Nissan Ariya vs Mercedes-Benz Eqa350

What's the difference?

I can see how the Nissan Ariya would have changed the game if it launched in Australia back in 2022.

While it is a solid car that’s quiet, comfort-oriented and tech-heavy, there’s now little separating it from the competition apart from the fact it has a Nissan badge and a cracking aftersales package. This is disappointing as we’ve waited a long time for this car to arrive.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accomodation meals provided.

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.

Back when the Ariya was revealed, it started a new design language for Nissan, but five years later almost every model in the Japanese carmaker’s line-up has taken some element of this car’s design.

What this means is while the Ariya was unique, it now doesn’t stand out from the crowd as much as it once did. This doesn’t help given there are now so many competitors out there.

However, in person the exterior of this car is stunning. I’m particularly a fan of the two-tone copper paint available on the Advance+ and Evolve e-4orce.

At the front there is a slim and striking LED lighting set-up that stands out, plus the gloss black faux grille is an interesting take on the brand’s ‘V-Motion’ grille. It has illuminated sections that are only noticeable in dark conditions.

Around the side the Ariya appears to be a lot more coupe-like than you’d expect. There’s a body line that runs from the A-pillar all the way to the tailgate. It gives the car a floating roof effect, which is a current design trend.

Other notable design elements on the side include the charge flap on the passenger side front quarter panel, aero covers for the alloy wheels, and an extensive use of gloss black around the wheel arches and door sills. It’ll be interesting to see how the latter hold up in the long run.

At the back there isn’t a whole heap going on beyond the large rear spoiler, which is intricately designed and there to improve aerodynamics.

There’s also a full-width LED light bar for the tail-lights, which is sandwiched by a Nissan wordmark badge. These lighting set-ups are so common now that they’re a little cliche.

Inside, the Ariya is befitting of its flagship status for the Nissan brand. In the top-spec Evolve trim with the blue Nappa leather upholstery and suede dash highlights. I don’t think it pairs well with every exterior paint colour, but it still looks great.

This also isn’t to belittle the lesser trims. While they have darker interiors, this is likely more preferable for many buyers as they’re less out there. The materials, at least in the Advance+, are still at a high quality.

The steering wheel is leather-wrapped and feels buttery soft in the hand. While I loathe the fact there are gloss-black covers over the physical buttons on the steering wheel, it’s still a step in the right direction.

Ahead of the driver are dual 12.3-inch screens across the line-up. It took me a while to notice there’s a wave between the screens as it’s covered by the steering wheel rim. The touchscreen is incrementally closer so you can reach it more easily.

Another major element of the Ariya’s interior design is the centre console. In the Advance+ and Evolve it has electric sliding adjustment, allowing you to customise the position to your desire.

The use of the faux wood trim looks premium, especially because you don’t expect there to be haptic buttons on it. This helps for a clean, button-less look.

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.

This car is built on a dedicated electric architecture which theoretically gives it many benefits as there’s no space needed for a combustion engine, nor its transmission or driveline components.

While the Ariya benefits from this by pushing the wheels to the extremities, it underwhelms in others. More on this in a bit.

As standard the driver’s seat is mounted very high. I’m 182cm tall and in the seat's lowest position I was only a few centimetres off my hair tickling the roofliner. While this is nice from a forward visibility standpoint, I instinctively want to sit lower in the cabin.

Despite this, the front seats are deliciously comfortable. They offer plenty of electric adjustability, allowing you to find your desired seating position. Depending on the trim they’re heated and ventilated, which is a treat in fickle Melbourne weather.

As noted before, the steering wheel features physical buttons, which is a major plus. They’re clearly labelled and are easy to understand.

Ahead of the driver the digital instrument cluster is classic Nissan. There are a range of informative pages to cycle through, as well as two layouts to choose from. All of them look high-res.

Moving across, the touchscreen multimedia system is also a classic Nissan unit. Almost every Nissan model has a variation of this touchscreen now, which kind of makes the Ariya feel less special.

Thankfully however, the user interface is clear and easy to understand. It’s hard to get lost and even if you do, there are shortcut buttons on the side of the screen.

As standard there’s wireless Apple CarPlay, which is great if you have an iPhone and almost expected nowadays, however Android Auto is only offered in wired form only. This is disappointing from a high-tech flagship.

I appreciate there are haptic buttons for the climate control under the touchscreen. It’s much better than having these functions built into the touchscreen. However, the seat heating/ventilation and the steering wheel heating is in the touchscreen, but you can program it to an automatic mode so it’ll turn on and off with the climate control.

The haptic buttons extend onto the centre console which electrically slides in the Advance+ and Evolve. These ones are for the drive mode and ePedal selection.

Speaking of the centre console, it’s a big bulky unit but it barely offers any storage. Under the centre console lid there’s a wireless charger and a miniscule amount of storage. There’s also a tiny phone-sized slot at the front of the centre console, plus a 12V socket and some USB ports.

It’s disappointing Nissan hasn’t taken better advantage of the flat floor accommodated by the dedicated electric architecture. There’s open space between the driver and passenger, which makes it feel like you’re in dedicated recliners.

As a result of the paltry centre console storage, there are two gloveboxes. One on the passenger side and another in the centre. Both look like they’re sizeable, but that’s just the lid as the actual storage space is a fraction of this.

Moving to the second row I have a decent amount of legroom behind my own driving position. Toe room is negligible however and headroom suffers from the panoramic glass sunroof.

Despite this the second-row bench is still comfortable. It’s laid back, though there’s not much lateral support. This means in the bends you’ll be thrown into the door or into the centre of the car.

There continues to be a flat floor in the second row, plus a minimal hump in the rear bench means you could technically go three-up if you wanted. The limitation at this point is shoulder space.

In terms of amenities there are centre console-mounted air vents, USB-C ports, heated outboard seats (depending on the trim) and a fold-down armrest with cupholders. It’s fairly standard.

From the Advance trim and up there’s a standard hands-free power tailgate. This is handy if you’ve got your hands full.

For the boot space itself, it’s fine but not standout. Two-wheel-drive variants are notably better with 466L of boot space with the rear seats upright. The Evolve e-4orce only has 408L due to the rear electric motor.

As expected there’s no spare tyre at all across the line-up. Instead there’s a tyre repair kit under the boot floor.

No Ariya trim has a front boot.

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.

Does it represent good value for the price? We’re not so sure.

Starting from $96,900, before on-road costs, the EQA 350 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD) costs over $15,000 more the established EQA 250 front-drive version.

That’s a lot of dosh, even in the world of expensive EVs, given that’s nearly in Tesla Model 3/Y Performance, new flagship Kia EV6 GT and range-topping Hyundai Ioniq 5 Epiq (with change) territory.

These are bespoke electric vehicles in that they’re designed from the ground up to be electrified, not internal combustion engine (ICE) models modified to take electric motors and batteries, as the EQA is. It doesn’t take much imagination to see the popular GLA small-car/crossover behind the badge.

The same applies to the GLB-based EQB, which at least offers a seven-seat version in the base 250, giving it a unique selling proposition. The 350 4Matic benefits from no such advantage against its fierce volley of foes.

Additionally, the Mercedes must battle some pretty impressive yet cheaper ICE-based EV AWD rivals, including the Volvo XC40/C40 Recharge Twin fraternal twins, Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor and coming BMW iX1 xDrive30.

As the Stuttgart EV isn’t measurably ahead and is sometimes even behind these in performance, efficiency, range and charging capacity, its pricing seems needlessly steep.

Unfortunately, the 350 4Matic isn’t brimming with extra standard features to compensate, either.

Along with that second motor and AWD, your $15,200 premium over the 250 scores an AMG makeover inside and out, with an AMG Line Sports exterior treatment, 20-inch AMG alloys, AMG interior trim with synthetic leather and suede seat material, a leather AMG steering wheel, aluminium pedal covers and a top-stitched dash.

The 250’s optional 'Vision Package' is also thrown in, bringing a panoramic sunroof and surround-view camera.

You’ll also find dual keyless entry/go, electric and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, ‘Hey, Mercedes’ voice control, a wireless smartphone charger, two 10.25-inch screens (for instrumentation and multimedia touchscreen), Bluetooth connectivity, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, digital radio, satellite navigation, 10-speaker audio, ambient lighting, a powered tailgate and adaptive dampers.

On the safety front there are LED headlights with high-beam assist, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist and parking sensors all-round.

However, items that can dial up the glamour for potential buyers in EQA adverts, also cost thousands of dollars extra, such as a head-up display, hand gesture activation for several vehicle functions and the 'MBUX' augmented reality for navigation.

There’s a Wallbox from $1710 (before fitment) for personal parking-space charging, bringing a Type 2 AC Charger, 22kW single-phase and three-phase charging. 

A free Chargefox subscription is also part of the deal. But are all these enough?

There are only two electric powertrain configurations available in Australia.

The Ariya Engage and Advance are powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor that produces 160kW of power and 300Nm of torque. The Advance+ bumps the power figure up to 178kW to compensate for the larger battery pack.

The flagship Evolve e-4orce is the only trim with all-wheel drive. It has a dual-motor set-up with total system outputs of 290kW and 600Nm. This trim is claimed to be able to do the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.6 seconds.

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.

There are also two battery pack options in Australia.

The Ariya Engage and Advance come with a 63kWh lithium-ion battery with a WLTP claimed range of 385km. This isn’t much for a car that’s around $60,000.

The Advance+ and Evolve e-4orce, on the other hand, get a larger 87kWh lithium-ion battery. WLTP claimed range is 504km and 487km, respectively, which is much more like it for a vehicle of this size.

All variants have a Type 2 CCS combination charge port on the passenger side front quarter panel with a maximum DC charge rate of 130kW. At this rate this will see the battery charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 35 minutes.

AC charging is offered at rates up to 7.4kW on the Engage, Advance and Advance+ trims. 22kW AC charging is optional on the Advance+ and standard on the Evolve e-4orce.

However, thanks to a launch offer for the first 400 vehicles, all Ariyas are getting standard 22kW AC charging, even the ones that typically don’t get it at all. This is a cool offer and an interesting incentive if you are on the fence on actually buying one.

There’s also a free 22kW AC home charger provided as an additional launch offer. You’ll need to install this unit at your own expense.

For energy consumption it depends on the trim level. It ranges between 18.4 and 20.8kWh/100km. During our testing of the Advance+ we saw an average of 14.2kWh and the Evolve e-4orce we saw an average of 18.0kWh/100km. This would give a theoretical range of 613km and 483km, respectively.

It’s worth noting these average energy consumption figures were according to the trip computer and the driving was on higher speed roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.

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.

We only got to experience Ariya trim levels with the larger 87kWh battery pack at this launch. It’d be interesting to see how trims with the smaller battery pack fare from a comparative standpoint as they’re lighter but offer less range.

With the Ariya Advance+, it has a single electric motor that offers a decent amount of power and torque. It’s probably all that you’d ever need in everyday traffic.

However, it’s far from being a sporty offering – it’s more comfort-oriented – but when you push it, the limitations of it being front-wheel drive become apparent. Traction control cuts power as soon as the corners get too sharp, but thankfully it never feels like this car is out of line.

For more oomph, this is where the flagship Evolve e-4orce comes in with its dual-motor all-wheel-drive set-up. Although 290kW and 600Nm sounds like a lot, it doesn’t provide neck-snapping acceleration. Instead, acceleration intentionally ramps up incrementally to maintain a serene vibe in the cabin.

This isn’t to call this Ariya trim slow, though. It can do 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds, which is far from a slouch. The way the power piles on though feels nice during rolling acceleration, making it a lovely tourer. If you do lean into the performance this trim offers however, be prepared to pay for it with a higher energy consumption.

There are multiple regenerative braking modes offered in the Ariya. ‘D’ is normal, ‘B’ exaggerates the effects, then ‘ePedal’ is the closest you get to a one-pedal driving mode. All the modes require you to press the brake pedal to come to a complete stop.

Thankfully, there’s no awkward interaction between the regen brakes and the traditional friction brakes. This helps make it feel like a regular car that just happens to be electric.

The steering changes its weight depending on the drive mode. Regardless of this, however, there is a direct feel through the wheel which is confidence-inspiring, especially out on the open road.

As standard the suspension set-up comprises MacPherson strut front and a multi-link rear across the line-up. With the smaller 18-inch wheels across the majority of the line-up there’s plenty of tyre sidewall to play around with, which makes the ride feel composed and comfortable. It balances the line between being too bouncy and too firm nicely.

The top-spec Evolve e-4orce with its larger 20-inch alloy wheels, however, has less tyre sidewall and as a result the ride is much busier. The effects are made worse when you load more people or weight into the car as it becomes very reactive to every road imperfection, especially large bumps.

Lastly in terms of noise, vibration and harshness levels, it’s extremely quiet in the cabin. This is surprising because the lack of a combustion engine typically makes other noises more apparent.

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.

On the ANCAP website, a EuroNCAP-tested EQA scored a five-star crash-test safety result. This was conducted in 2019.

Included is Mercedes’ 'Driver Assistance Package' that features, among other safety items, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with an exit warning that alerts the driver to approaching cyclists or vehicles if the door begins to open into their path, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, as well as evasive steering and a ‘Parking Package’ featuring front and rear parking sensors and a surround-view camera.

There are also nine airbags, made up of front, pelvis side and window bags for driver and front passenger, and side and curtain airbags for rear occupants. There’s also a knee airbag for the driver.

The AEB with forward collision warning works between 7.0km/h and 200km/h, and offers pedestrian and cyclist protection day or night. The 'Active Lane Assist' tech operates between 60km/h and 200km/h.

The EQA makes a sound for pedestrians and other warns other road users that’s audible at speeds below 20km/h, plus a reversing tone.

Along with a trio of child-seat tether anchorages, the EQA’s rear seat base is fitted with two ISOFIX attachments.

Like other Nissans, the Ariya is covered by a 10-year/300,000km warranty, providing you service at authorised Nissan service centres when required. If you don't, there's only five years of coverage.

The battery pack on the other hand is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.

There’s also up to 10 years of roadside assistance if you service at authorised Nissan service centres.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first, and the first five services are capped at $299 each.

Overall this is a fairly compelling aftersales package, plus it helps that Nissan has a substantial dealer network around Australia.

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.