2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV review: Australian first drive

Mercedes-Benz was one of the first manufacturers to introduce electric vehicles to our Australian market. Yes, it might’ve been beaten to the punch by Tesla, Nissan and Jaguar, but the Mercedes-Benz EQC of 2019 helped broaden the appeal of zero-emissions motoring Down Under.

It now has 11 vehicles within its electron-powered stable, and the brand is showing no signs of slowing down with the introduction of the EQE SUV. As its name suggests, it’s simply a higher-riding alternative to the EQE passenger sedan, with size positioning roughly equivalent to the well-known GLE SUV.

Drive attended the model’s launch on the Mornington Peninsula with a simple question in mind: with so many models under its hat, does the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV move the electric vehicle game on?

Mercedes-Benz first stepped into the electric vehicle arena with the EQC SUV in 2019, but the EQE SUV is brimming with up-to-date technology and delivers more space inside the cabin for drivers, passengers, and all your luggage too.

It’s offered in Australia in four distinct model variants. The EQE300 is rear-wheel drive, while the remaining EQE350, EQE500, and AMG EQE53 SUVs are all-wheel-driven.

Prices aren’t cheap – the range runs from $134,900 before on-road costs, all the way up to $189,900 for the AMG performance version.

At launch, we had the chance to sample the entry-level EQE300 SUV, which didn’t include any notable options such as the $3400 rear axle steering system (which turns the rear wheels up to 10 degrees to aid manoeuvrability), the $2900 air suspension system, nor the ground-breaking $6700 MBUX Hyperscreen.

Cars can travel up to 539 kilometres according to the lenient NEDC testing regime, and battery capacities are either 89 or 90.5kWh depending on the car's specification.

The EQE300 SUV specification draws power from the former, smaller battery. Power is supplied by a single 180kW/550Nm motor mounted over the rear axle. Step-up to the EQE350 4Matic SUV and outputs jump to 215kW and 765Nm from dual motors, while the 0–100km/h time is a claimed 6.3 seconds.

The EQE500 amps up yet again for 300kW and 858Nm and a lower 0–100km/h time of 4.7 seconds.

Buyers with an eye on performance will be attracted to the all-out EQE53 AMG version that can output up to 505kW and 1050Nm. The 0–100km/h time is a claimed 3.5 seconds.

Charging speeds are capped at 170kW for DC, while the ability to charge on a three-phase AC port is also available. Handily, Mercedes-Benz includes both a domestic charge cable and a separate AC charge cable with each car.

The EQE300 SUV comes fitted with a closed-off front grille featuring tiny three-pointed star emblems, while a unibeam rear light connects the two Digital Light adaptive high-beam headlamps.

As well, all Australian cars are fitted with the AMG Line styling package as standard, which affords sporty design attributes both inside and out.

Down the side, our car specifies 21-inch alloy wheels and uses pop-out door handles to aid aerodynamic efficiency. Up to 22-inch AMG wheels can be optioned at a cost of $1800.

Jump inside the EQE’s cabin and the amount of space on offer is immediately apparent. There’s a huge amount of room to get comfortable in for the driver and good adjustability of controls too. It’s also the traditional lofty SUV seating position that will be welcome news to most.

Those familiar with the tight footwell of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class will be happy to hear there’s way more room inside the bigger models in the car maker’s range, like the EQE.

It’s not only spacious, but the materials used inside the cabin are very impressive overall. The upholstery feels not only premium to the touch, but airy and breathable too. Perfect for a hot summer’s day.

Vents and accent pieces are finished in metallic-effect trims, while our car featured a woodgrain dash insert to really hit home that this is an upmarket car.

Additionally, the car gets a super impressive ambient lighting system that is configurable in myriad ways, and it really ups the interior presentation at night-time.

Storage-wise, the cabin is serviced by a dual-door centre console bin, a sliding lid paves way to two cupholders, a wireless phone charger, and slots for loose odds and ends. Under the centre console is a large tray for a handbag, and there are also deep door pockets and a decent-sized glovebox.

In the back seat, it might’ve been a dark place to sit as it feels a little enclosed by the bodywork, but the standard panoramic sunroof lets in a lot of light that really helps the cabin ambience. There’s ample room for head, legs, and feet, while amenities extend to air vents, map pockets, and two USB-C ports.

In terms of boot capacity, 520 litres is down on some of its petrol-powered counterparts, but the space has an easy load lip and the front seats fold forward for a bigger 1675L space.

Unfortunately, the rear seats can’t be folded forward with handy releases in the boot, but there is dedicated under-floor storage for charging cables, which is very important in an electric vehicle.

As standard, the EQE SUV comes with a 12.8-inch touchscreen handling the infotainment and a 12.3-inch display in front of the driver for critical driving information.

To use, it's as user-friendly and feature-packed as we’ve come to expect from Mercedes’s MBUX system, without overwhelming driver or passenger. Maps are presented in beautiful colour schemes with crisp graphics, while sifting through menu systems is simple thanks to shortcuts and a logical content layout.

I love the augmented-reality navigation feature that displays a camera feed of the road ahead, then overlays navigational graphics to highlight exactly where you need to go. It’s particularly useful in unfamiliar territory.

Buyers of higher-specified variants within the range can spend extra on the MBUX Hyperscreen, which spans the entire dash fascia from A-pillar to A-pillar. It’s not available on the entry-level EQE300 SUV.

Sound is provided by a Burmester Premium 3D sound system, which also includes Dolby Atmos spatial sound. It’s an incredible all-encompassing audio experience that will make you want to blast your favourite tunes, though the Dolby partnership is only available through an integrated Apple Music app within the car’s infotainment system and you’ll need a subscription too.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE300 SUV is not rated by ANCAP yet. It does not inherit the regular EQE sedan’s five-star crash-safety rating.

In terms of safety equipment, the entire range of Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV models comes loaded with all the right acronyms you want to see out of a family SUV.

Starting with 10 airbags, the EQE range also boasts technologies such as autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with lane-centring, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree camera, parking sensors at the front and rear, driver attention warning, and traffic sign recognition.

All felt well attuned to the car’s surroundings on our launch drive, and suitably unobtrusive during mundane driving manoeuvres that’ll crop up during daily life.

Mercedes-Benz was one of the first prestige car makers to introduce a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, and the EQE SUV is no exception. The high-voltage battery itself is covered for 10 years or 250,000km, whichever occurs first.

Services for Mercedes-Benz EQE models are recommended at 15,000km or one-year intervals, whichever occurs first.

The entry-level EQE300 SUV is the most efficient option in the line-up, with a quoted 18.9kWh per 100 kilometres energy consumption. Our drive experience couldn’t quite match that figure, sitting around 21–22kWh/100km on a short launch drive that included freeways and back roads.

In terms of aerodynamics, Mercedes-Benz says the vehicle has a Cd value of 0.251.

A Mercedes-Benz without the noise, vibration and harshness from a petrol (or diesel) engine should help it nail key Mercedes-Benz attributes including cabin comfort, quietness and refinement.

It does. The EQE300 is impressively quiet out on the open road, and cabin hush remains subdued even without an internal combustion engine running noise interference. The 180kW/550Nm motor is smooth and responsive, without overburdening the two rear-driven wheels.

You don’t get that typical kick in the back you expect from an electric vehicle, especially with roll-on acceleration, but there’s enough poke to ensure quick overtakes and the EQE300 runs up to the speed limit easily. However, those looking to impress passengers with sheer acceleration will likely be better placed in a more powerful variant.

Despite being only rear-wheel drive and featuring instantaneous torque, the EQE SUV’s rear-driven traction and stability systems put power down faithfully to the road in most applications. There are instances where the rear end can step out unexpectedly around sharp bends in the wet, but the stability-control system is razor-sharp to put things back in order.

The EQE300 feels its heft when threading through corners and during braking, but body control is better maintained than you’d think. It doesn’t get overly upset by mid-corner bumps and undulations, while ride comfort on the whole is well judged.

It is comfortable and compliant over speed bumps but does transmit road joins and potholes to a larger extent.

The car has four driving modes to choose from, including an individual driving mode to choose your own adventure, but there are no adaptive dampers to sharpen up handling qualities.

Manoeuvrability of the body and vision out of the cabin are decent, though buyers spending the majority of their time around town might want to option the rear-wheel steering, which will improve the car’s 12.5m turning circle.

There’s no doubt the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is an expensive prospect, but that lofty price tag is backed up by an impressive level of equipment, cabin comfort, and driving excellence.

Inside the cabin, you can easily see and feel exactly where your money went, and that sensation is only improved when you start prodding your way through the impressive infotainment system.

In terms of its driving qualities, the experience is everything you could hope for from a Mercedes-Benz. It’s refined, quiet and powerful, while a suite of active safety systems work with the driver rather than hinder.

With this car, Mercedes-Benz is showing the world exactly what lessons it has learnt from earlier releases such as the EQC. Where that car fell down with respect to efficiency, packaging and ride imperfections, this car fares much better.

It certainly sets a high benchmark for other incoming electric luxury SUVs, such as Volvo's EX90. We’re very much looking forward to pitting the two against one another in 2024.

Mercedes-Benz only had the entry-level EQE300 SUV variant at launch, which was suitably impressive in its own right, but buyers looking for more oomph out of their EV will likely be better served by the EQE350 4Matic.

The marque will offer a higher-spec EQE500 4Matic for a short period, similar to the Edition 1 variants the brand has done at model launches in the past, while all-out performance fanatics will step to the flagship Mercedes-AMG EQE53. All variants are available to order right now, while some select examples are already in the country awaiting buyers.

Mercedes-Benz advises interested parties to contact one of its dealership agents to advise on stock levels and order wait times.