2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB SUV

　　

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　The Mercedes-Benz EQB is the brand's smallest electric vehicle and the most affordable way to get into an electric Mercedes. It's based on the gas-powered GLB SUV and looks much like it inside and out, with the exception of some minor styling differences like the solid front grille. The EQB is part of Mercedes' electric EQ lineup that includes the larger and more expensive EQE and EQS SUVs.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Mercedes-Benz EQB EV Insights

Trim:EQB EQB 250+

　　EQB 250+ 4dr SUV (electric DD) - $52,750 MSRPEQB 300 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $56,900 MSRPEQB 350 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $60,550 MSRP

　　

Range

　　245 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 208 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　8.3 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　Complimentary Charging Offer

　　Restrictions: This program is a charging agreement between Mercedes-Benz USA and Electrify America. Customers who purchase or lease a new Mercedes-EQ model will receive 2 years of complimentary 30-minute DC fast charging on the Electrify America network. Complimentary charging expires 2 years from the initial activation. To take advantage of this benefit, customers must be registered with Mercedes me Charge. Offer is non-transferable and only valid to first owners or lessees. See your participating dealer for details.

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$68/mo

　　EQB

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　For 2023, Mercedes introduced a new base model, the EQB 250+. It's the least powerful model but provides the longest driving range of 250 miles, and it's the most affordable option. The EQB 300 and 350 models deliver 243 and 227 miles of range, respectively. And unlike the front-wheel-drive 250+, they come equipped with all-wheel drive. All EQB models share the same standard features, but there are optional trim packages to layer on more features.

　　The EQB sports a stylish and spacious interior and an excellent infotainment system. It also offers seven-passenger seating with an optional, though small, third row. But the electric Mercedes doesn't excel at anything and is one of our lowest-ranked luxury electric SUVs. We recommend checking out its rivals, including the Genesis GV60, Volvo XC40 Recharge and Audi Q4 e-tron. The Tesla Model Y is another electric SUV to consider. See our Expert Rating below for our test team's comprehensive review of the EQB's efficiency, tech, comfort and more.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the EQB drive? We tested the EQB 350, which has dual electric motors and all-wheel drive. Acceleration around town feels more than adequate. But as luxury EVs go, its as-tested 0-60 mph sprint of 5.7 seconds is merely average. We don't like that you always have to press the brake pedal to bring the EQB to a complete stop. The brake pedal is touchy, too, making it hard to consistently stop smoothly. In many EVs these days you can simply use the electric motors to coast to a quick and smooth stop (i.e., one-pedal driving).

　　The EQB's low-slung battery weight gives it a more hunkered-down feeling than its boxy proportions would indicate, so it feels sportier to drive than it looks and is a bit more athletic than its gasoline-powered counterpart, the Mercedes GLB. But again, when compared against its EV contemporaries, it simply fails to stand out.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the EQB? The EQB 350 is surprisingly thin on standard comfort features. The synthetic leather seats provided decent levels of cushion and support, but they lack perforation, which could mean they'll be hot in the summer months. Seat heating and ventilation functions are optional. The second-row seats aren't as nicely cushioned, but they can slide fore and aft and recline a bit for better comfort. Our test car didn't have the optional third row, but based on the Mercedes GLB's third row, we'd expect comfort to be marginal in those seats.

　　Ride quality is nothing exceptional for the luxury class, but it's also nothing to complain about either, which is something we can't say for any Tesla Model Y. The most standout quality of the EQB is its quiet cabin. It's objectively quieter than the Audi Q4 e-tron and free of squeaks that seem to creep up in the Tesla Model Y.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below