KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Closing out the year, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has launched the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Slotting between the EQC and EQS SUV in Stuttgart’s all-electric EQ lineup, the electric crossover takes the fight to the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron.
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV price
In Malaysia, the EQE SUV is offered in a single EQE500 4Matic SUV variant, delivering vastly more power but less range than the EQE350+ sedan. It’s priced at RM485,888 on-the-road without insurance, inclusive of a four-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a ten-year/250,000km battery warranty.
This means the Mercedes is around RM38,000 more expensive than the BMW iX xDrive40 Sport and around RM61,000 cheaper than the xDrive50 Sport, which is not surprising given that its power output sits smack in between its two Bavarian rivals. It’s also RM66,000 dearer than the aforementioned EQE350+.
Power and performance
As the 4Matic badge suggests, the EQE500 is powered by dual motors that provide all-wheel drive and a total output of 300kW (402hp) and an impressive 858Nm of torque. This propels the two-and-a-half-tonne SUV from zero to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210km/h.
Keeping this behemoth on the road is the Airmatic air suspension with adaptive dampers (which can be raised by 30mm for off-road driving at speeds of up to 80km/h), along with rear-wheel steering that turns up to ten degrees, offering greater agility and shortening the turning radius from 12.3 metres to just 10.5.
Range and charging
All EQE SUV models come with a 90.56kWh battery (identical to the EQE350+), enabling the EQE500 to deliver a range of between 464 and 552km on the WLTP cycle. It supports up to 170kW of DC fast charging, taking the battery from zero to 80% charge in 32 minutes. It can also accept up to 22kW of AC charging power; a full charge takes 4 hours and 45 minutes.
EQ styling with AMG Line package
Like the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV, the EQE SUV is based on Mercedes’ Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA2) and shares the streamlined design of those cars. This is characterised by the mask-like black front end that integrates the closed-off grille (with a Three-pointed Star motif) and Digital Light headlights joined together by a light strip. Other features include flush pop-out door handles and full-width LED taillights with a 3D helix design.
The Malaysian-spec model comes with the AMG Line package, featuring larger air intakes, a chrome rear bumper insert and illuminated aluminium-look running boards. It also rides on 21-inch two-tone AMG alloy wheels.
5 seats, no MBUX Hyperscreen
Inside, the EQE SUV carries over the general design of the EQE, with a slim air vent strip up top plenty of organic forms embellished by the full-width brown magnolia wood trim with aluminium Three-pointed Star inserts.
It too lacks the MBUX Hyperscreen of the EQS and EQS SUV, making do with a freestanding 12.3-inch instrument display and a 12.8-inch OLED portrait touchscreen. It features augmented reality navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a “Hey Mercedes” voice control system, a fingerprint scanner for bringing up individual driver profiles and a 15-speaker, 710-watt Burmester 3D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos support.
Elsewhere, you get regular sports seats upholstered in black and space grey leather, with power adjustment and memory, heating and ventilation functions. The EQE500 4Matic SUV also comes with a head-up display, Qi wireless charging, four-zone automatic climate control, Air Balance air freshening, a panoramic glass sunroof and an active ambient lighting system that is visible in the daytime.
Unlike the EQS SUV, the EQE SUV is a strict five-seater; measuring 4,863mm long, it is 262mm shorter than its bigger sibling. Despite this, Mercedes is promising generous interior room, with 1,000mm of headroom and 1,030mm of legroom at the back. Open the hands-free powered tailgate and you’ll find 520 litres of boot space, expandable to 1675 litres with the 40:20:40-split rear seats folded. Unfortunately, as per other EQ models, there’s no front boot here.
Full driver assists standard
As befits its price, the EQE SUV comes chock full of driver assists as standard. Aside from the obligatory autonomous emergency braking, the Driving Assistance Package Plus adds adaptive cruise control with stop and go and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, along with evasive steering assist and blind spot monitoring.
Also fitted is the Parking Package with auto parking and a 360-degree camera system, the latter featuring a “transparent bonnet” function that overlays the image from the front camera over the bonnet, allowing users to “see through” it. There’s also Pre-Safe Side that uses the active bolsters to push the front occupants towards the centre of the car if it detects a side collision is imminent. Nine airbags are fitted as standard. — SoyaCincau
