Mercedes EQB review

Is the Mercedes EQB a good car?

We’ve always liked the Mercedes EQB, but the 2024 facelift and introduction of the front-wheel-drive 250+ version has made one of the best family SUVs even better. It’s not cheap, but the combination of seven seats, around 300 miles of range from the smaller battery, and Mercedes’ typically impressive interior make it a tempting proposition for large families in search of practicality and low running costs. Besides, the EQB has few rivals in the seven-seat electric SUV segment.

How much does the Mercedes EQB cost?

There’s plenty of choice for anyone after a small premium electric SUV, with models from Mercedes, Audi and BMW vying for attention alongside rivals from Lexus and even Smart. But what if you’re after something genuinely practical? Perhaps with a seven-seat option? Your list of options shortens somewhat, bringing the Mercedes EQB sharply into focus. And the changes introduced in 2024 have made it even more appealing.

Mercedes EQB prices start from around £53,000 for the entry-level for the EQB 250+ in Sport Executive trim, rising to £61,000 for the EQB 300 4Matic in AMG Line Premium Plus trim. High prices for a family SUV, even with seven seats, a premium badge and an electric powertrain.

That said, it’s worth looking at the competition. Take the Kia EV9, which costs between £65,000 and £75,000 in seven-seat guise. Alternatively, the funky Volkswagen ID. Buzz costs between £59,000 and £65,000 In other words, the affordable electric seven-seater doesn’t exist – yet.

It’s also worth noting that the Mercedes EQB boasts high levels of standard equipment, with a £1,500 Driver Assistance package the only notable omission from all models in the range.

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We’re not a major fan of how the adjustable damping works on the Mercedes EQA, so we’re pleased to report that the entirely conventional set-up on the entry-level EQB 250+ strikes a much better balance.

There’s an honesty to the way the EQB behaves on road, in fact; the steering isn’t overly responsive around the straight ahead, but it’s nicely weighted, and while the body control can become unstuck if you really start to throw the car about, in general it lollops along without too many complaints. There’s decent bump absorption here too, as the EQB tends to smooth out smaller, higher-frequency inputs. Only the biggest, sharpest judders find their way through to the cabin.

Nor does the EQB 250+ feel slow. The throttle is well modulated so you can be aggressive with it when necessary, without having to fear a scrabble of wheelspin – and when you do give it a prod, there’s enough pace to back up the claimed 0-62mph time of just under nine seconds. No doubt seven-up travel would present more of a challenge, but even then, the 385Nm of electric-motor torque would probably be enough for swift progress.

Refinement is excellent too; there’s a bit of wind noise around the A-pillar and side mirror – blame the EQB’s boxy, upright stance for that – but the electric motor remains hushed even when you’re pressing on, and even the 19-inch wheels don’t spoil the party with loads of roar.

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The Mercedes EQB comes with two battery sizes. The entry-level 250+ comes with front-wheel drive and is equipped with a 70.5kWh battery for an official range of between 290 and 321 miles, depending on the trim and size of the alloy wheels. This means the most affordable EQB model is also the most efficient.

Upgrading to the EQB 300 4Matic adds a second electric motor for four-wheel drive, but it’s only available with a smaller 66.5kWh battery, so it doesn’t have the range of the 250+ version. Depending on the trim level and size of alloy wheel you go for, it’ll go between 248 to 255 miles on a charge. The only conciliation is that the 300 4Matic starts in better equipped AMG Line Executive trim, meaning an improved specification.

Thanks to a maximum charging speed of 100kW, topping up the battery from 10-80 per cent takes 32 minutes. Charging from flat to 100 per cent takes just under 11 hours with a 7.4kW  home wallbox charger, and all versions of the EQB come with a five-metre Type 2 cable for use at public charging stations at up to 11kW.

The battery in a Mercedes EQB is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

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The changes introduced as part of the 2024 facelift should widen the EQB’s appeal considerably – although that’s as much to do with the model line-up itself as it is any major overhauls elsewhere. Still, there are visual cues to signify that you’ve bought a facelifted model, with a new pattern on the front grille, including an LED band that joins the headlights, and different bumpers front and rear, plus a new rear diffuser. There are fresh designs of alloy wheels on offer, and the car gets a new tail-light motif.

Inside, the ever-glitzy pair of 10-inch displays remains (one for infotainment, the other for the instrument panel), but there’s a revised dashboard design that now incorporates a storage tray. The steering wheel gets touch-sensitive controls, too.

If you really look hard then you’ll probably find areas where the entry-level AMG Line Executive cabin is a little less polished than those of higher-end versions, but you’ll frankly be splitting hairs. Build quality here is first rate, and the materials and finishes are more than up to scratch, even at this price.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The EQB’s dashboard is dominated by a pair of 10-inch displays. One is a configurable digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel, while the other sits alongside it above the rotary vents to create a seamless widescreen display. The Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) system is one of the best in the business and can be controlled via your voice, the touchpad or optional gesture input.

We’re pleased to report that the 2024 facelift hasn’t removed the physical buttons for the climate control system, although we’re less keen on the new touch-sensitive switches on the steering wheel, which might take a bit of getting used to.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity are standard across the range, as is sat-nav and an impressive 225-watt sound system. Upgrading to the AMG Line Premium trim adds more speakers and a subwoofer, while the AMG Line Premium Plus trim boasts a Burmester surround sound system. Only high-spec versions have wireless phone charging.

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Every model in the range comes with seven seats, and while the rearmost row may not be suitable for adults, you can safely use the third-row for children because each position has ISOFIX points to secure a child seat to, so at least you know your loved ones are as safe as can be.

Space in the middle row is fine for adults, although the positioning of the batteries beneath the floor means your passengers’ knees sit quite high. On the plus side, there’s plenty of headroom throughout the cabin, even with the electrically operated panoramic glass sunroof fitted to the AMG Line Premium Plus model.

In five-seat mode, the EQB offers 495 litres of luggage capacity, or 1,710 litres with both rear rows of seats folded flat. There’s not a lot of room in the boot if all seven seats are in use, but that’s typical of seven-seat SUVs. That said, the Kia EV9 offers 333 litres of boot space, even in the seven-seat configuration, making it a better choice for large families.

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The Mercedes EQB didn’t appear in the latest 2024 Driver Power satisfaction survey, but Mercedes, as a brand, managed a disappointing 25 out of 32 on the list of manufacturers, placing it below many mainstream companies. Indeed, only Vauxhall, Audi, Renault, Volkswagen, Ford, Fiat and MG finished lower. Not an encouraging result for a premium brand.

There’s better news when it comes to safety, with the Mercedes EQB awarded a maximum five-star rating by safety experts Euro NCAP when it was crash tested in 2019. The category scores were impressive, including 95 per cent for Adult Occupant safety and 91 per cent for Child Occupant safety.

The EQB comes with many standard safety features, including multiple airbags, active brake assistance, active lane-keep assistance, a blind spot monitoring system, emergency call system in the event of an accident, and speed limit assistance. Sport Executive and AMG Line Executive models have rear parking sensors and a rearview camera, while AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus models also feature a 360-degree camera for even easier parking.

For the most advanced driver assistance systems, you’ll need to add the £1,500 Driver Assistance package. Available on all models, it adds the like of an active blind spot assistance system to warn you of vehicles during a lane change, adaptive cruise control, active braking assist with cross-traffic function, active steering assistance, and a pre-safe system, which prepares the car for an impending accident.

Mercedes EQB alternatives

The EQB is one of several Mercedes SUVs, and one of five electric SUVs. It sits between the smaller Mercedes EQA and the larger Mercedes EQE SUV in the range, but while the EQB boasts seven seats as standard, the EQE is strictly a five-seater. For a more traditional alternative, the Mercedes GLB is powered by a range of efficient engines.

There’s not a lot of choice if you’re looking for a combination of electric power and seven seats, with the Kia EV9 and Tesla Model X the most obvious candidates. The Kia is bigger than the EQB, with prices starting from around £65,000. It also offers a maximum range of 349 miles from a fully charged battery, with ultra-fast charging delivering up to 154 miles in just 15 minutes.