2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA250 review

The world’s oldest car maker is fast embracing the world’s newest drivetrain technology, and the EQA is the latest addition to the electric EQ family.

Slotting below the Mercedes-Benz EQC that went on sale in 2019, the EQA condenses the thinking into a compact SUV.

Think of it as the electric equivalent of the GLA, Benz’s popular compact SUV. Sure, the two differ slightly on styling and dimensions (the EQA is marginally longer and taller, albeit with the same width), but they share the same structure, right down to the wheelbase.

With five seats in a five-door body the EQA will compete with the upcoming Volvo XC40 Pure Electric and delayed Tesla Model Y.

For now it’s available only as a front-drive EQA250, but by the end of 2021 there will also be a dual-motor, all-wheel drive EQA350.

Value

There’s no haggling on price with the EQA because even though you might do the deal in a dealership you’re buying it directly from Mercedes-Benz head office, which has fixed the prices. That said, different taxes means the drive-away price varies slightly from state to state, ranging from $77,932.00 in the ACT to $82,780.54 in Western Australia (it’s $80,798.30 in Victoria and $80,770.40 in NSW).

Given head office packages the dealer delivery fee into the price (it adds about $2750 to a GLA) it narrows the gap between ICE and EV to the point where the EQA only has a premium of a few thousand dollars over the GLA250 (which drives all four wheels versus the EQA’s front-drive). The EQA also dodges the luxury car tax threshold – at least in its cheapest form – saving another $1000-odd.

Included in the deal is a digital instrument cluster and identically sized 10.25-inch central touchscreen as well as 64-colour ambient lighting, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and electrically operated front seats, satellite-navigation, digital radio tuning, tyre pressure sensors, wireless phone charging, dual-zone ventilation, smart key entry, powered tailgate and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The LED strips across the front and rear (white up front, red at the rear) team with the solid grille for a distinctive look.

Plus there are adaptive dampers to adjust the control and comfort levels on the run.

The seat coverings are Mercedes-Benz’s convincing fake leather, called Artico, although you can option genuine hide as part of a vast suite of extras.

Until mid-2022 there’s an Edition 1 pack, for example, that adds 20-inch rose gold-coloured wheels, panoramic sunroof, backlit interior trim elements, blue highlights, AMG pedals, illuminated door sills and real leather seats. It costs another $7300.

There’s also a $2950 AMG pack that includes a different grille, those backlit trim elements, a sports steering wheel, sports seats and 20-inch alloys.

Or you can get a $2900 Vision pack that adds a sunroof, 60-degree camera and Burmester sound system.

The $2500 Innovation pack brings a head-up display, MBUX interior assistant (for more voice operation) and augmented reality elements to the sat-nav.

And you can keep spending beyond that…

One thing you can save some money on is charging. The EQA250 comes with a three-year Chargefox subscription, giving access to the largest network of fast and ultra-rapid charges in the country. All charging from those is free for the first three years.

Inside the EQA250

Beyond the long list of equipment there’s been an impressive effort put into living up to the price tag and three-pointed star expectations inside. Quality finishes touch every surface and the ambient lighting teams with the digital displays to ram home the tech. It’s a classy and expensive looking fitout.

Space up front is generous and there’s an airy feel to the cabin. Benz’s familiar circular air vents and multi-function steering wheel – with touch pads, thumbwheels and buttons – take some getting used to but make the effort worthwhile to easily scroll between menus and customise the look.

The EQC doesn’t get the latest touch sensor in the steering wheel, so it may occasionally prompt you to put your hands back on the wheel – typically on freeways where steering input is minimal – even though you already have them there.

Move further back and the 480kg battery pack sandwiched under the floor takes its toll. The height of the rear floor is quite high, meaning those in the rear will have their knees up higher than usual. Long journeys won’t be great for adults – especially lanky ones – although there’s at least air vents in the rear and another USB-C power outlet.

Similarly, the boot has copped a chop to 340 litres, well down on the 435 offered in a GLA. While there’s a 40/20/40 split-fold setup for bulky items, the boot floor is relatively high, again as a result of componentry beneath.

That also means no spare tyre, with Benz instead reverting to an inflation kit to get you to the nearest repairer.

Performance and efficiency

Mercedes-Benz built its reputation on the classic rear-wheel drive layout. Yet like many of Benz’s smaller cars these days the EQA250 sends drive only to the front (the more powerful EQA350 4Matic arriving late in 2021 will be all-wheel drive).

Blame it on the architecture. The underpinnings of the EQA are shared with the GLA, an ICE SUV. That meant filling the big hole under the bonnet where the engine went with electrical components.

That compromise impacts how the car drives. While it’s not particularly powerful – 140kW is the peak – there’s a healthy 375Nm of torque and it’s available almost as soon as you press the throttle. There’s rarely a time when it feels undernourished and even works fine for a country road overtake.

But channelling that much through the front wheels takes its toll on driveability. At low speeds and with all that torque flowing through the system there’s occasionally a fleeting hit of wheelspin before the electronics chime in. And if you’re turning at the same time – out of a tight corner or an intersection – the steering can tug to one side (it’s called torque steer).

There are various drive modes, including an Eco mode that trims the top speed to save electricity. Sport also sharpens the throttle response and gives access to the whole 375Nm a fraction earlier.

As for how far you’ll go, the MB website claims 480km between charges, but our experience suggests that’s very optimistic. In the real world we found it to be closer to 350km.

The claimed consumption is 16.2kWh/100km but something north of 20kWh/100km was our experience.

Like the larger EQC, the EQA gets five levels of energy regeneration selectable via the paddles on the steering wheel. It can range from coasting (like you’re selected neutral) to decent regen that means you won’t have to use the brakes for much of the time. That said, the car won’t bring itself to a stop; you’ve always got to push the pedal for that last little bit.

That adjustable regen also has an auto setting that uses the forward-facing radar and speed sign recognition to automatically slow the car using regeneration. It’s cleverly done and works nicely, especially around town.

Charging: Mercedes-Benz EQA250

The EQA can store up to 66.5kWh of electricity and it charges using the standard Type 2 CCS plug.

The EQA250 is capable of accepting a DC fast charge of up to 100kW for a claimed 10-80 percent charge as quick as 30 minutes. We never got to test the DC charging capability because our car expired (read more about it here).

AC charging can be done at up to 11kW for a circa-six-hour full charge. Step that up to about 30 hours if you’re using a regular home powerpoint.

Ride and handling

It’s more cruisy than fiery in the EQA. But it’s achieved in a competent and comforting way – all the while with plenty of weight underneath you.

The 480kg battery pack pushes the overall weight of the EQA just north of two tonnes, and that’s something that defines how it drives.

There’s a reassuring solidity and the body is nicely controlled in corners. And the suspension smothers bumps adeptly, especially with the dampers in their most relaxed mode. Even in Sport mode the adjustable dampers still allow enough compliance to reinforce the focus is on comfort, albeit with added firmness over smaller imperfections.

Our car was fitted with 20-inch wheels (up from the standard 19s) although we also briefly drove on a car with the standard wheels. Those lower profile 20s hang on nicely, although the EQA does its best when driven at a moderate pace. Step things up and physics kick in.

It’s impressively quiet, though, reinforcing that emphasis on liveability.

Whenever you grab reverse you’ll notice a momentary whirring sound. That’s the three-pointed star badge tilting to allow the reversing camera to poke its head out.

Talking point

Lights are a big part of the EQA, from the ambient lighting inside (with a choice of 64 colours) to the blue highlights on the fringes of the headlights.

But it also comes with two LED strips that run the width of the car front and rear. The white LED light between the bonnet and the grille creates a distinctive face while the red strip at the rear continues the theme, joining the tail lights.

Safety

The EQA250 packs in nine airbags (dual front, rear side, front side thorax, side curtains and a driver’s knee airbag), but it’s the active safety systems that steal the headlines.

There’s an advanced driver assistance system that includes traffic sign recognition, blind spot assistance (including an exit warning function to protect against hitting a cyclist or losing a door) and auto braking. There’s also route-based adaptive cruise control that automatically adjusts the car’s speed to the speed limit.

Verdict

The EQA250 provides a compelling EV case against the ICE alternatives in the Mercedes-Benz showroom. Yet it does so with obvious compromises because it started from the base of a regular petrol-powered car. The EQA350 arriving within months will address some of those.

The 250 is less convincing against some EV rivals, but at least throws in lashings of Merc style, especially in the beautifully presented cabin.

2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA250 specifications

Price: $76,800 plus on-road costs; from $77,932.00 to $82,780.54 drive-away

Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, SUV, FWD

Range: 480km (claimed), 408km (WLTP), 350km (realistic)

Battery capacity: 66.5kWh

Battery warranty: 8 years/160,000km

Energy consumption: 16.2kWh/100km (claimed)

Motors: 1 front 140kW/375Nm

AC charging: 11kW, Type 2 plug

DC charging: 100kW, Type 2 CCS plug

0-100km/h: 8.9 seconds