The EQA brings Mercedes EVs into the mainstream. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

This is what the Mercedes of compact electric cars looks like. The EQA isn't the most sophisticated or longest-running small EV out there, but the Stuttgart maker is hoping that when it comes down to it, this will be the one that customers in search of a premium alternative would rather have.

Background

Mercedes has long needed a relatively affordable all-electric family hatchback. BMW has its i3. Audi has the Q4 e-tron, Volkswagen has the ID.3 and ID.4. Plus there's the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Skoda Enyak iV and the CUPRA el-Born. So Mercedes has pulled out all the stops to bring us this EQA.

There wasn't time for the Stuttgart brand to construct a bespoke electric platform for this model of the kind that features on its competitors. So it must sit on the same MFA underpinnings as the compact GLA crossover it's based upon, a chassis not originally designed for full electrification. Quite a lot of work's had to go in then, to revise this platform to take the weight of this EQA's 66kWh drive battery. Let's take a look at what this car can offer.

Driving Experience

Setting off in this Mercedes feels all very normal. There's the same kind of starter button and column-mounted auto gear lever that you'd find in any normal combustion engine model in the Stuttgart maker's range. Mainstream versions of the EQA are based around a single powertrain and battery package, dubbed the 'EQA 250'. Here, a 66.5kWh battery pack and a single asynchronous electric motor sit on the front axle and produce a combined output of 188bhp and 375Nm of torque. Drive is through the usual fixed-ratio auto gearbox common to full-battery models. Like all EVs, the EQA shoots away from rest like a scalded cat as all the torque is developed all at once. And, like all EVs, it runs out of puff a little once the 62mph mark is passed (in 8.9s), eventually topping out at just 99mph.

If you want to go faster in an EQA, you'll need to talk to your dealer about the two 4MATIC models, the EQA 300 and the EQA 350, the latter capable of 0-62mph in around 6 seconds.

Our focus here though, is on the volume EQA 250 derivative and the stat you'll be most interested in with that particular variant is driving range, rated at 265 miles from a single charge. Expect longer range EQAs in the future. To maximise the range you do have, you'll need to make proactive use of the various brake regenerative energy harvesting modes on offer.

Design and Build

As is intentional, there's a clear visual connection between this EQA and its combustion-engined GLA conventional showroom stablemates. The two cars share the same steel bodyshell and bumpers, but the electric variant gets its own unique blanked-off front grille and some other lightly altered details.

The interior's very recognisable from the GLA too, though there are EQA-themed instrument and infotainment graphics across the distinctive bonded twin screens that dominate the front of the cabin. The rear seat's a bit different though, mainly because the floor level's had to be raised to accommodate the battery pack that's been inserted beneath, there's also a transmission tunnel-like ridge running down the cabin centre. At least legroom isn't compromised over a normal GLA. Out back, there’s a useful 340-litres.

Market and Model

OK: what'll you pay for the first all-electric battery-powered Mercedes-Benz? Because this car bears the Three Pointed Star, you won't be surprised to hear that its price starting point is way above the level (£45,000) at which the government is prepared to offer assistance towards EV purchase these days. All the models available in this line-up use the same 66.5kWh battery and nearly all sales are of the EQA 250 variant we tried, which uses a front-mounted 190hp electric motor and is priced from around £45,000 in entry-level 'Sport' form. From there, it's a £1,500 jump to 'AMG Line'-spec, with 'AMG Line Premium' and 'AMG Line Premium Plus'-spec variants demanding further £3,000 increments, the latter requiring £52,000 from you.

That's pretty much the price starting point for the two more sophisticated EQA variants, the EQA 300 4MATIC and the EQA 350 4MATIC, which add an extra electric motor on the rear axle to increase traction - and power, the '300' variant offering 228hp and the '350' version boosting that to 292hp. Because these faster models can't be had with base 'Sport' trim, prices from launch started from around £48,500 for the '300' and from around £50,000 for the '350'. If you like the idea of an EQA of some sort but need a bit of extra versatility, bear in mind that Mercedes also has its mechanically almost identical EQB SUV for relatively little more.

Cost of Ownership

The elephant in the room here is driving range. The EQA 250's 265 mile figure really isn't that much more than you'd get from a Renault ZOE supermini EV from the next class down. And you're going to need to make pretty proactive use of the brake regenerative settings to achieve that. The EQA will at least support both 11kW AC and 100kW DC charging.

The 100 kW DC on-board charger allows the car to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 40 minutes, and from 10 to 100 per cent in five hours and 45 minutes using an 11 kW wall box.

A three-year subscription to the Mercedes me Charge public charging service is also available as standard. Mercedes me Charge allows customers convenient use of the charging stations of various providers, even when travelling abroad. By registering just once, they can benefit from an integrated payment function with a simple billing process.

Summary

There's lots you might like about the EQA. It is, after all, a very Mercedes-style package, with a feeling of cabin elegance, sophistication and quality that many competitors struggle to match. The brake regeneration system is excellent. The extensive 'Mercedes me' charging network and the easy way you can pay to use it is an obvious attraction. Such is the draw of the Three Pointed Star.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Mercedes-Benz EQA

PRICES: from £45,645 – on the road (inc. £1,500 Plug-in Car Grant)

CATEGORY: FULL ELECTRIC - COMPACT

INSURANCE GROUPS: 37-45

PERFORMANCE: {250} 0-62mph 8.9s / Max Speed 99mph

WLTP ELECTRIC DRIVING RANGE: 265 miles

BOOT CAPACITY: [litres] 340

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4463/1834/1620 mm