding hatchback (its handy 209mm ground clearance is only 4.0mm shy of the GLA equivalent), the smooth and handsome EQA is like an EQC that’s been left in a tumble dryer for too long, shrinking into its smaller proportions.

Along with the EQA's obvious electric powertrain inclusion, differences compared to the GLA include a blanked-out grille, a redesigned bumper, fresh wheel styles and a full-width LED tail-light treatment. 

All add some character to the rather amorphous donor car.

I feel almost mean saying this, because there will be plenty of people who like the way the IM6 looks, and I don’t want to rain on their parade. But… I’m not one of them.

It reminds me a bit of the pre-facelift Tesla Model Y, in that it’s largely feature-less and a bit blobby, and there’s not a sharp angle anywhere to be found on the thing. Premium to me means powerful and assured — picture just about any Audi — whereas I just find this a bit bland and soft.

Anyway, I do like the big alloys, the insulated glass roof and the light treatment front and rear.

And I like the cabin. The seats aren’t leather, but they’re super thick and comfortable, and there is a genuinely premium air in the cabin, helped by the acreage of screens and the quality elements, like the little door panels.

The doors unlatch electrically, matching the pop-out door handles outside, but they can be a bit fidgety. Someone from MG told me how they worked (you kind of cover the handle and let the door come to you) but I watched everyone else who tried to open them struggle. If you're at the point where you have to explain how a door handle works, you might have over-egged the pudding.

The second screen below the main one acts a bit like a mobile phone. You can alter your home screen widgets and access the main menu, even as Apple CarPlay is synched at the top. You’ll get used to it, I’m sure, but I found it to be a bit fidgety.

Actually it reminds me a little bit of the Lexus trackpad, or whatever that hateful system was called, where you controlled the main screen via a little mousepad thing, though happily it’s nowhere near as annoying as that was.

Like the second-gen (H247) GLA, the EQA sits up high, offering lofty seating. That’s core to this range’s appeal, making getting in and out a less acrobatic feat compared to smaller and lower EVs.

The cabin is very similar to many of the second-generation MFA2 transverse-engine/front-drive-based Benzes like the current A-Class. That means solid looking and feeling doors and dash, upping the sense of quality. Very on-brand stuff.

This is a very modern and inviting interior, with those aforementioned screens set within a large rectangular binnacle. To the centre there are the trio of turbine-style air vents that still bring a spark of joy to the cabin (as well as seriously effective ventilation), along with the row of metallic toggle switches; both provide pleasing, high-quality sensory experiences.

It can lean towards overkill with a trashy night-club ambience if restraint is not exercised with the (configurable) coloured light show dotting the EQA's cabin. 

Not to everybody’s liking, but thankfully you can turn that stuff off, so no complaining necessary here.

You wouldn’t call the EQA particularly spacious with its curvy roof, snug sports seating, high waistline, narrow glass areas and thick pillars, but even 200cm-tall people should find enough legroom up front. There’s a sense of cosiness rather than crampedness.

The 350 4Matic’s sports seats do a great job holding and caressing you in, providing excellent bracing through tight corners. Three’s ample (powered) adjustment, including for lumbar and lower-back areas, as well as enough support for thighs. The cushions themselves are typically firm yet comfy. And the seats look great. 

The driving position is superb, ahead of a set of vibrant digital instrumentation choices that run the gamut of tastes, with the 'Classic' dial-like look and minimalist settings (reminiscent of Saab in its essentials-only display) included, so as to not scare away traditionalists. There is also a 'Progressive' screen that’s colourful and techy, though the info presented is a lot to take in.

What may not please conservative Benz buyers are the cheap-looking plastics dotted throughout the interior, along with the rattles that are regular companions, especially over less-than-smooth roads. 

This has been a bugbear of all MFA-platform vehicles for more than a decade now, and while better than in some previous models, the EQA at $100K should possess vault-like build quality, not squeaky trim.

And when will that small and flimsy gear selector stalk be binned?

Our test car’s ‘Hey, Mercedes’ voice control system was erratic at best, barely providing any assistance and regularly annoying/entertaining with misunderstood responses and laughably limited functionality. Was our example glitchy? Perhaps.

Storage is good. And, ergonomically, everything’s within reach of the driver, but there’s a lot to take in, with scattered switchgear.

It’s also worth noting that, if you’re new to the MBUX multimedia system, taking the time to learn its many functions and capabilities is advisable, as it’s more logical and simpler than the intimidating first impression suggests. 

A deft thumb is required for the steering-wheel spoke-actuated tabs for instrument data, but even technophobes ought to master it all eventually. 

The central part of the screen can be swiped to access the vast array of features, including the excellent audio system and detailed vehicle control settings.

Further back, passengers sit up high, giving a wide view of what’s happening up front, while the backrest is angled at just the right position. 

There’s not much fun to be had sitting on the raised middle bit, and shoulder space is seriously limited with three abreast, but otherwise, even adults should find sufficient legroom and headroom – even with the panoramic sunroof fitted.

Deep door pockets, face-level air outlets, reading lights and a folding armrest are to be found back there, though the latter includes a flimsy slide-out cupholder set that’s not worthy of the brand. 

Because there’s a battery pack in the rear half of the EQA, cargo capacity shrinks from the donor GLA's 435 litres to just 340L, while dropping the 40/20/40 backrests extends that into the cabin for a 1320L load space. Note there’s no spare wheel, just a tyre inflation kit.

People don’t buy these small crossover Mercedes models for space or practicality – that’s why the GLB/EQB exist – but the EQA isn’t too bad for the urban demographic which wants/needs a compact, high-riding EV with impressive ground clearance.

The IM6 measures 4904mm long, 1988mm wide and 1669mm tall, and it rides on a 2950mm wheelbase, with IM describing it as a "mid-large SUV", though I expect it will be classed as a medium SUV Australia.

That said, ICE and EV mid-size electric SUVs are not cut from the same cloth, with the latter making use of a flat floor to maximise space. And so it is with the IM6, where backseat room is pretty damn impressive. I’m 175cm, and I had no problem at all with legroom or headroom, plus the same plush seats from up there are in the back, too.

There are also air vents but no temperature controls, and while there are USB ports, there is no regular household-style plug in the cabin. 

The glass in the windows is laminated, while the roof is double glazed, which MG tells me is Australian summer-proof, but I guess we'll know for sure in a couple of months.

There’s no shortage of cargo room either. There’s a 32-litre frunk up front, and there’s 646 litres in the boot with the rear seats in place. They’re 60/40 split, and if you drop them, luggage space grows to 1621 litres.

The towing capacity is a braked 1500kg, too, but I don’t expect to see many of these towing a camper trailer around.

Premium play means more premium prices, and my IM6 Performance will set you back $80,990 on the road. That might have just sent your eyebrows skyward, but keep in mind it’s faster than some Ferraris, and is swimming with high-end tech, so the bang-for-buck factor is actually still pretty good.

There are cheaper ones, too. The single-motor Premium grade is $60,990 drive-away, albeit with less power and slower charging. Then there’s the Platinum, with a bigger battery and faster charging, which is $69,990

The Performance, though, gets everything IM has to give, including an 800-volt architecture, which means super-fast charging, as well as twin motors, brutal acceleration, a decent driving range and adaptive air suspension.

Elsewhere, you get LED lighting, a big and insulated glass roof, and 20-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there are thick and soft synthetic leather seats that are heated and cooled in both rows, a banging 20-speaker sound system, and wireless charging to pair with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s also 'active noise cancellation', and a seat-aware digital assistant which is about the best, and fastest, I’ve ever used. The IM6’s speaker system can locate where a voice is coming from, so any passenger can use the assistant. For example, if you’re in the backseat and say 'hey IM, lower my window', only your window opens. It’s a technology that I specifically remember the German brands crowing about not so long ago.

There’s also a 10.5-inch central touchscreen that controls much of the vast 26.3-inch screen that runs from in front of the driver to the centre of the cabin, as well as clever little magnets embedded in the dash in front of the driver, as well as in the back of the front seat headrests, that are designed to hold phones, iPads or other little accessories.

Also cool is the IM6’s self-parking tech, but there’s also a relatively useless crab walk function, which leans on the rear-wheel steering system to drive diagonally at slow speeds. I’m still not entirely sure when you’d use that one, to be honest.

Honestly, it’s a lot of stuff, and a lot of tech.

The EQA 350 4Matic features an asynchronous motor and a single-speed reduction gear transmission under the bonnet, delivering 140kW of power and 385Nm of torque to the front wheels, and supported by a second, permanently excited synchronous motor located on the back axle.

'Dual E-motor' total outputs are 215kW between 7130-9506rpm up front and 5746-7661rpm for the rear motor, for a 520Nm torque total, from zero rpm. 

Drive is infinitely variable on both axles, for AWD capability. Tipping the scales at 2091kg (kerb), the 350 4Matic’s power-to-weight ratio is an impressive 103kW per tonne.

Result? Some six seconds is required to race from 0-100km/h, on the way to a 160km/h top speed.

The EQA employs a 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack fitted between the axles, with a maximum 11kW AC and 100kW DC charging capability.

Suspension is via MacPherson-style struts up front while a multi-link arrangement is out back. Steering is by electrically assisted rack-and-pinion.

This is the real party trick of the IM6, because there’s a nuclear power plant under the metal somewhere. All up, the twin-motor setup produces a total 578kW and 802Nm, though I suspect you’re never accessing all the grunt all at once. Still, 100km/h zips by in 3.4 seconds, and the top speed is 239km/h. For the record, that’s exactly as fast the Ferrari Roma Spider I recently handed back, so yeah, it’s properly supercar quick.

Using WLTP figures, the EQA 350 4Matic’s official consumption figure is 17.9kWh/100km. Maximum range is rated at 400km.

At pick-up, our EQA was displaying a 395km maximum range availability. After 273km of a mix of city, urban and freeway driving, our car showed 47km of range left, which means we could expect up to 320km in real-world driving scenarios. 

That did include some performance testing, which tends to suck out the kilowatts, by the way.

Our trip computer showed the vehicle had consumed 20.8kWh/100km on average.

Like the EQB, the EQA offers varying levels of energy recuperation to help recharge the battery pack. In ‘D Auto’ it figures out the level of resistance automatically, but drivers can also choose to do this manually via ‘D+’ that provides coasting, ‘D’ that brings mild regeneration off-throttle, and ‘D—’ that activates maximising regen for close to single-pedal driving. These are paddle activated.

Cables for home charging with three-prong outlets are included – an eight-metre long one plus a five-metre public charging cable.

Mercedes says a 100kW DC charger will take an EQA from 10-80 per cent charged in 30 minutes, while an 11kW AC public outlet needs seven hours, and at home using a regular 3.0kW 10-amp socket requires at least 34 hours.

Mercedes also offers a Wallbox with up to 22kW charging capability for your home or office from $1710, not including installation. That drops the charging time to under eight hours, which is ideal for overnight-home or all-day work charging scenarios.

Also on board is a 100kWh Nickel-Cobalt-Magnesium battery that produces a WLTP driving range of 505kms. Pretty good.

Charging is strong, too. The high-tech platform allows for 396kW DC fast charging, which is faster than what is currently offered in Australia. The claim is 30-80 per cent charged in 15 minutes. There’s also an external vehicle-to-load (V2L) port.

Probably the most impressive thing about the EQA 350 4Matic is how effortless, easy, and fun it is to drive, whether around town or out on the open road.

Slot the flimsy drive selector to D and this wastes no time moving off the line, streaking past 100km/h even more swiftly than the 6.0s official time suggests. 

The Mercedes powers along with strong acceleration available at all times. With such instant torque on tap, this is a treat weaving through traffic, zipping into rapidly closing gaps like a little go-cart.

At slower speeds, even in slippery conditions, the 350 4Matic feels glued to the road, possessing tons of grip wearing Pirelli P Zero 235/45R20 rubber, to help it carve through without breaking a sweat, pulled along by endless torrents of torque. Just a slight flex of your right foot has this car bounding ahead in no time.

Armed with nicely weighted and responsive steering and a planted yet agile chassis, all the makings are present for a premium electric hot hatch experience. 

However, there’s just a bit too much weight, which seems to manifest itself in somewhat top-heavy handling at higher speeds or through fairly tight corners. 

In such conditions, the Benz feels a bit nervous and a tad skittish, and not quite as composed as we’d hoped.

Disappointingly, while there’s regenerative braking using the steering paddles, it doesn’t quite bring the car to a full stop, but instead slows it down with enough force to wipe off most but not all of the speed. You can’t rely on full stop/go single-pedal braking, then.

Finally, there’s the suspension’s ability to cope with our patchy road surfaces. Over big bumps, ride comfort is fine, but smaller-frequency ones are all-too-often felt. 

There’s an underlying firmness to the chassis tune that’s in keeping with the EQA’s German heritage, but we expected more suppleness and isolation in a high-riding SUV equipped with adaptive dampers.

Plus, there’s more tyre/road noise than we’d like.

So, as a sprightly urban runabout, the EQA is ideal, with forceful acceleration and a slick powertrain. Backed up by the security of AWD, the 350 4Matic is great in inclement weather, too, with exceptional roadholding dynamics. But it isn’t quite as agile nor sophisticated and refined as we’d like a $100K Mercedes EV to be.

First things first, don't get too distracted by the word "performance" here. The IM6 doesn't act like a performance car, it feels bit too plush, and bit too digital, for that.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Performance cars are often loud, raucous and uncomfortable, and the IM6 is none of those things. Instead, those mountains of power and torque make silky, silent progress absolutely effortless, which feels pretty premium to me.

MG makes a big deal of how much work went into insulating the cabin from noise – with active noise cancellation joined by double-paned insulated glass – and it is a properly calming and quiet space.

Also strong is the suspension, with the adaptive air setup soaking up most bumps and bruises, but I found it can clang over really solid bumps, sounding like it's bouncing off a stopper. The steering is solid, too, with a nice weight, if not overly talkative in the feedback department, while the rear-wheel steering helps eat into the turning circle for tight three-point turns.

The downside, though, is that it all feels a little too digital, and like there's been a little too much overthinking gone into it. Having to push a button to see behind you in a hurry is bonkers (see my explanation in the Safety section below), and the secondary screen is more annoying than intuitive. And there were several bings or bongs I couldn't even identify. All of which interrupts the otherwise calming nature of the drive experience.

There is a long list of safety aids on the IM6, and I won't detail the lot here. But I will call out a couple of curious mentions.

As always, the driver distraction warning is annoying, but can be switched off. And MG also counts the IM platform, or what it calls a digital chassis, as part of the safety offering. It has its own digital brain that adapts the air suspension, the rear-wheel steering and the active safety kit on the fly.

The other curiosity is the weird way you see out the back. Rather than fit a digital rear-view mirror to counteract the almost non-existent rear vision, you instead push up on a little toggle on the steering wheel to bring up a live view of what's happening behind you on the central screen.

Mercedes-Benz offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

The battery pack warranty is also industry-standard, valid for the usual eight years/160,000km. Service intervals are every year or 25,000km.

There is no capped-price servicing, however buyers can purchase up-front when new to save money. 

The EQA 'Service Plan' starts at $1600 for the first three years/75,000km (whichever occurs first), $2200 for four years and $2650 for five years.

The IM6 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, rather than MG’S 10-year term. Capped-price servicing is offered for the first five years, with your total bill just under $3000. The service intervals are 20,000kms or 12 months.